Encounter with man who’s been volunteer traffic warden for 20 years

There’s hardly anyone who uses the popular Zoo Road that has never seen him performing the selfless service of controlling vehicular movement, thereby contributing to ease the traffic gridlock around the area. For Malam Umaru Haladu, the night of Saturday November 28, 2020 would be an unforgettable and historic one. It was the night he […]

There’s hardly anyone who uses the popular Zoo Road that has never seen him performing the selfless service of controlling vehicular movement, thereby contributing to ease the traffic gridlock around the area.

For Malam Umaru Haladu, the night of Saturday November 28, 2020 would be an unforgettable and historic one. It was the night he received an award of recognition courtesy of his work as a volunteer traffic warden.

He was recognised by the Kano State Correspondent’s Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists during their Award/Appreciation Night in Kano.

The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, who was awed by Malam Umaru’s contribution to humanity, ordered his immediate employment into the state Civil Service under the Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA).

“I am directing the Managing Director, Kano Road Traffic Agency, Baffa Baba Dangundi, to immediately employ the awardee despite his age but on compassionate ground, so as to encourage voluntary service to humanity,” Gawuna said.

In an encounter with our correspondent after the award, Malam Umaru said that moment was his happiest day and an unforgettable one in his life.

He said he never expected such kind of recognition will come to a common man like him, but according to him, “with God everything is possible, but I never thought people noticed what I was doing.”

“This is a very important day in my life. I assist road users to ensure that the road is free from gridlock,” he said.

Malam Umaru was born and raised in Sumaila town but now lives in Darmanawa with his family.

He has one wife and two children living under his care, and despite old age, the man has proven to be strong and firm in ensuring that his children were educated.

He said initially, he started the voluntary services when there was a need for people’s assistance when there is gridlock and nobody to direct traffic.

“Nobody influenced me to start this work. I just found it interesting contributing to humanity in that way. Initially, I don’t use to stop at this junction (Zoo Road). I go round many places depending on where I choose or where I see people facing difficulties as a result of traffic jam.

“I have been to many places before, from here to Kwanar Ungogo, there is no junction that I did not work on in this city. Sometimes I spend two weeks here, two weeks there and so on. So, that was how I started, but now I’m here and many people knew me from this place,” Malam Umaru said while narrating how he started.

Malam Umaru said despite contributing voluntarily to ease the difficulties faced by road users, he still faces challenges and encounters a lot of problems during his work.

He said many people sometimes don’t want to follow the road guidelines and just want to do as they wish to satisfy their selfish needs.

He said someone had once threatened to kill him for forcing him to obey traffic rules.

“I encounter many challenges every day. What makes me angry easily is the fact that people are not patient to wait for their turn to move. Almost everyone wants to just come and pass which is not possible and it causes a lot of traffic difficulties like hold up and sometimes accidents.

“I once stopped a man who seemed to be in a hurry but I forced him to stop for the seamless flow of traffic. The man got very angry and started shouting at me. I went to tell him how he was supposed to behave in traffic but he threatened to kill me. He said I should wait and see that he will kill me. I was not afraid of him since I know he can’t harm me, but I count it as a challenge.”

There are also challenges on the home front, Malam Umaru said, adding that since he dedicates most of his time to the voluntary service and doesn’t have other sources of income unless from some people who recognise his effort and give him some token, it has not been easy at home.

Another difficulty he faces is the fact that his motorcycle, which helps to make movement easy for him, was stolen, which sometimes makes him trek a lot.

Malam Umaru is also planning to give out his two daughters in marriage. “I have one wife and two daughters. They attended both religious and western schools and I’m about to give them out in marriage very soon. If not that I have some financial challenges, the younger one would have married this year,” he said.

Counting his achievements, the man said he is grateful to Almighty Allah for giving him the opportunity to contribute his own quota to humanity and still doing more despite his age.

“I will continue to offer my services, especially now that I’ve been offered an appointment with KAROTA. I’m still waiting for them to give me a uniform and all the necessary materials to carry on with my job.”