Monica Dongban-Mensem: 'driver hit my son and leave am to die for roadside'
Monica Dongban-Mensem, now dey control traffic for Nigeria capital, Abuja, eight years afta her son Kwapda Dongban Mensem die for hit-and-run accident.
Wen she dey break from court, you go see her wear her blue traffic vest, black trouser and shoes inside hot sun wit sweat all over her hand dey kontrol traffic. She bin no know di driver wey kill her son for Jos, Plateau state capital for Central Nigeria. But to find solution to di way driver dey kill-kill pipo for roads she decide to go to motor park to talk to commercial drivers. Most times she dey comot around rush hours wey drivers and pipo wey dey waka for road alias pedestrian dey hustle to go house and as she stand dey direct dem. Many of dem impatiently dey blow dia horn just dey wait for her to tell dem go. She dey always dey in charge dey way wey she dey correct di drivers dem. "Many Nigerians no dey patient wen dem dey drive" Mrs Dongban-Mensem, wey be senior Judge of Court of Appeal tell BBC Pidgin tori pesin Dooshima Abu. Monica Dongban-Mensem (centre) received training from authorities to qualify as a traffic officer Wetin she find out really shock her. She realise say most of di drivers no get proper training plus dem no sabi some of di traffic laws. She believe say na dis kain ignorance cause di death of her son and she want change am. Di 62-year-old judge don set up a non-profit organisation wey she name afta her late son - Kwapda Road Safety Demand - to teach drivers about beta driving. She also plan do open school for dem wia dem go receive training free of charge. 'How her pikin die? Kwapda be law graduate and finish school dey prepare for law school. E bin go Jos to go collect im result wen driver hit am down for di busy Miners junction for Tundun Wada area. Di driver run and di pipo for di area leave her for ground as he bleed sotey come die for road side. Kwapda Samson Dongban had just graduated as a lawyer "E break him two legs for road and di pipo no care as dem leave am to bleed in pain" "E die for di pool of im own blood but I dey sure e for survive if dem rush am go hospital" "My son wan be di best prosecutor for di world but dem kill am and him dream" Since Kwapda Dongban die, plenti pipo don die on top road accident. Federal Road Safety Corps, say about 5000 and 6000 pipo dey die every year. E mean say more than 13 pipo dey die every day. Most of dis accident na hit and run driver dey do am and becos beta informate aka data base plus camera for major roads to catch dem, di drivers no dey face punishment. 200 millionpeople living in Nigeria 12.5 millionvehicles in Nigeria 5,181people died on the roads in 2018 965accredited driving schools You may also be interested in: She want make dem change Nigeria safety laws so dat all dis driver go face punishment for manslaughter She say na di only way wey di drivers go begin respect di lives of oda pipo but despite all dis, she say di pain to loose pikin di way her son die dey very painful and she don turn road safety advocate to make sure no mother go through wetin she go through. "Wen I hear di news of im death, I not fit sleep for weeks hoping say him go waka through di door come hug me" "If dem cook, I keep im food hoping say she fit hungry come back home to eat" But las las e come clear to me say my beloved pikin don die.