Eid-El-Kabir: Osun Indigenes Defy Downpour To Enjoy Aregbesola’s Free Train Ride

Hundreds of Osun State indigenes on Saturday defied the morning downpour to enjoy the free train ride provided by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration.

The train took off from Lagos for Osogbo.

The Aregbesola-led government has been offering the free train ride to Osun State indigenes every festive season in the past six years.

Some of the commuters said they commend the governor for giving them the opportunity of going home to see their loved ones.

A civil servant, Tajudeen Olafare, who boarded the train with his wife and three children, said it was his first time of boarding a train.

Olafare said: “We have been here since 4am from Okokomaiko, waiting to board the train; it is real.”

Another commuter, Oluwatoyin Ajao, said the free ride was a good initiative, especially in a period of economic recession.

According to Ajao, the gesture has given many Osun State indigenes the opportunity of spending festive periods in their villages at little or no cost.

Meanwhile, Jerry Oche, the Lagos Railway District Manager of Nigerian Railway Corporation, said the available train could not convey all intending passengers on Saturday.

Oche said some of the passengers had been told to wait till Sunday since the train had a maximum capacity.

Oche said: “We have two trains tomorrow, but today it is one; l advice that people should not hang on the train because it is a long journey.

“People should cooperate with our checkers and security agents.

“I have told our checkers and security agents to be vigilant during the journey.”

The 10-coach train was filled with people, bags of rice and rams.

The 2016 Eid-El-Kabir is slated for September 12.