Olokun Abiodun Johnson, who is a foremost train driver with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) feels extremely proud for having the honour to drive three different Presidents of Nigeria in recent times. It may look insignificant since he was just doing his job but to him, it is a lifetime honour having taken part in different phases of railway revival in Nigeria.
Johnson, in his 50s, was recruited into the NRC as a trainee technician and has undergone a series of training to have risen to a Chief Driver who now trains other junior locomotive drivers.
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He has recorded professional development and growth in his over two decades in the NRC but no accomplishment can be more relishing than having the honour to drive three Presidents of Nigeria including the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
He revealed this in a chat with Eko Trust on the sideline of a training organised for NRC locomotive drivers to introduce them to the techniques of the standard gauge locomotive. Though, according to the engineers, the techniques are practically the same, the training becomes imperative in view of the fact that the drivers are mostly used to the narrow-gauge technology.
Mr. Johnson, who was among the trainers saddled with the responsibility of training other locomotive drivers on the new standard gauge services, said he was proud of his accomplishment as the only locomotive driver to have driven three different presidents.
First was in 2006 when he had the opportunity of having former President Olusegun Obasanjo on board the train during the ground-breaking of the railway modernisation from Ikeja to Kajola in Ogun State.
In 2010, he was the locomotive pilot when former President Goodluck Jonathan launched the Offa-Ilorin train service while the launch of the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge was the icing on the cake.
The Abuja-Kaduna was the first standard gauge line service in Nigeria. The project commenced under Jonathan with a $500 million loan secured from the China Exim Bank. When the project was completed, Buhari was on board the train from Abuja to Kaduna under the command of Mr. Johnson in the ‘cockpit.’
He said, “I feel very great performing this national task, which I see as a great task. I’m happy to have performed this because I don’t think any locomotive driver has been opportuned to pilot three different presidents at different times.
According to him, the standard gauge train service being experimented with across the country, shows the railway modernisation is on course. He said with the train, the indigenous railway engine drivers would be well positioned to take over the technology from the Chinese.
Regional District Manager, NRC Lagos District, Engr. Jerry Oche said the training involved both practical and theoretical sessions, showing to them how the standard gauge service works.
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