The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has invited popular reggae artist, John Odafe Asiemoh, popularly known as Daddy Showkey, to its Lagos headquarters, after the singer captivated passengers for one hour with his songs, while the Warri-Itakpe train was undergoing refueling.
In a post on X, the NRC quoted its Managing Director, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, assuring Daddy Showkey that the provision of passenger coaches and wagons is a top priority of his management team.
According to the NRC post, @DrOpeifaKayode “invited reggae artiste John Odafe Asimoh, popularly called Daddy Showkey to the corporation’s headquarters to brief the management on his recent experience on the Warri-Itakpe train service, where he had to be entertaining the passengersz while the train had a short delay while fueling.”
Dr. Opeifa said the corporation is determined to make the trains the preferred mobility alternative across the country.
He listed the provision of passenger coaches and wagons as top priority of the management, in its determination to provide convenient mobility alternative that is affordable, safe, and secure to Nigerians.
He thanked Daddy Showkey for converting an issue into an opportunity, assuring that the management is doing all it can, to ensure hitch-free train operations that would attract Nigerians’ patronage.
He appealed to passengers to take advantage of the existing customer care portal, to enable better service through their observations and suggestions.
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The NRC chief executive commended Nigerians for appreciating the services of the corporation, and patronising train services as an alternative to getting to their destinations safelyz and at more affordable rates.
“It is gratifying that celebrities such as Daddy Showkey find time to take a ride in our train,” he added.
Responding, Daddy Showkey said that though his invitation to meet with the management of the corporation was a pleasant surprise, he was not entirely surprised as it reaffirmed his conviction that President Bola Tinubu made the right choice in appointing Dr Kayode Opeifa as the managing director of the corporation.
He said: “I have confidence in Dr. Kayode Opeifa’s competence in driving positive change in the railway corporation, judging from his past track record as the commissioner for transportation in Lagos.”
He noted that though his experience during the trip from Warri on the train was a mixed bag, it showed him clearly that the route is very lucrative as passengers are yearning for increased frequency in train services to accommodate more passengers and farm produce.
However, Daddy Showkey said it is thrilling to travel by rail. He was accompanied by his manager, Morrison Ovedja.