Senior Special Assistant to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Signage and Advertisement, Yomi Oyekan, has defended the state’s recent deployment of modified tricycle ambulances, dismissing widespread social media criticism as “selective outrage” and insisting they serve as a practical solution for emergency healthcare in challenging terrains.
The initiative, unveiled at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Teaching Hospital Complex alongside a 100,000-litre water supply scheme to mark the governor’s first anniversary in office, has drawn sharp backlash for using tricycles commonly called “keke” as ambulances in an oil-producing state.
Critics, including human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, questioned the move on social media, with Sowore stating, “An oil-producing state reduced to using a Kéké as an ambulance? Ondo is not bankrupt. Ondo is not landlocked.
"Ondo is not a war zone.” Others mocked it as “Ambulance Lite” or compared it unfavorably to advanced systems like India’s helicopter air ambulances, arguing it undervalues human life.
In response, Oyekan clarified in Facebook posts that the tricycle ambulances are “not a replacement for standard ambulances” but a “strategic addition” specifically designed for hard-to-reach rural communities, riverine areas, and narrow roads where conventional vehicles struggle to access quickly.“
"Governance requires practical solutions tailored to real terrain and real people,” Oyekan said. “Ondo State deserves both conventional ambulances for highways and advanced emergencies, and agile tricycle units for interior communities.”
He urged critics to remain calm, emphasizing that the program prioritizes accessibility and life-saving impact over public perception.
The controversy highlights ongoing debates about healthcare priorities and resource allocation in Ondo State, where the Aiyedatiwa administration has also distributed fully equipped conventional ambulances in other efforts to strengthen emergency response.
The tricycle units aim to complement these by addressing logistical gaps in underserved areas.
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