FRSC Decorated Ozi Okoli, Others as Celebrity Special Marshal, at the 2025 Road Safety Youth Hangout
FRSC Decorated Ozi Others Okoli as Celebrity Special Marshal, at the 2025 Road Safety Youth Hangout
Jerry Adesewo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has decorated some selected Nigerian Celebrities, including Ozi Okoli, a thespian and senior news producer at the Arise News, as Celebrity Special Marshals (CSM), a voluntary role designed to leverage public influence in advancing road safety advocacy across Nigeria.
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The nomination is part of the FRSC’s commitment to strengthening its mandate of creating a safer motoring environment by eradicating road traffic crashes through community participation and awareness. Celebrity Special Marshals are expected to use their platforms to promote responsible road use, monitor traffic behaviour, provide feedback to the Corps, assist in traffic control and rescue operations, and participate in advocacy campaigns.
According to statistics cited by the FRSC, road traffic crashes claim nearly 1.3 million lives globally each year, with over 3,000 deaths recorded daily. Alarmingly, 90% of these fatalities occur in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria, despite such nations having less than half the world’s registered vehicle fleet. In Nigeria, 7 out of every 10 victims of road crashes are youths aged between 15 and 29.
The official unveiling of all newly nominated Celebrity Special Marshals, including Ozi Okoli, took place earlier yesterday, Friday August 14, 2025, during the Road Safety Youth Hangout at the Andre Otutu Obaseki Auditorium, National Judicial Institute, Airport Road, Jabi, Abuja. This year’s event is themed “Safe Roads, Brighter Future: Youth Leading the Change” held to commemorate the 2025 UN International Youth Day.
Highlighting the causes of most youth-related road accidents—such as underage driving, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, use of mobile phones while driving, distracted driving, and excessive speed—the FRSC stressed the importance of collective responsibility in curbing the menace.
In an ealier statement issued by the commission, Julie Chi-Nwaoha, National Head of the Celebrity Special Marshal Unit, said the CSM platform was created to harness the social influence of prominent personalities to drive behavioural change on Nigerian roads. “Road safety is a shared responsibility, and through our Celebrity Special Marshals, we hope to engage wider audiences in the fight against avoidable road traffic deaths,” she noted.
Ahead of the unveiling, the nominees underwent a special online and physical training session, designed to prepare them for advocacy and emergency response duties.
The FRSC says it is optimistic that the inclusion of personalities like Ozi Okoli will inspire Nigerian youths to embrace safe driving practices and contribute to reducing the alarming rate of road accidents nationwide.