Very recently, I was privileged to read a post sent to my
WhatsApp, said to be a publication in the New York Times, about the
state of the economy of Nigeria. It is so scary that it takes faith
to discard it and to pray that it doesn’t come to pass. Even at
that, the reality we face presently is that there will be serious
global economic hardship, post-COVID 19 and Nigeria being part of
the global economy, it will be impacted one way or the other. In
another piece said to have been penned by former US envoy John
Campbell, it is said that the Nigerian currency is getting weaker
and weaker amongst major international currencies and the demand
for the dollar is taking its toll on the economy. This is due to
the fall in the price of oil and also the general effects of the
coronavirus pandemic on trade and commerce. Since Lagos State
reported its index case on February 27 2020, the commercial life of
Nigeria has been on a downward turn. Like the President said during
one of his broadcasts, it is a matter of life and death, either to
go out and confront hunger and COVID 19, or stay indoors to battle
insecurity, stagnation and a sedentary lifestyle.
Oyo State has a reasonable population, but it has continued with
life since COVID 19 and the statistics there has not been too
alarming. Two reasons may have accounted for this, although there
may be more. First, two prominent residents of that State, the
Governor himself and the Group Medical Director of University
College Hospital, UCH, both battled COVID 19 and defeated it. They
gracefully narrated their survival experiences of black seed oil,
carrots, vitamin C, hydroxychloroquine, etc, which, to all intent
and purposes, have helped to boost the confidence of the people to
brace up to fight the virus. Second, it is becoming clearer by the
day, that the predictions of dead bodies littering the streets of
Africa, of millions of infections and the like, may not come to
pass afterall. Nigerians from all walks of life have discovered and
developed all manner of local remedies and strategies to defeat the
virus. I got to know this when I raised an SOS for a friend
recently. I received several communications, suggesting one remedy
or the other, to defeat the deadly virus. The lesson from all the
messages that I received is that Nigerians have decided to fight
COVID 19 the same way they have fought and are still fighting other
issues of life like bad governance, corruption, insecurity, lassa
fever, maternal mortality, polio, incessant blackouts, etc.
Next is the example and testimony of the Bauchi State Governor,
who is also a COVID 19 survivor. In his own case, he became
emboldened by the potency of his own experience that he openly
announced and commended it for his people. He confronted all
authorities and challenged anyone to disprove his claims. The
Governor of Kaduna State followed suit, with the amazing story of
his survival. The icing on this is the personal testimony of former
presidential spokesman, Dr. Doyin Okupe, a medical doctor. He
opened up to all on his treatment and even listed the names and
dosages of his medications. We also have videos and posts of other
individual survivors here and there. What this has done is to
strengthen the faith of people in combating the virus. This of
course is not to discountenance the great efforts of the government
and the front line workers, in the campaigns, enlightenment and
gallant sacrifices so far put in to contain the spread of the
pandemic and flatten the curve. But we cannot afford to resign to
it as we seem to be doing currently.
As no vaccine has yet been discovered for the virus, it will be
difficult to sustain the nationwide lockdown beyond the month of
May. Even though I am aware that the President did not impose the
lockdown upon all States of the federation, the two key functional
locations are Lagos and Abuja, the former as the commercial nerve
centre of the nation and the latter as the political capital.
Whatever happens in Lagos and Abuja will invariably affect all
other parts of Nigeria, such that a lockdown in these two zones
would invariably lead to a lull in other parts of the nation. This
is the reality that we must face, as it is simply unsustainable.
People are hungry and suffering. I have received various cases of
job losses, painful deaths, salary cuts and other misfortunes, all
arising from the COVID 19 measures. Let us open up the economy and
encourage people to take personal responsibility.
Lagos State Government is presently conducting an online poll to
gauge the mind of the people in order to decide its next line of
action. At the inittial stage, the Governor had said that only the
President could determine the duration or extent of the lockdown,
whereas in Ogun State, the Governor is directly in charge of the
lockdown measures. As I have said on many occasions, Governor
Sanwoolu and his team, especially the Commissioner for Health, have
proved themselves worthy of our votes and support, given the
sacrifices and commitments that they have all shown during this
crisis. It got so close that ten out of the Governor’s team were
infected by the virus and they had to go into isolation, but thank
God for their recovery. But life must go on, people must fend for
themselves and survive, which is why we cannot keep extending the
lockdown.
Lawyers want to go back to business, engineers, accountants,
market men and women, construction workers, students, farmers, the
factories, the airlines and the small scale businesses are all
smarting for action. The strategy should be to continue the
campaigns on social distancing and personal hygiene, the compulsory
use of face masks and hand sanitizers. You should only go out when
it is absolutely necessary. The banks should encourage their
customers to embrace online banking, while online delivery service
providers should up their game. Even though I don’t fully support
their actions, Kogi and Cross-River States have not been part of
the COVID 19 rituals till date and their people are coping.
Madagascar has insisted on proceeding with its own local remedy for
the treatment and cure of the virus and it seems to be working for
them. Presently in Nigeria, the reality is that people have
developed various strategies to beat the virus, ranging from herbal
remedies, application of faith, appropriate nutrition and
collective solidarity, amongst others. If it is working for us, as
I suppose it is, then we should improve on it and not follow other
nations sheepishly.
One of the reasons why the virus is novel is that it took the
world by surprise, without any known remedy to immediately contain
it. It has defied science so far, which is why higher mortality
rates occur in the western regions. Rather than discourage people
from drawing from the experiences and testimonies of survivors,
government should open up to all, especially the health experts, on
the mode of treatment and care for those who are daily being
discharged from the treatment centres across the nation. Treatment
for COVID 19 should not be mystified, as if there is some desire
for it to continue to fester. This is part of the factors fueling
the conspiracy theories, as if some persons are actually benefiting
from this global calamity. There is no doubt that we have the
problem of capacity, given the stories that we have heard from
those who have waited hours on end for the NCDC team, others who
have had their samples taken for days without any result, while yet
others don’t get any response at all. This has become a global
problem, as all nations of the world also seek the same materials
like the testing kits and other reagents.
The tension across the land generated from the coronavirus is
suffocating and it should be lessened by all means possible. In
many cases some of the governors have become lords unto their
people, with bogus executive declarations which circumscribe
established constitutional rights. In some cases, the assets of the
people are destroyed, while yet in some others their movements are
restricted. The decision of the governors of the Northern States on
the expulsion of Almajiris is most unfortunate, as it threatens the
corporate existence and unity of the country. The Constitution
permits all citizens to live and reside in any part of Nigeria
without the threat of expulsion. If the reason for this action is
for fear of COVID 19, then their expulsion has only worsened that
fear, given that they are moving from the known to the unknown. The
insecurity problem across the country is still as potent as ever,
with rising cases of attacks by bandits, ethnic warlords, herdsmen
and farmers, kidnappers and armed robbers, all gradually finding
courage to execute their nefarious activities.
The rainy season is here already, with the threat of flood,
especially in the rural coastline areas. The danger of a lockdown
in a flooded area can best be imagined. People will be forced to
squat with others and no reasonable policy of social distancing can
be embraced by those who just want to survive. In such scenario,
dirt, and dangerous wastes are washed ashore to the very living
apartments of the rural dwellers, with other infectious diseases
following. We cannot afford to combine that with COVID 19, so it is
urgent for the lockdown to be relaxed for people to find resources
to prepare them for the times ahead. The Courts have been closed
since March, cases are suffering unavoidable delay and slowing down
the progress of many. The annual vacation of the Courts is
approaching, whereas lawyers and judges have been rendered jobless.
Hotels, restaurants and the tourism industry are all locked down
and wasting, just like the other sectors of the economy. The
correctional centres are filled up with inmates such that the
Comptroller-General had to issue a directive for non admission of
defendants awaiting trial, yet suspects are arrested by the police
and other law enforcement agencies on a daily basis.
I do not seek to place all the blame upon the government but I
think at the stage we are now, government must partner with the
people to agree to restore normalcy. The sacrifices and sufferings
attending the haphazard method of enforcement of the lockdown make
our predicament worse than the coronavirus itself. The government
is broke and cannot afford to take care of those who are forced to
stay at home, the security of lives and property cannot be
guaranteed and there is a huge gap in the information chain between
those managing the COVID 19 pandemic on behalf of the government
and the people. There is no way we can sustain the extension of the
lockdown beyond what Nigerians have already endured. Let us get
Nigeria moving again.
Very recently, I was privileged to read a post sent to my
WhatsApp, said to be a publication in the New York Times, about the
state of the economy of Nigeria. It is so scary that it takes faith
to discard it and to pray that it doesn’t come to pass. Even at
that, the reality we face presently is that there will be serious
global economic hardship, post-COVID 19 and Nigeria being part of
the global economy, it will be impacted one way or the other. In
another piece said to have been penned by former US envoy John
Campbell, it is said that the Nigerian currency is getting weaker
and weaker amongst major international currencies and the demand
for the dollar is taking its toll on the economy. This is due to
the fall in the price of oil and also the general effects of the
coronavirus pandemic on trade and commerce. Since Lagos State
reported its index case on February 27 2020, the commercial life of
Nigeria has been on a downward turn. Like the President said during
one of his broadcasts, it is a matter of life and death, either to
go out and confront hunger and COVID 19, or stay indoors to battle
insecurity, stagnation and a sedentary lifestyle.
Oyo State has a reasonable population, but it has continued with
life since COVID 19 and the statistics there has not been too
alarming. Two reasons may have accounted for this, although there
may be more. First, two prominent residents of that State, the
Governor himself and the Group Medical Director of University
College Hospital, UCH, both battled COVID 19 and defeated it. They
gracefully narrated their survival experiences of black seed oil,
carrots, vitamin C, hydroxychloroquine, etc, which, to all intent
and purposes, have helped to boost the confidence of the people to
brace up to fight the virus. Second, it is becoming clearer by the
day, that the predictions of dead bodies littering the streets of
Africa, of millions of infections and the like, may not come to
pass afterall. Nigerians from all walks of life have discovered and
developed all manner of local remedies and strategies to defeat the
virus. I got to know this when I raised an SOS for a friend
recently. I received several communications, suggesting one remedy
or the other, to defeat the deadly virus. The lesson from all the
messages that I received is that Nigerians have decided to fight
COVID 19 the same way they have fought and are still fighting other
issues of life like bad governance, corruption, insecurity, lassa
fever, maternal mortality, polio, incessant blackouts, etc.
Next is the example and testimony of the Bauchi State Governor,
who is also a COVID 19 survivor. In his own case, he became
emboldened by the potency of his own experience that he openly
announced and commended it for his people. He confronted all
authorities and challenged anyone to disprove his claims. The
Governor of Kaduna State followed suit, with the amazing story of
his survival. The icing on this is the personal testimony of former
presidential spokesman, Dr. Doyin Okupe, a medical doctor. He
opened up to all on his treatment and even listed the names and
dosages of his medications. We also have videos and posts of other
individual survivors here and there. What this has done is to
strengthen the faith of people in combating the virus. This of
course is not to discountenance the great efforts of the government
and the front line workers, in the campaigns, enlightenment and
gallant sacrifices so far put in to contain the spread of the
pandemic and flatten the curve. But we cannot afford to resign to
it as we seem to be doing currently.
As no vaccine has yet been discovered for the virus, it will be
difficult to sustain the nationwide lockdown beyond the month of
May. Even though I am aware that the President did not impose the
lockdown upon all States of the federation, the two key functional
locations are Lagos and Abuja, the former as the commercial nerve
centre of the nation and the latter as the political capital.
Whatever happens in Lagos and Abuja will invariably affect all
other parts of Nigeria, such that a lockdown in these two zones
would invariably lead to a lull in other parts of the nation. This
is the reality that we must face, as it is simply unsustainable.
People are hungry and suffering. I have received various cases of
job losses, painful deaths, salary cuts and other misfortunes, all
arising from the COVID 19 measures. Let us open up the economy and
encourage people to take personal responsibility.
Lagos State Government is presently conducting an online poll to
gauge the mind of the people in order to decide its next line of
action. At the inittial stage, the Governor had said that only the
President could determine the duration or extent of the lockdown,
whereas in Ogun State, the Governor is directly in charge of the
lockdown measures. As I have said on many occasions, Governor
Sanwoolu and his team, especially the Commissioner for Health, have
proved themselves worthy of our votes and support, given the
sacrifices and commitments that they have all shown during this
crisis. It got so close that ten out of the Governor’s team were
infected by the virus and they had to go into isolation, but thank
God for their recovery. But life must go on, people must fend for
themselves and survive, which is why we cannot keep extending the
lockdown.
Lawyers want to go back to business, engineers, accountants,
market men and women, construction workers, students, farmers, the
factories, the airlines and the small scale businesses are all
smarting for action. The strategy should be to continue the
campaigns on social distancing and personal hygiene, the compulsory
use of face masks and hand sanitizers. You should only go out when
it is absolutely necessary. The banks should encourage their
customers to embrace online banking, while online delivery service
providers should up their game. Even though I don’t fully support
their actions, Kogi and Cross-River States have not been part of
the COVID 19 rituals till date and their people are coping.
Madagascar has insisted on proceeding with its own local remedy for
the treatment and cure of the virus and it seems to be working for
them. Presently in Nigeria, the reality is that people have
developed various strategies to beat the virus, ranging from herbal
remedies, application of faith, appropriate nutrition and
collective solidarity, amongst others. If it is working for us, as
I suppose it is, then we should improve on it and not follow other
nations sheepishly.
One of the reasons why the virus is novel is that it took the
world by surprise, without any known remedy to immediately contain
it. It has defied science so far, which is why higher mortality
rates occur in the western regions. Rather than discourage people
from drawing from the experiences and testimonies of survivors,
government should open up to all, especially the health experts, on
the mode of treatment and care for those who are daily being
discharged from the treatment centres across the nation. Treatment
for COVID 19 should not be mystified, as if there is some desire
for it to continue to fester. This is part of the factors fueling
the conspiracy theories, as if some persons are actually benefiting
from this global calamity. There is no doubt that we have the
problem of capacity, given the stories that we have heard from
those who have waited hours on end for the NCDC team, others who
have had their samples taken for days without any result, while yet
others don’t get any response at all. This has become a global
problem, as all nations of the world also seek the same materials
like the testing kits and other reagents.
The tension across the land generated from the coronavirus is
suffocating and it should be lessened by all means possible. In
many cases some of the governors have become lords unto their
people, with bogus executive declarations which circumscribe
established constitutional rights. In some cases, the assets of the
people are destroyed, while yet in some others their movements are
restricted. The decision of the governors of the Northern States on
the expulsion of Almajiris is most unfortunate, as it threatens the
corporate existence and unity of the country. The Constitution
permits all citizens to live and reside in any part of Nigeria
without the threat of expulsion. If the reason for this action is
for fear of COVID 19, then their expulsion has only worsened that
fear, given that they are moving from the known to the unknown. The
insecurity problem across the country is still as potent as ever,
with rising cases of attacks by bandits, ethnic warlords, herdsmen
and farmers, kidnappers and armed robbers, all gradually finding
courage to execute their nefarious activities.
The rainy season is here already, with the threat of flood,
especially in the rural coastline areas. The danger of a lockdown
in a flooded area can best be imagined. People will be forced to
squat with others and no reasonable policy of social distancing can
be embraced by those who just want to survive. In such scenario,
dirt, and dangerous wastes are washed ashore to the very living
apartments of the rural dwellers, with other infectious diseases
following. We cannot afford to combine that with COVID 19, so it is
urgent for the lockdown to be relaxed for people to find resources
to prepare them for the times ahead. The Courts have been closed
since March, cases are suffering unavoidable delay and slowing down
the progress of many. The annual vacation of the Courts is
approaching, whereas lawyers and judges have been rendered jobless.
Hotels, restaurants and the tourism industry are all locked down
and wasting, just like the other sectors of the economy. The
correctional centres are filled up with inmates such that the
Comptroller-General had to issue a directive for non admission of
defendants awaiting trial, yet suspects are arrested by the police
and other law enforcement agencies on a daily basis.
I do not seek to place all the blame upon the government but I
think at the stage we are now, government must partner with the
people to agree to restore normalcy. The sacrifices and sufferings
attending the haphazard method of enforcement of the lockdown make
our predicament worse than the coronavirus itself. The government
is broke and cannot afford to take care of those who are forced to
stay at home, the security of lives and property cannot be
guaranteed and there is a huge gap in the information chain between
those managing the COVID 19 pandemic on behalf of the government
and the people. There is no way we can sustain the extension of the
lockdown beyond what Nigerians have already endured. Let us get
Nigeria moving again.