The Sad Benefits Of Corona Virus In Nigeria

By Williams Eghebi

The advent of Corona Virus in China late last year took the world by surprise. The pandemic killed thousands of people in the industrial Wuhan Province in  China before the Asian Country made it public.

There is no vaccine for the disease though there are unverified reports of its management with local herbs especially in Nigeria.

Italy, which is the epicenter of the disease, records  average mortality of six hundred people daily with  about fifty medical doctors dead  nationwide since the outbreak.

The disease has no respect for power, status and wealth. The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; Arsenal Football Club head coach, Mikel Arteta;  President Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Governor El Rufai of Kaduna State and the fiancée of  David Adedeji Adeleke, aka Davido,  are amongst the celebrities humbled by the virus. Put differently, the infection aside China, hits the very top echelon with their advantage of highbrow lifestyle.

In Nigeria, the disease was first reported in February with an Italian National. Reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, indicated 190 positive cases as at Friday morning. With the poor medical facilities and tracing of human contacts with those that thus far tested positive to the virus, we should prepare for the worse in the days ahead.

Though the rate of infection is presently not as high as in the  several European countries, western governments such as United Kingdom and Israel, have commenced the evaluation of their citizens from Nigeria. The palpable fear is the inability to manage the situation when the figures begin to rise. The fear, is no doubt, justified.

Few years ago, Aisha Buhari, the outspoken wife of Nigeria’s president, cried out that despite huge annual budgetary allocation to the hospital in Aso Rock, basic medicines such as paracetamol, cannot be found in the hospital on demand. The irony is that if the medical facility responsible to the health needs of the first family lacks basic needs, nothing better can be found in other public health facilities.

President Buhari would have wished to ferry Abba Kyari to Manheim Hospital near Frankfurt where several Nigeria leaders have private wards.

Many business people and corrupt political class own private jets with which they frolic both in Nigeria and overseas. They made foreign hospitals reap unimaginable profits while public hospitals here are left uncared for. As they became struck with COVID-19, they have found their preferred foreign hospitals unreachable even with their man-made birds. They are now forced to make do with whatever the local health facilities can offer.

Our rich leaders have suddenly realised that their foreign mansions and holiday resorts in the Caribbean Islands and offshore cities cannot provide immunity on global pandemic like COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the least we can wish anyone, not even our foes. It has come without invitation; we need to fight it head on. We must obey all medical advice especially from NDDC and World Health Organization (WHO).

The federal government has made an order restricting movements in Lagos and Ogun State as well as Abuja. Some States such as Delta, Rivers and Katsina have also ordered a total lockdown except for people on essential services. We should abide by these directives in both our interests and  those we profess to love.

In all these, we can take a few currencies from our pains. Starch forms about 80% of the components of pharmaceuticals. We have it in excess from cassava, yam and several other tubers. India stopped export of many drugs in order to have enough for her huge population.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has offered a stimulus package for pharmaceutical companies. Universities and other tertiary institutions are supposed to be research centres but in Nigeria, these academic institutions are grossly under funded.

The political fight for 2023 has suddenly become silent as nobody is sure of remaining alive in 2023. Now is the time for our rogue leaders to repatriate home illicit money they ferried overseas. With firm assurances of immunity against prosecution, they should use the returned funds to invest in  essential sectors such as health, education and transport.

I need not remind the federal and state governments to equip public hospitals as COVID-19 has effectively taught them the wisdom in such action.

This is the best time to flaunt love with a smile. We must share basic needs. The gateman should be shown love as he has capacity to transmit the virus. The pandemic should remind us that wealth and power are impotent when death visits. This is a time for sober reflection. The service clubs such as Rotary and Lions Clubs need be supported in their cherished desire to support the needy and vulnerable. When you  die, your humongous savings and wealth may be wasted by the children you shamefully pampered. If you wish not to grief inside your grave, distribute a part of your wealth. In this way, the beneficiaries of your kindness will do the crying over your death. This is how you can live forever.

Finally, the corrupt politicians should build better prisons as someday an impartial ombudsman will be on the throne. It won’t be long.

William Eghebi wrote from Agbor, Delta State

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