By Okoroji Chidiebere A. (M.Ed)
Is there Coronavirus in Nigeria? What a senseless question! Well, let’s analysis why we think there is no Coronavirus in Nigeria and Africa at large.
Africa is a continent that has never been hit by any pandemic ever in history, that we can boastfully attest or affirm.
Coronavirus like every other viruses or fluids has never hit Africa to make her stand still or stagnant. Coronavirus has really opened our eyes to see the bitter and naked truth about how vulnerable and volatile our continent is to future occurrences of this kind of virus. We are really in for a long-walk on ensuring that we secure our continent, and countries against external aggression. We must build Africa of our dreams no matter the risks at stake.
Coronavirus is the least pandemic that has hit or struck the world. We have other viruses and fluids that has hit the world badly.
During pandemic or epidemic, Nigeria and other Africa government restricted movement and keep up with unethical health strategies or methods following Western world pattern which isn’t part of our ways. During this period, several countries — including the United Kingdom, United States, India, China and other countries in Africa have closed their borders which affected countries and put the economy at stand still. I don’t think this was in the best interest of the people as of today, the world doesn’t know what the next step is. After the pandemic emerges and spreads, humans will develop some immunity/ (boaster) over time to live and contain the virus with the help of a vaccine.
The virus subtype man then circulate among humans for several years, causing occasional flu epidemics.
During the Spanish flu pandemic, from 1918 to 1920, that fluid lasted for two years, and claimed over 100 million lives. Spanish flu is considered by experts as the most fatal and severe pandemic in the history and this very virus didn’t hit Nigeria or any other Africa countries as such. The Black death was also dreadful, as it also claims over 75 million lives from 1346 to 1350. The plague lasted for four years and didn’t hit Africa. In the year 1899 to 1923, this was three years after Spanish flu — the Sixth Cholera pandemic struck and yet as vulnerable as Africa was then; it didn’t hit us. We also had the Asian Flu (H2H2) of 1957 to 1958 which also claims millions of lives and lasted for one year, yet Africa wasn’t hit. We also had the Hong-Kong flu of 1968 to1969, during this period; nations in Africa where being oppressed by white colonizers who Invaded our lands, killed and enslaved our people — this also claims thousands of lives, yet, Africa didn’t get hit. We can go on and on with how Africa hasn’t really been affected by viruses or fluids for centuries starting from the Plague of Justinian of 541 to 542, where there was little or nothing medically, both tools and infrastructures as we have today, yet, we Africans survived it.
Africans hasn’t experience anything to believe if this virus is real or not. We only got a taste of it during the Swine Flu (bird flu) of 2009-2010, this too wasn’t severe as it didn’t hit Africa badly. We survived all this viruses and fluids: thinking that, that’s how easy this virus are.
In the year 2014 to 2015, we had the Ebola virus, which we were able to manage and prevent using contact-tracing and other preventive measures.
All these viruses, the world has always prepared for them as they keep building vaccines, infrastructures and developing medical kits and tools like ventilators to help boast our respiratory system, immune system to make us fight and survive the virus. This either isn’t the cure, but a way to prevent the spread of the virus.
Coronavirus or Ebola, just like Swine flu and Avian flu are viral diseases that were common in pigs and birds, bats and monkeys respectively and very contagious — and not through humans to humans related. This changed once an antigenic shift occurred. This is to say that, in recent years, this viruses will reappear again because of the novel nature and the relation between humans and animals. Humans would not have natural immunity to a newly mutated disease; meaning that, it could have severe effects after spreading between people. The symptoms at early stages are very much unknown and uncertain.
According to research, this virus as reached every continent except Antarctica.
The current pandemic, Coronavirus is causing a disruption across the entire world. This is the area I want to focus on. First, Coronavirus started causing infection in Wuhan, China, before spreading across the world. The Lab in Wuhan subdued and suppress the information about this virus, which was initially stated to be, ‘not contagious’ for humans to humans in the early stages as announced or pronounced by WHO. After weeks, or months, they reversed that statement saying that, ‘ the virus is contagious to humans to humans.’
At this point, the virus has penetrated deeply in various countries. China caused this virus and people across the world refers to the virus as ‘Chinese Virus’ since it originated from China. The first person to officially use this term, is the President of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump. We are still not sure of how we are going to defeat this virus, as it affects people differently. People recovers and others dies. Over 500,000 people have died so far across the world with over 3 Million people affected. The effect of this virus on people and the economy is disastrous and unfortunate. The propaganda initially says it was caused by the radiation from 5G installations which as been proven to be a falsehood. The world uses this phrase on China, “The Chinese Government lied and people died.”
In Nigeria and Africa at large, we are witnessing the most shocking, provoking, horrifying and awfully alarming crisis which this very virus as brought on us. This has really shown how global daft we are as a country and a continent. We’ve never in our developmental history prepare towards this very day. Never! And this will be a very big lesson on us, as the virus is likely to take a year or two before it normalize.
Nigeria is a country with endowed natural resources, blessed with crude oil, one of the most profitable resource in the World Trade. Yet, we couldn’t utilise this potentials to improve our status as a nation. We have over 100 million illiterate people in Nigeria, and more in Africa and the world at large, with the Northern Nigeria having the largest in scale. We’ve badly managed our Health facilities, couple with other dysfunctional institution or agencies and infrastructures.
We practice one of the most endangered system of Government: Presidential system from United States; Legislative from United Kingdom, and Judiciary from France, and now, our economy system from Togo. We are too clueless as a country and our leaders has been using this very system to further impoverished the economy and make the nation even more poorer and dysfunctional each day as they keep borrowing to sustain the economy thats built on free flow corruption and millitary constitution.
With these resources, the Politicians have planted their future and that of their families abroad — buying lands, properties, and investing big time in abroad. Most of this so called leaders/rulers are all fraudsters who has been in government for years; making same promises, and making life miserable and terrible to the people — the poor and the few rich men and women.
In Nigeria, the people doubts this very Coronavirus, and I don’t blame them! During Ebola, we had same experience with handwashing and sanitizing; people started panicking, started drinking water filled with salts as a cure, which lead to death of few people (This was done out of ignorance and the level of education we have then and now).
Just like Ebola, this same people has lost faith in whatever this virus is or hold, and they’ve taken up life as they see it. The government doesn’t care about the well being of the people. Businesses are collapsing and people are starving to death. There is a serious hunger here in Nigeria! Hunger is silently killing more people than Coronavirus could, as very death related is seem like a coronavirus death. Infact, anyone that dies now from other health complications is related to Coronavirus.
The people trended on social media in recent months the word ‘Scamdenmic’ just to indicate their displeasure on how the government is treating the pandemic as a scam. People hardly see ambulances or an emergency responds relating to this, and this increases the doubts on the virus existence in Nigeria.
These are what the people doubts about the virus: if there is Coronavirus in Nigeria, those living in face-me and face-you will be the major threats on the virus, as they share same toilets and bathroom. Same kitchen and almost same everything. If one person get this virus in such a compound, all the tenant and occupants will definitely be infected.
The said government who relaxed the lockdown few months ago as a result of protest from the people — as they couldn’t provide any palliatives or support especially to those who depends on daily income — came up with strict rules and useless policies without monitoring the enforcement or implementation on transportation system which led to hike in the price of transportation, extortion by police invariably making people suffer as it also affected the cost and standard of living, yet those buses or cars are not adhering to the rules and precautions on the virus by the authorities (NCDC). This should lead to increase in the rate of the virus if it really existed in Nigeria as they say?
We also have the market places — people aren’t wearing masks or washing their hands or observing social distancing. It’s terrible! But here is the doubts! We can go on and on. Then they ask, “Is there Coronavirus in Nigeria?” Yet government has done absolutely nothing to contain both the virus and hunger, after many years of selling crude oil. This shouldn’t let us lose sight or become myopic on the prominent men in government that has died as a result of this, in fact, the people are happy that this men, ‘evil men’ as the term them, are dying from the virus which facilities, infrastructures and equipments they refused to build when they were in government. They wish more people to die to feel the pain the masses have been facing as death is unimaginable!
This present massively corrupt Regime — since the inception of this virus — has been clueless unlike how the previous corrupt administration treated the Ebola virus. They don’t know what next to do, as they’ve tried almost everything! Now there is a chant from many gullible people; former and present corrupt Politicians, and other political jobber activist clamoring for schools to resume.
The same despicable and mismanaged and non-functioning public, and many mushroom private schools should resume? They even went ahead to compare it with elections. That’s very insane! Voting is a choice while WAEC or examination isn’t. They won’t listen to the scientist now until they further ruin our country. Countries like Madagascar is imposing a fresh lockdown, Brazil is been hit badly recently yet, this people want to endanger our Pupils/Students. These Pupils/Students won’t be able to perform to their utmost best during this period as a result of the fear, tension and anxiety they will face in the process. This to me is a bad idea, and i condemn it like every meaningful profound Nigerians will do.
What we are waiting for right now is any possible vaccine from the Western world, as we don’t have sense as we claim to have (Human Capital), tools, and infrastructures to develop one. ‘So we wait like the patience dog.’ Assuming this virus originated here in Nigeria? hmm! We are completely finished! We will be hit harder and pray for God to help us as always. Coronavirus is a big lesson on our faces and that of the government, but are we learning? During this period, lawmakers took over 1.5billion to take care of themselves while there is no palliatives or support for the citizens.
This same people lied that they donated 20% of their salaries to support in the fight against the virus, without an evidence. During this period, the Accountant General office in Abuja got burnt, same with the INEC office and other money crisis and financial cover ups. The Minister of Finance cannot defend or give evidence, on the number of people who got this dubious palliatives? She is yet to give that very evidence! While some countries who had their citizens at heart, were able to reduce so many public and private charges, like Rents, Electricity, Water etc yet, this regime didn’t replicate them, all they did is to use police to cause pain on the people — none of those meaningful things were done here in this failed country. The so called General President on two occasions, did a recorded live video as they called it, inwhich he read the script from the beginning to the end.
The people demanded for a live or press media chat since March till date, the regime has failed to do that. This virus is indirectly and directly hitting the country so hard that we don’t even have a clue what’s the statistics are saying. Kogi state has been fighting officials of the disease control agency known NCDC for months now. That state hasn’t recorded any case as they haven’t done testing.
“No testing no case and no cause for alarm.” A nation of 200 million people since 2010 (A country without a database) can’t make a point with this virus, not even stand firm. I pray we all don’t end up being isolated when the use of the word ‘Pandemic’ get exhausted!
Nigeria, like any other African countries, are all failed states, and we should be shameful about it. During this period, there has been increased killing here and there caused by insecurities (Boko Haram, Bandits, Kidnapping, Rape, Bullying, Domestic violence, Community clashes [Southern Kaduna], etc), there has been hunger and slow rate in business causing increment in almost all commodities. There has been increased in fares, both public and private. Hike in house Rents, Electricity, Transportation etc. This is another nail in one’s confin.
Prospects:
If this nation want to make ends meet and plan ahead of time; they should start revolting, reforming and restructuring, as that’s the only way out of this years of political mess.
In a situation like this: Lagos like Wuhan spreads the virus to other parts of the country. We can start by sueing Lagos for exposing other parts of this country but that will be offensive in which case, we will hesitate not to do so because Lagos is also part of the country (We’re not divided yet, so we can accommodate any ills from another part/state of the country).
—We need to start by building borders around us to prevent future occurrences. So if Lagos or any part of the country is affected, we can trace and quickly contain the spread of the virus.
—We should improve local manufacturing and preservation of non-perishable goods, and improve food processing.
—We need to build and manage effectively more health facilities, and provide a better healthcare scheme in the whole of the 774,000 local government areas.
—This is the time to end unstable Electricity in this country. We’ve been saying this since 1960, yet it’s becoming even more worse as the year passes. That’s how clueless we are as a nation with trillions of naira spent in this sector.
—We should also Improve trading and provide an enabling environment, support and patronize local products and services.
—We should also ensure that face-me and face-you houses are eradicate and eliminated from our Togo based economy. This is where the risk of getting the virus becomes high. We need to do away with this system of housing and accommodation. Very important;
—We need to improve rural-urban integration network for goods to be easily transported, and increase viability in business, create more awareness and information — done amicably.
—We need to improve and grow our Technology, Science and Education, and invest money in Research to grow our economy.
—Lastly, we need to overhaul our security sector. Provide State, Community Security and Border Patrol and other security measures to ensure cases like this can be contain with the confidence we will have in our force in the future, as these ones are corruptedly polluted by the system and Politicians. We also need to fund the Police to give them morale to work and give them better orientation on the job. The bribing and extortion and killing by these security agencies is something else (Police, Navy Customs, Army etc). We’ve totally lost confidence in Police and this isn’t good for the economy and people. Police are killing us. (Search my Poem on Google, “Where is the Police?”)
If we don’t look into all this, nobody will believe there is anything like Coronavirus as hunger virus will over take whatever virus or flu that might befall us both now and in the future. Nigerians are tired! We are tired!! There is so much lies and propaganda in and from government that we don’t believe anything anymore. We need to do more in boosting confidence and trust from the people.
Nigeria is in trouble with this virus and we don’t know it yet.
People are doubting and the virus is spreading!
Medical Source by Adam Felman (March 30, 2020), Pandemic or Epidemic? (Covid-19)
Published by Netcraft Global Concerns LTD/12-7-2020.
BRUISE ON SOCIETY.
Africa Writers Series.
Medically Reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D.O
