How we deal with challenges really defines us as individuals, communities or a people, we are constantly telling stories of who we are.

I read about Brazil and some South American countries who took up an approach to managing the Zika virus situation caused by the Aede Mosquito. What they have done is to go all out to inform their citizens on the dangers of having stagnant waters in their environment. They understand that in dealing with the means or creator of this problem, they reduce the extent to which this disease would spread. It's still an ongoing battle but I am positive this would be put in check very soon. They have involved various mediums to do this, even using their military personnel’s to pass this critical information and work against the very basics of breeding mosquitoes. I don't think Nairaland would be a place to educate us on the Zika virus disease ("common, check it on Google" but it is really a terrible disease.

I really get confused when I read the papers or hear the news on the number of people that have been killed by some diseases in Africa. For instance, malaria has been around for a very long time. I'm sure it's presence in Africa is older than even you, reading this. Our more recent approach in dealing with malaria has been to give out free mosquito nets and anti-malaria drugs and we keep counting in thousands, the number of people that die from this disease. Do we expect that these mosquito nets would be worn as attires - dashiki or agbada, hence we would be constantly protected even on the road. The punch line is when you are told that the mosquito net is "treated"... Meaning what That at the sight or touch of this by a mosquito, it's entire generations to come would go extinct

In dealing with Ebola, there was a silent war against bats and some other wild life but the very important question of why would anyone eat bats in the first place was never asked. I don't know what bats taste like but I am sure, fried chicken tastes better.

And now in dealing with Lassa fever, we have waged war on rats and ijebu Garri!!! Han han...! and I keep asking which world are we really from when I think of these things. I can picture these rats singing "how many people poison/glue go kill o, how many people una go kill Heeey, una go kill us taya!!! Common people... Can't we think these things through? I know we must form busy, especially as our value system has truly become warped but when it comes to matters affecting humanity, we must learn to tackle issues from the root.

No be just disease matter o, observe our economic, spiritual and even emotional challenges, we always want to deal with issues from a "lazy man's" approach. Wake up People, short cuts are not always short! Poverty, disease, war, terrorism, corruption and all cannot be dealt with through shortcuts because they didn't develop through easy means. Everything has got a life cycle... Let us learn to deal and manage our problems by cutting their life cycles and not just showing off...

Cc: lalasticlala, seun, Mynd44, OAM4J