By: Abiodun Popoola

COVID-19: The Cacophony of Apprehensive Nigerians

This is no longer news that we now live with the novel coronavirus disease. COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), the nomenclature derived as a result of its outbreak in December, last year (2019). A disease that originated from a city, Wuhan in China, has yet infected over 600, 000 people and recorded about 27, 000 deaths across 192 countries. Its symptoms range from dry cough, fever, sneezing, high temperature and general tiredness. This virus, had since its inception, beaten the imaginations of the epidemiologists and scientists around the world. The possible cause of this contagious and infectious virus is yet to be ascertained, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) postulates that there is still a lot yet to be known about the deadly virus. Its exponential widespread globally has ensued panic.

Bringing it home, here in Nigeria, where most of its cases were imported. There are confirmed cases of 97, 3 discharged and recorded 1 fatality currently. “We now have a common devil to fight and the ruthless scourge is showing no mercy”. These confirmed cases include some high government officials and prominent personalities in the society. However, many Nigerians believe that the government has been economical with the actual figures of confirmed cases, as they allude that there are still many unconfirmed cases within communities, yet to be tested. Nigerians are asking, how far can the government drive us in this period of pestilence? The pestilence that has successfully brought the whole world to its knees.

The continual and perennial silence of the President amidst this calamity has been greeted with a lot of criticisms from some quarters, as many have questioned the health status and make insinuations about the physical well-being of Mr President. Some comments read: “What more could the Federal Government's complacency, ineptitude, inactiveness and double-standard cause us than these deplorable moments? President Buhari couldn't have timely shut the airports and borders because his daughter, some government officials and dignitaries were yet to arrive in the country leaving us in this messy and sorry phenomenon”. So Sad!

Truly, the land is no longer at ease. "Things have fallen apart and the centre no longer holds", which brings to the front burner, the epicentre of this dreaded virus, Lagos State. The President has successfully jeopardized the lives of the citizens domiciled in the “Centre of Excellence” and the nation at large. Whilst the efforts of the state government, Babajide Sanwo-olu and his unrelenting team in containing this ravaging virus is laudable and meritorious, it is also worthy of note that things have gone beyond repair. It is unfortunate, that we are mostly reactive rather than being proactive in dire situations, like that of this pandemic. We cannot belabour the incompetence and insensitivity of this present administration in safeguarding the lives of the populace, rather than adhering to the simple health tips by experts, which include; observing basic personal hygiene by washing your hands regularly and applying alcohol-based sanitisers and maintaining social distancing of at least 2.5metres, amongst other precautionary measures.

Nonetheless, times like this are mostly inevitable. There are times of turbulence, affliction and disaster. It is just a season, it will pass away and in the end, we shall rise. Hence, the cliche: This phase shall pass!

We are in anticipation of other unfolding events.