DANIEL Nnamdi is a butcher. He trades solely in goat meat at the popular Lugbe Market within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). He strives to maintain social distancing as precautionary measures recommended against the raging novel COVID-19 disease which has held the world to ransom, as he engages in his daily business. But the more he tries, the more difficult it is to sustain.

When The ICIR visited his stall, as many others visited, he was not wearing hand gloves while buyers freely touch the red meat on the table before him.

He said it is rather tough practising social distancing, and so it is for his customers.

“Oga, how much is this goat head,” a middle-aged customer asked. “N1,000,” he responded even as he continued talking with The ICIR reporter.

The two bargainers seemed oblivious of the close distance between them. The buyer keeps touching the piece of meats carefully arranged on the table. Though the health authorities recommend two meters distance, this advice is disregarded in many local markets in Nigeria.

The first buyer at Nnamdi’s shop eventually, left only to return about three minutes later.
Before he returned, another customer had visited his stall, touched the same piece of meat, unconcerned whether other customers had infected the meat or not. The buyer renegotiated, maintained closed contact and opted for a different piece of meat.

“But what can I do?” Nnamdi queries the reporter out of a clear state of confusion. “I don’t even know who is already infected,” he said.

“Once in a while, I wash my hands with soap and when I get home, I sanitise both hands before meeting my family. So, it is really a disturbing situation.”

Social distancing a tough choice in slums, markets

Since the COVID-19 outbreak broke out in Wuhan China, last December, infections and deaths have spread across the world, even those nations considered most powerful – record deaths virtually on a daily basis.

The infection is highly contagious and could be contacted easily via sneezing, coughing on any hard surface or once droplets from a confirmed case get in contact with uninfected persons.

As of 2 April 2020 the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded 827,419 confirmed cases, 40,777 confirmed deaths in 206 nations. It also warned the pandemic could spread to 1 million cases in few days.

In Nigeria, 174 cases have so far been recorded with two deaths while nine cases discharged.

Sadly, the situation is not only peculiar to Nnamdi but other traders involved in food commodities across most conventional markets within the federal capital territory and the neighbouring states.

For either economic or cultural reasons, social distancing appeared to be a tough choice for the less privileged masses.

Most families live in small apartments, dine together and so maintaining a social space in a room becomes a tough choice. Unfortunately for those whose source of livelihood is dependent on small scale businesses, they are rendered helpless in the face of the scourge as they are also required to avoid crowded places for safety.
What also comes to mind, is the religious, turned cultural belief of the al-majiri practice, mostly in northern Nigeria where children of school ages are sent out to the streets to fend for themselves.

Social distancing impossible for the poor – Motor mechanic spare part dealer

In Dape community, for instance, Rasheed Olawale (43) year-old father of four is a motor mechanic spare part dealer. He lives with his wife in a room apartment known as a ‘self-contain.’ To start with, he has never heard of the term ‘social distancing or self-isolation’ but the place he calls home is just a room which consists of toilet and bathroom merged together as a unit, with a small kitchen carved out.

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/report-social-distancing-a-tough-choice-for-people-living-in-slums/

I just hope what they say about temperature and this virus is true. Nigeria won't stand a chance if not.

budaatum:
I just hope what they say about temperature and this virus is true. Nigeria won't stand a chance if not.

Na where i anchor hope too