It’s no more a breaking news that there is a wild and widespread of a novel malignant virus that is ubiquitous and it’s been tagged a “pandemic” by the WHO.

A pandemic disease according to (Oxford Dictionary) is a disease that hits a widespread geographical area and affects a large proportion of the population. This is of no difference with the exorbitant spread of Coronavirus (covid-19) which has spanned across the globe.

The context of this essay is not to converse about the gestation of the disease as there are many speculations surrounding it. Some says it’s a “bioweapon” contrived by China to eliminate the US population. I don’t know how true is this. But the recently delivered chart of the recovery rate according to (www.worldometers.info) shows that China has the highest recovery from the pandemic. Let me drop this as a debate to you.

Also, there are so many loose interpretations of the significance of the virus. One of which religious people (Christians) claims it’s the sign of the end time as it was written in the Bible on the plagues that would arise and this is just one of the rest. Don’t come lampooning, check your Bible for update.

We all know that one of the natural resources which God has blessed Nigeria with is crude oil. This has been the major source of the stay of the Nation’s wealth as it invites foreign organizations to strike mega-money deals with Nigeria. So far, Nigeria is known as the largest oil-producing and exporting nation in Africa. This oil has been on a benchmark of $57 per barrel and has now dropped drastically to $30 or less per barrel due to the pandemic. I am not an economist but from empiricism, I know likely that there would be a wrecking down in the economy and thus a contingency of falling back to recession. This has been a combat of the led administration since the assumption of his office in 2015 and there would likely be an atavism of it when this pestilence is over and I label it “aluta continua”.

One of the primary ways of curbing the spread of the virus to other virgin parts of the world is the inception of “lockdown”. First by the European countries and now Africa including Nigeria in extension. This has been characterized by the closing of borders by impeding the free flow movements since this virus can be easily contacted from persons to persons.

This lockdown is quite a good idea but it’s a copy and paste one. Foreign countries that participated in the lockdown have provided means of sustaining its citizenry during this period of the fight against the pandemic.
I’m absolutely bewildered about Nigeria adopting this lockdown measure. Yes, this is a means of curbing the spread of the virus but how will you enforce a lockdown to a country where most of its citizenry live from hand to mouth without providing sufficient means of alleviating and sustaining them during this period? This is catalyzing death through hunger than the virus itself.

Resorting back to our reverend leaders who are representing us “the masses” from different constituencies, should see one of the core reasons of being altruistic. Of course not they aren’t. They embezzle all the available resources and jet them overseas, amassed them there all for the sake of being in competition within themselves of their ill-gotten net worth and properties. Here they’re face to the face with the virus as many of them have been tested positive. How will they scamper away to foreign countries for treatment when the borders are sealed and the health facilities in their country have been stripped to bare? This brings to my fresh memory a phrase of “we die here”! Why can’t our Nigerian Leaders emulate the South African Legend, Nelson Mandela?

Each year, there is always a huge amount of money designated for the health sector. Now I come with these rhetorical questions, what mission has the money accomplished? Has it been used for the right purpose or not? This condition is like fighting a war without artillery thus been susceptible to its gnawing effect. And this is lucid to the course of the virus as there’s geometric increase as updated by the NCDC.

This has imposed trepidation in the hearts of many as churches have been restricted from gathering in their usual numbers. How can this mitigate the plight we’re facing? Question of the day.

In conclusion, thanks to all the patriotic and benignant citizens of this country who have doggedly contributed their quota in supporting the fight against the Covid-19 virus with their resources in cash and materials worth millions and billions of naira. God will replenish them flourishingly.
In all you do, don’t forget to “stay safe” as this is a newly adopted and general phrase that has diffused into the global air