It was really appalling to read the discordant tunes from government officials on why Chinese Doctors have been invited to come and help Nigerians to fight Covid 19; I felt like gathering the decision makers together and order them flogged like erring pupils of those days. For the first time, I lost hope in this country and think this set of leaders "are never do well".
The index case of Covid 19 was reported on the 27th of February, 2020 (46 days ago, with 323 confirmed cases, 85 recoveries and 10 death)and since then, we have done well in curtailing the spread in the country; . As a matter of fact, the increase in the cases can the traced to laxity on the part of the federal government that left our borders opened till there were more fresh cases from offshore. The government has been very swift in announcing release of money but there have not been corresponding actions and reactions to confirm the sincerity of the motive.
The Italian index case recovered fully and was discharged but the question in the mind of reasonable Nigerians is how did we accomplish that great feat? Whatever medication we used on the Italian didn't come from Italy or China, though shodded in secrecy, we know it worked, except it was all a farce that we have Covid 19 in Nigeria in the first place.
We must commend the Oyo state Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde that dared say "we will look inward and consider local alternatives to fight Covid 19". Those who understand leadership would know that's a forward-thinking leader, who dares to be different. I will return to write about that another day.
My understanding of public leadership and international politics is that nations take advantage of crises to advance the interests of their countries and move higher in the rating of community of nations but that is the reverse in my father land; rather than boast of the success recorded in tackling the dreaded pandemic, the "longer-throat" (the cap-in hand- beggarly attitudes) for foreign aides would not allow our leaders to see beyond their noses.
Seeing that good things hardly start from top to down in Nigeria: the younger the football teams, the greater the glory, the farther from the top, the better the dedication; "only that baboons dey work, monkey dey chop". The Monkeys in Nigeria can never jump from tree to tree, they are programmed to walk while the baboons work. That's why those Nigeria that are reasonable and patriotic shouldn't wait for our leaders, their endless propaganda and selfishness before celebrating men and women of the medical professions who have gone beyond professional ethics to put themselves in the forefront of the war against the pandemic while they beg the rest of us to stay at home, which they have chosen to sacrifice for the well being of us all.
We should pray daily for these people of golden hearts and selfless zeal; many of them are not appreciated by their organizations, particularly the government workers among them; the hazard allowance is peasant, the working environment is appalling, the equipments are obsolete but many that have chosen to remain in Nigeria are unrelenting in their dedication to saving lives.
When Dr Stella Ameyo Adadevoh (late Ebola heroine) put her own life in risk to prevent the spread of Ebola in 2014, nothing has been done by the Federal government to appreciate or immortalize her till date; you can imagine how demoralizing that would be to many others who would want to dare take risk for their father land. Our soldiers on the war front against terrorists are not well motivated too, the same is prevalent in all sectors of our nation's life in Nigeria.
Nigerians must arise, both corporate and individuals must celebrate these men and women in the medical professional because as for our Federal Government leadership, they need deliverance from themselves and their conscience get stirred once they get inside Aso Rock; it is not peculiar to the present administration, just that the present is pretending to be different.
So, I commend the Publisher of the Nigerian Newspapers (Nigerian Tribune), who tolled this part recently by distributing relief and provisions for the medical workers who are in forefront of the fight in Nigeria; we need more of such gestures from good spirited people and organizations.
So, I give a big salute to Nigerian Medical Association, Association of Resident Doctors, the Nurses Associations, Chairmen and members of the Covid 19 task forces, the virologists, the laboratory scientists and the auxiliary staffs that are on duty to make the works of the Medics easier.
I pray God almighty keep you safe from this pandemic or any epidemic in Jesus name. Amen.
Adeniyi Rotimi Johnson
ANIPR, Fellow-IPDCRM
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