COVID-19: Buhari, Stop This Scam!

BY SIMON REEF MUSA

The hope to end the current lockdown over this pandemic called COVID-19 recently suffered a setback when the Federal Government announced a further extension. The extension will end on Monday, June 1, 2020. Hopefully, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to speak to the nation via a national broadcast to decide on the re-opening of the economy and return to normalcy for the country. Few days to decision day, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has intensified mounting fear over the virus through daily updates on spread rate of the infection.

For us who have always seen through the trick of a cabal determined to feed fat on our dread over this pandemic, the need to fleece the national treasury seems to be the overriding objective for pecuniary interest by this cabal. I appeal to Nigerians to watch how these figures will continue to hit the roof in the few days ahead in order to make Buhari insist on yet another extension of the lockdown.

Last week, a neighbour told me of an interesting story over how the current epidemic is being deployed to deceive people and coerce them into an unholy conspiracy. A friend of his, according to my neighbour, had taken his relation to a hospital over what he described as symptoms relating to malaria. After treatment, he was asked if he was willing to have his relation be included in the list of COVID-19 updates for N100,000. He declined and said he would rather forgo the money than claim the deadly infection for his relation.

Again, Last week also, another man went to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), Gwagwalada, to see his doctor. After getting the drugs, he was approached and persuaded to accept the status of being a COVID-19 patient, but he rejected. A fortnight ago or so, a video clip went viral on happenings at the Gwagwalada Isolation Centre where COVID-19 patients had turned the place into a dancing hall of merriment. Without being told, it was obvious that these ‘patients’ were simply acting.

It is tragic that the country has remained under lock and key as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. While our national psyche has turned us into mental slaves over fear of the epidemic, members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) and the NCDC have continued to push us further down the pit of horror. More worrisome, the government has allowed these monsters of profiteering of our collective doom to pin us to the wall. The fear of COVID-19 has not only defined us, but also restrained us from providing solutions to the plague. That Nigeria has continued to record low figures is not predicated on any deliberate attempt by government to stem the tide against the infection, divine powers have been our saving grace.

To demonstrate our foolhardiness in allowing free days during shutdown periods as observed in some states, do we now accept that the virus can be requested to suspend its rage for such approved days? Beyond the shutdown orders as issued by many states, what other measures have been put in place to combat the pandemic? No exit strategies, apart from lockdown, have been available. Of all the African countries, Madagascar has come up with a cure and sent sample of their herbal cure to Nigeria.

To the consternation of citizens, the PTF said it was not in a hurry to send the herbal cure for assessment. There is no denying the fact that by its decision on the Madagascar’s cure, the PTF is really uninterested in resolving the problem, but keenly hopeful of continuing with the game, in collaboration of NCDC, to lead the nation down the drain of fear over a pandemic that is more there than here. The pandemic has left many illnesses unattended to and resulting into thousands of deaths. Primary and tertiary health centres have had their focus removed from other life-threatening diseases since the arrival of COVID-19 on our shores. Vaccinations have been abandoned and children who are the most vulnerable are left unattended to by poorly equipped health professionals who are criminally being underpaid for their services.

To demonstrate the wickedness of the political class, some politicians in the corridors of power have created positive images and reduced governance to ability to monitor lockdowns and prevent inter-state movements. Nothing matters as long as people are forced to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.

Even when the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared that lockdowns are not feasible in poor countries, Nigeria, the poorest of the nations and Africa’s giant, is still locked to the lockdown strategy as the most effective in preventing the spread of the virus. Even when government dances naked on the open market without shame in the name of distributing palliatives, Nigerians and the international community have been further horrified at government’s insistence on feeding school children even when the schools are closed.

There is no point continuing with the tragic narrative of government policies that have turned our country into macabre dance fools. Throughout these eight weeks of lockdowns, we have come to realise that our progress depends more on the inside than outside, and that no matter how we strive, we must get rid of people in government who are simply interested in striking a deal for personal wealth.

So much is expected of President Buhari when he addresses citizens or decides to speak through his media aides on Monday. One thing he should do is to restrict the PTF and NCDC into a backroom monitoring group. Allowing them access to media coverage gives them relevance they are not supposed to enjoy.

The activities of the PTF activities must not be allowed to come under floodlights. Core professionals who are endowed with patriotism and deep knowledge of issues should be allowed to take the centre stage. Our national consciousness has since been assailed and invaded by those who trade in the fear of COVID-19. As a people, we yearn to have our lives back in order to pursue our dreams and aspirations unhindered by promoters of doom called PTF and NCDC.

Many, including yours sincerely, believe that the infection is deadly. However, we have been spared by divine powers of this plague that have brought many great countries to their knees. We must not allow evil powers to turn these divine mercies into a flourishing commercial venture.

President Buhari has the duty to end this national dread and banish the chicaneries of politicians that have hijacked the fight against COVID-19. Nigerians are tired of the over-dramatisation and politicisation of this infection called COVID-19.