By Samuel Akinnuga
Sir: The world all over, the biggest conversation is on how to combat the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In almost 200 countries affected by the outbreak, sedulous efforts are being made to contain the spread while the search for a solution is endless. We are together in fighting a common enemy and being a superpower does not come up in the conversations. Self-isolation, social distancing, quarantine, personal hygiene, proper handwashing are now the buzz words; hand sanitizers, the new allies; face mask, a can’t-do-without accessory; handshakes and hugs, a social taboo. The world as we knew it until a few weeks ago is changed. Our lives, even so, will never remain the same. This situation calls for a renewed reflection on the future we thought we knew and our level of preparedness for the morrow.
In Nigeria, the pandemic has exposed that the issue of future preparedness does not arise. We are not even prepared for today. If there is any lesson from the 2014 Ebola crisis, it’s that we learnt nothing. We beat Ebola in record time but the woes in our health sector remained. Life continued as usual. The neglect of the health sector continued as long as the political class could travel to Europe to treat their cold. The majority of Nigerians are left to be cared for by health institutions struggling for breath. Now we are affected by a pandemic. There’s no place to run and that’s why the response to the outbreak has been markedly different. All hands all are on deck to fight the pandemic. I have no doubts we will defeat this.
While no one knows when the expected miracle would come, one thing is clear: things will never be the same. This is indeed a revolutionary moment; our push moment and I don’t think my confidence is misplaced. My confidence is bolstered by the submission of Newton’s First Law that “an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force.” We have remained too long in a state of ‘rest’ and I believe this is the external force needed to cause us to rethink every bit of our national life, going forward. If we had equipped our hospitals and primary health centres to be life-saving havens, the widespread panic would not be the case. If Research, Development, and Innovation had been adequately funded, the world would probably be looking to Nigeria for the solution.
In a post-coronavirus Nigeria, the plight of ordinary Nigerians would be exacerbated by several factors largely outside the immediate control of the government but there will be better days. The president, more than ever, will be required to provide the visionary leadership that will usher Nigeria and Nigerians into the glorious future that is ours for the taking when we do that which is convincingly the right thing to do. That Nigeria must also be one that the education, health, security and collective prosperity of every Nigerian is the priority of government at all levels.
That Nigeria must also be one that elevates the public discourse from current sordid interparty and interethnic tiff to one of sound deliberations on people-centric and progressive policies. It must be one where the youth take the lead.
Let me use this opportunity to thank our medical professionals for putting their lives on the line to manage the situation. They are our heroes; doing the best with the available resources. The Lagos State government has also done remarkably with the quick upscaling of medical facilities, the economic stimulus package, and in-touch leadership of the governor. Ogun, Ekiti, Benue, Kaduna and a number of other states have put some initiatives in place. I am aware of the Digiclass programme for pupils in Ogun. Lagos has a similar programme for SS3 pupils. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) must also be commended for the great work done. I also thank individuals and private sector players for the generous donations and support in the fight against COVID-19. We are in this together and we shall overcome.
- Samuel Akinnuga, <samuelakinnuga@yahoo.com>
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