As at now, the novel
global pandemic known as coronavirus or COVID-19, holds a popular name like the
“OMO DETERGENT” (a household name) which is used to call every detergent in the
past, before some could actually identify that name as just one of the brands
of detergents. I was discussing with a little child in our neighbourhood some
days ago, and jocularly I asked her why she has not been going to school for
some time now. She replied that coronavirus is staying in her school, and waiting
to catch her. And that she will not step into her school until her parents told her that it is safe to go there. Meanwhile, she decked her face with a
face-mask, befitting her size and age; and she dubbed it that everyone has
become “lagbaja”, a popular musician known for covering his identity by wearing a facemask, in Nigeria. I laughed and when I was about to end the conversation,
she advised me not to shake hands with anybody and that I should make sure that I don’t get too close
to anybody. I was genuinely shocked by her ingenuity. I still marveled at the intelligence
of the little girl up till this time I am writing this piece.
The above background
goes to prove that of a truth, wisdom is not by the number of years already spent
on earth here. Some people have grey hair practically representing a good
experience of absolute foolishness, arguing against what is glaringly and
genuinely real. Grey hair on some peoples’ heads represents only a fool’s cap. The
federal government in the bid to partially relax the lockdown as announced by
the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on the 27th April, 2020,
specifically mentioned social distancing and the use of face masks as part of the
measures to curtail or reduce the spread of the deadly and infectious virus.
The lockdown expired at
11:59 pm on Sunday, 3rd May, 2020. The following day, Monday, 4th
may, 2020, was to witness the people actually going on with their businesses
and expectedly following the directives of the federal government. Contrary to
wisdom and simple logic, many people across the areas hitherto on lockdown,
specifically Lagos State, Ogun State, and the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja),
aborted their maturity and carefulness, and did the unimaginable. They failed
woefully to adhere to the simple directives of the federal government.
To start with, the
commercial vehicles who were instructed to carry 60% capacity of the passengers,
loaded their buses to full capacity, even with the Conductors hanging loosely
on the buses like a stranded monkey in an abandoned zoo. More so, at various Banks
across the areas, particularly in Lagos State and the FCT, there were thick
crowd of people, typical of a Crusade programme, gathered at the premises of some
of the Banks. Humanly speaking, this misbehavior might be expected. It is a
spontaneous reaction of people who believed that they have been “caged” for a long period of five weeks.
On the other hand, this reaction can’t be devoid of deliberate foolishness and
recklessness on the part of the citizens. Not only was the social distance rule
flouted, many did not even use their face masks. When some people speak, they
naturally pour out some particles of thick saliva (though as involuntary action), a
social problem that could precipitate the spread of this virus. This is one of
the essences of face masking. The following day, being the 5th of
May, 2020, also witnessed the same level of carelessness and recklessness on the
part of the citizens as well. One would
have expected that there would be some sense of decency and sanity than the previous day. But
it baffles one that the people were steadily increasing in their folly.
I shared my
observations with a neighbour and consciously probed why a child, sometimes, could be more reasonable than some adults. The Nigeria Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC) had issued a medical directive on social distancing but
the adults who ought to have a complete understanding of the concept flout it
with reckless abandon. I also queried, on the Bank issue how much someone could
withdraw at the deliberate peril of his own personal health and safety? She answered
that many of the people who flooded the Banks do not have the Debit cards
popularly called the ATM cards. I did not fully subscribe to the assertion,
anyway. Those who had ATM cards complained of service-charges when they
withdrew through the POS, she further opined. I simply told her that the people
are thinking from an anti-clockwise position, which is basically compounded
foolishness because even banks deduct various service charges from customers' accounts.
I want to submit without
any intent at all, to be pessimistic or sinister, that if social distancing is
actually one of the potent ways of curbing the spread of COVID-19, which is
been ruthlessly flouted by most Nigerians, the federal government may have lots of issues to grabble with in terms of infection, and possibly
high rate of casualties in the coming weeks. It is more circumspect to adhere
to the counsel of the Federal and State Medical Personnel than to be ignorantly
and obstinately complacent to this supreme guide. It is better to be cautious
and stay safe, alive, and healthy than to be anxious for living more comfortably.
The common saying that Health is Wealth (and not the reverse) still applies in
the present circumstance we are faced with. The government should review the
situation and help the citizens from embarking on deliberate mass suicide occasioned
by this recklessness of the citizenry. This is a danger to themselves, and also
to the lives of those who are willing to live.