Wednesday, 6 May 2020

CORONAVIRUS SPREAD AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IN NIGERIA, by Mafu SHABA.


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.