IF I AM IN GOVERNMENT TODAY... KEMKA S. IBEJI
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| KEMKA S. IBEJI |
It is also pertinent to point out that this is not any political campaign. There is, of course, no election going on now but the experience across the world which is putting humanity in serious wonder.
Significant in this is that the world and humanity are presently facing a huge challenge with the Covid-19 pandemic which is ravaging the globe. It is in this wise that I wish to drop my idea and especially as to what I would have done differently if I was successful in the 2019 election.
Without blame against any of the people who are currently in government, I am convinced that my idea and poise would have impacted particularly on the good people of Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency, Imo State, Nigeria, and Africa at large. Let us not talk more about the world and mankind in general for now.
Why I am a bit bothered and the reason for which I rose to write is that while the government of the day has raised awareness and fears on the dangers of dreaded coronavirus, they have taken measures to the best of their knowledge and abilities. I have followed religiously the awareness campaigns, approaches, methods and even the palliatives of the government but I get more worried each passing day. My concern heightens when I further read and listen to the outer world and their predictions for Africa in all this. It is a commonplace knowledge that whereas about 99% of the infected and victims of the virus are within the western and Asian worlds, doomsday social and medical prophets have kept their gaze on Africa. Even Melinda Gates has said she sees dead bodies lining and littered in the streets of Africa. What a horrible way to think about a people!
Twitter and sundry social media platforms were agog with the brazen and mindless assertion of the French doctors. They brashly, irrationally and infamously proclaimed Africa as the testing destination of their vaccines and Africans as their Guinea pigs for such tests. For these French men, Africa is a place to plunder and Africans are valueless. This calls for serious concern. But instead of reclining to seek for solution within, the government of the day prefers to go out begging Elon Musk and Tesla for 100 ventilators even when Innoson a domestic manufacturer has offered to produce for the country.
Then my headache is that while these are going on, African nations and especially Nigeria seem not to be perturbed about the impending disaster and mayhem. The governments from Federal, States and the Local have all locked down. They have forced everyone indoors. But this is causing terrible pain in my heart as I remember that the government has no plan for the future after the lockdown. Even the lockdown has no direction, no philosophy and no organisation. What we can say we know at the moment is when we were chased indoors, we do not know when we will possibly come out. The worst is the total lack of knowledge or idea of when normal life will return to Nigeria.
It is paramount to note that even if the lockdown takes care of the incidents already in the country, we still run the same risk, if not worse than, as we started.
When the lockdown is over, our people will go back to their businesses, work places, churches, mosques, gatherings, weddings, celebrations, political rallies and all what not. At the same time, all our borders will be flung open. This will happen as though we have conquered the Covid-19 pandemic. But the real question is, will the end of the lockdown mean the end of the Covid-19 pandemic?
I will not wait for experts to answer this question meant for commonsense. The big answer is NO! When our borders are lifted from the lockdown, travellers from all parts of the world will criss-cross the nooks and crannies of the country for their businesses and more. Many of them will come infected with the Covid-19 and will reinfect the country Nigeria and Africa. Do we have any plan for such time? Or are we going to run back into our houses in another round of lockdown? Do we need to look for solution now or wait for the rest of the world who are presently suffering like us to get the solution and then sell to us at exorbitant prices? What has happened with the funds donated towards the Covid-19 pandemic so far in Nigeria?
Now if only I am in this government, instead of giving my two (2) months salary to the government for just awareness, lockdown and palliatives, I would have lobbied the House and the entire legislature to look the direction of real solution. I think what the government is currently doing is curing just symptoms and leaving the illness itself. I would have directed the collective mind of the legislature and by extension the government towards real solution and cure to the problem.
Looking to the real solution would have been to focus majority of our resources on research for cure and vaccine for the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic. Doing this would have had lasting and variegated impact on the country in the health sector, economy, national image, education, policy, and much more. Only if this is achieved would have announced Nigeria into international relevance in the positive side. Being part of the world pharmaceutical economy would have revamped Nigerian economy and extricate her from nation of beggars.
Is Nigeria lacking in human resources that can engage in such research that can loud us this time since this Covid-19 has levelled all nations? All we see however are legislators sharing cups of rice and garri, few tubers of Yam, other food condiments and suchlike that cannot last households for more than a day or two. These are indicators of visionless government and one in abject poverty of creative minds.
While it is not my goal to disparage anybody, the government in particular and especially the legislature of the day, it is my convinced view that rather than the reigning grave painting by the government and her legislators in their various constituencies, it would have served our people the rightful purpose to seek for cure and vaccine for the coronavirus and the pandemic.
KEMKA S. IBEJI
Thinker
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