It is sad that up till three days ago, Monday, March 23, when this piece was written and 35 people had been reportedly affected by Covid – 19, President Muhammadu Buhari had not addressed the nation on radio, television or through the newspapers. It is only the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who had done so about twice or so and the worse is that government has said it would not speak on the disease again except online.
An unfortunate decision when most Nigerians who are illiterates do not have access to the facility which communicates only in English. Ehanire can only speak on the health aspect of the problem. It is the president who should be addressing Nigerians, as he is the one who can talk on what his government is doing or plans to do on the economic and social aspects of the Covid – 19 situation.
How could the Federal Government have banned planes coming into the country only two days ago? It should have done so since the first day of the month. And it should not have extended the proscription to cargo aircraft and ships because this is the only way essential commodities and drugs can be brought into the country.
Since the government does not have the facility to test people for Covid – 19 before they congregate, I don’t think limiting the number to 20 – 50 will help stop the disease spreading, because just one person in a group can cause the virus to escalate. Consequently, what needs to be done is for government to ban all churches and mosques from operating until the Covid – 19 crisis ends. Also the government should ban people from playing football in a stadium and fields in all parts of the country and get the police and community leaders to enforce this.
Our markets are danger spots because of the large crowds there and the space between the face-to-face shops in markets like Osodi in Lagos and other towns which is less than 4 feet. As a result, I suggest that the number of traders selling in a market should be limited to 50 – 100.
The other traders should be spread out to operate in open places and fields in their neighbourhood. As for those in the face – to – face shopping areas, the traders in a line or row can be made to operate today and those on the opposite side the following day and so on. Many Nigerians walking on the streets do not have handkerchiefs. They use their index finger or palm to wipe off sweat which they splash out. So, government needs to embark on the campaign for people to buy and use handkerchiefs.
Since we have to use buses, taxis, motorcycles (okada) and lorries where keeping the social distance of 6 feet is impossible, only God can help us for Covid – 19 not to become a calamity in the country. Consequently, we need to pray to the Lord and carry out the spiritual exercises He may order.
Professor (Mrs.) Osofisan, an academic guru
Her achievements in Computer Science are legendary as she has been recognized as an icon in the subject by universities in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Africa, China, United States and Australia. At home, she is a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management. She is also a Member of the Association of Nigeria Women in Science, Technology and Mathematics and the Vice – President of the Nigeria Chapter of the African Women Leadership Think Tank (AWLTT).
Besides, she is a Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a Member of the Board of Trustees, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA). She had also served as an External Examiner in Computer Science at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, the University of Ilorin, the University of Lagos and the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma.
Outside Nigeria, Professor (Mrs.) Osofisan apart from being a member of the Association of Computing Machinery in the United States had also served as an External Examiner to the Njala University, Sierra Leone, the University of Cape Town, South Africa and Accra Institute of Technology, Ghana. In 2006, she was a member of the Computer Science Accreditation Panel for Public Universities in Ghana. Added to these is that Professor (Mrs.) Osofisan has been a recipient of international honours. She is a Fellow of the International Council for Computer Communication, United States, a Fellow of the United Nations University Macau, China and a Fellow of the University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
More to come next Wednesday
Ex – Emir Sanusi’s Destiny Misbelief
The princes who can say their becoming king was a matter of destiny are those in towns and cities where the tradition is for a first – born male to succeed the father. This is because God caused him to be the first son of the dad and the one to succeed him. Ex – Emir Sanusi reign could not have been facilitated by the Heavenly Father because from what I read in the newspapers, the prince who has now succeeded him was the one chosen by the kingmakers in 2014.
But the Governor at the time, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is his friend chose him and this led to riots and the death of people. There can never be fighting and the shedding of blood in the enthronement of someone the Lord favoured to be king.
Sanusi was deposed because he supported the candidate of the PDP in the last governorship election won by the incumbent, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who is an APC member. Was it God (Allah) who made Emir Sanusi who should have been a father to all to play politics and who made him say things against the Governor of Kano State that led to his dethronement?
The answer is no, it was his behaviour and maybe his family background because his grandfather Emir Mohammed Sanusi I too was deposed in 1963 after he was reportedly cursed in the 1950s by Attah of Igala, Agaba Idu Ameh Oboni who said he and his descendants would always be disgraced from the throne.
To be continued
Adieu Admiral Koshoni (4)
Admiral Koshoni was a Minister in three ministries during the 33 months he was in the federal cabinet. He was the Minister of Health for 20 months in the military administration of General Muhammadu Buhari (January 1, 1984 – August 26, 1985). In the remaining 13 months, from September 1985 – October 1986, he was the Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity and later the Minister of Transportation during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida (August 27, 1985 – August 25, 1993).
After succeeding Buhari, Babangida deployed Koshoni from the Ministry of Health to that of Employment, Labour and Productivity. He did this because as one of the most intelligent and skilled administrators in his cabinet, he was the one who could put things right in the ministry.
It was also for the same reason he reassigned him a few months later to the Ministry of Transportation.
For continuation next week