Peter Anosike
The Igbo Stakeholders Forum (ISF), Lagos State, recently organised an awareness campaign to educate people on the best ways of preventing themselves from being infected with the deadly COVID-19.
Speaking at the event at Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, the president of the association, Prince Nixon Okwara, said the forum decided to join hands with state government to bring the awareness of coronavirus to the grassroots: “Going by the way the virus is spreading, all hands need to be on deck to win the raging war.
“ISF is the umbrella of all Igbo associations in Lagos State with the mandate of harmonising and projecting Igbo interests. The association is concerned about the plight of Igbo living in the state and it has come up with ways of achieving symbolic relationship among the Igbo, their host community and government.
“As part of our awareness campaign, we are sharing over 200,000 facemasks and disinfectants. We know that some other organisations have shared food items as palliatives. However, we have to be alive first before we eat food. Facemasks have been proven to be one of the most important ways of preventing coronavirus infection.”
The immediate past president of Imo State Towns Development Association (ISTDA), Pastor Okey Anorue, commended the large gathering that turned out for the campaign: “That clearly showed that Lagosians are willing to win the war against coronavirus
“The purpose of your coming is not just to listen to the campaign, take facemasks and go home.
“Since you all come from all over Lagos, we also want to use the opportunity to build authentic data if Igbo living in Lagos.”
He commended Okwara for championing the affairs of the Igbo in Lagos in a selfless and dignified manner. He called on the other Igbo leaders to emulate Okwara who he said always puts aside what concerns him directly and put forward what concerns others first.
ISF Director of Media, Moses Onwughalu, appealed to those who are still doubting the reality of coronavirus to know that it is real and killing.
He said deaths being reported in the media are mere tip of the iceberg as many are dying unreported: “The only way to be free from infection is to observe COVID-19 protocol.”