Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Some residents of Benin, Edo State, have flaunted what they termed the “gains” of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Mr. Ambrose Uwadia, a resident, said the pandemic brought unity and love to some matrimonial homes: “Some men would leave their wives and families for at least two weeks or more because of their busy schedules, they would choose to stay with friends. But this coronavirus has afforded us the opportunity to stay with our families. At the end of the day, it brings about more love and unity in our homes, which before now eluded our homes.
“And now, the families are happy, the children are joyous with their parents. They chat and interact with one another. The shortcoming, however, is that, if you don’t have money, you can’t really enjoy staying at home with the family.
“This is because the children will always make demands of you. At the end of the day, you discover that you are spending more than you were expected to spend if you were not at home.
“Like those who work in the private sector and you know also that you are paid based on the service you render and now that you are at home, how do you expect them to pay you, and if you are not paid, how do you spend money?
“The Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) are worse. There is no light. In some areas, they have not had light for days; so you spend much money on buying fuel for your generator.
“And if you don’t have money for fuel, you stay idle and everywhere will look so dull. So, this is another problem.
“I would have advised the Federal Government to cushion the effects on the citizens by paying some money into the account of citizens, especially those families who are seriously in need.
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. John Adama, said: “It has brought about unity in our homes, especially in the aspect of our prayer life. This is because, in the past, when we just wake up in the morning, we are in a hurry to go to work and come back late at night but, this time around, we now stay together to discuss certain issues that we have not been having the opportunity to discuss before.
“The only negative side of it is that the more you stay indoors, the more you spend money than ever before.
“We have not been able to generate income but we are spending. What we should have used or served us for two days, is now being used for one day.
“This sit-at-home order has also afforded us the opportunity to manage the little resources we have because before we spend our money now we must think very well on how to manage our resources and our time.”
Sir Roland Osakue, chairman of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said: “For the first time, the children will have the opportunity to stay with their parents, particularly when both parents are working.
“It will also give the children the sense of responsibility that my father is staying with us at home today. More so, it will bring a harmonious relationship, reunification of the family.
“The idea of staying at home, parents eating with their children on the same table, creates an atmosphere of tenderness from father to the children. It is a good thing but, on the other hand, people might look at it to be the way of making Jack a dull boy by staying at home but that is not true because there is need to always create time for the family and this is the opportunity.
“It doesn’t have much negative impact apart from those parents who has been so regimented, moving up and down and today, he now finds himself confined to particular place. To him, he will see it as a self-imprisonment.”