CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IN NIGERIA: THIS ADVERSITY MUST LAY FOUNDATION FOR OUR ADVANCEMENT.
In the last 24hours, I have read 2 versions of the same broadcast message on WhatsApp and Facebook recommending how 100billion naira can be shared among 40million Nigerians with BVN, claiming it is an amount below the NASS annual budget.
One said, it is possible for each Nigerian with BVN to go home with 250k, while the other said it is 25k per head. Anyway, for the sake of clarity, both figures are wrong. When you divide 100billion among 40million people, each can only go home with 2,500 naira only.
One of the major problems with us in Nigeria is that, we are always quick to put up sensational messages even when they are wrong, unverified and misleading. In fact, the home of deliberate falsehood might actually be this clime.
Firstly, it is extremely important for us, as a nation to realise that,, what is needed now is to allow humanity to rise above all forms of premodial sentiments of politics, ethnicity, religion etc that lead us here.
This is time for sober reflection and seriousness of leadership and citizenry. To read about 500 ventilators to 200million people and the self imposed hardship of increasing the cost of hand sanitizers by almost 250% and that of reusable face mask by well over 500% should let us be ashamed of ourselves.
In navigating this very trying moment, politics is useless and unfit for purpose, only good governance and leadership is needed.
Ethnicity or any form of jingoism has no place here, it is either a united People or nothing else.
Mere Religion is meaningless, it is only Godliness and wisdom that is required. Afterall, “every man’s devil is his ignorance”.
To think of the American stimulus package example cited in one of the post is like living in denial of a nation that is poor and not productive despite being blessed by nature. We are obviously comparing tangerine with watermelon.
For the records, the American 2trilllion USD coronavirus economic stimulus package alone is over 75% of the entire GDP of Africa as at end of 2019 and it is bigger than Nigeria’s entire budget since our return to democracy over 20years ago.
Most of these posts flying around are mere sensational commentary, that are often misleading and not needed or helpful at this time. We need post on solutions, precautionary measures, health, hygiene, nation building, leadership, good governance, responsible followership, etc. Those who can not survive without politicising every matter should just take time to think of those who are ravaged by this deadly virus and the threat it poses to humanity.
There is a global crisis at hand, and we all need to come together as one united people to proffer true, patriotic, scientific, economic, Godly and practical solutions to this problem.
For us in Nigeria, this period of adversity is a golden opportunity for us to lay foundation for the advancement and prosperity of our dear country. We must be ready for patriotic and hard choices, that will redefine our nation and lead us out of obscurity forever.
To those who said heaven will fall because Nigeria decided to ban importation of rice last year, what if we still depend solely on imported rice like before at this time of global partial and total lockdown? Would our case not be worse than what we’re witnessing today?
This is time for us to say no, to the usage of our Commonwealth to fund unnecessary medical tourism. We must just make our hospitals function and be of global standard! We must say No to reckless importation of just anything “importable”, including water, honey and even mushroom, an IMPORT DEPENDENT economy is a PRECARIOUS economy.
As a nation, let’s think, let’s get serious, let leaders get accountable, let citizens get responsible. Let’s build this country and let’s work for a functional and prosperous Nigeria.
May God heal our land. We shall overcome!
Please stay safe.
‘Tunde Olatunji
Office of the Chief Whip
Osun State House of Assembly
📧info@tundeolatunji.com
🌍www.tundeolatunji.com
Teacher | Economic & Financial Expert | Public Servant
