CORONAVIRUS: THE WORLD IN TURMOIL
By Laurence Chukwudi Izegbu.
Both sides of the divide are scrambling for safety. The rich, poor, civilian, military, politician, no one is being spared.
We are witnessing a turning point as both the richest and the poorest countries run helter-skelter.
Harvard and Oxford Universities are currently shut, while the top 5 and 7-star hotels are in a state of agony as returns dwindle.
With regards to a nation like Nigeria whose budget financing is pivoted on crude oil sales, the blow is more devastating as the price of oil tumbles awkwardly to a paltry 20 dollars per barrel!
Unfortunately, as civilized nations are offering palliatives to cushion the crunch, Nigerians have been neglected to their own fate, without even common electricity to listen to the news.
Despite the fact that billions of dollars have been frittered away by heartless leaders, our hospitals possess no functional, state-of-the-art equipment to tackle the slightest of health challenges.
The broadcast everyday on TV shows how responsible nations are providing accurate data analysis of the situation.
In sharp contrast, Nigeria has no tracking system or even a strong sensitization with wide coverage to enlighten even the rural citizens too.SHAME.
Religion, which hitherto had appeared like the country’s only focus, is lying helplessly.
The Pastors and Rev. Fathers with billboards advertising their healing gifts have suddenly gone hush while most churches are shut to avoid a spread.
Nigeria is in a terrible plight presently, as our security units too have not shown capacity in defeating the rampaging insurgents in the North East.
The functional healthcare system which our politicians declined to establish has suddenly become their only saving grace.
They are now stuck in Nigeria, with no craving to travel abroad since their safe havens are now battling with the scourge of Coronavirus.
If our leaders had shown insight and equipped the hospitals, they would not have been stranded today.
What happened to the emergency relief funds which are supposed to be safely stockpiled for circumstances like these?
As oil prices plummets further, what is the plan in place to fortify the economy? Does leadership here end at patrolling different cities, with sirens blaring from the convoy of black SUVs?
This is a significant lesson for those wielding staffs of office today. Nature is using this situation to reprimand Nigerian leaders not to disregard what they ought to do just because of the transient perks of office today.
Lets never forget that tomorrow is pregnant. The seed we inject into it is what we shall receive as products of its parturition.