Our War Against Coro (WAC) is being seriously undermined mainly by two factors, the lesser of which is the gullibility of the masses and those who have bought into the strange narrative that the whole thing is a ‘plandemic’; a stage-managed scheme to enrich a few and destroy the black race. I will not dwell much on this because its negative impact on WAC is insignificant. The major factor undermining our WAC is elite irresponsibility. The Nigerian elites (the select and privileged few, (including lecturers) by their irresponsible behaviours, attitudes and utterances have sabotaged the WAC and their fellow elites, in solidarity, have looked the other way. There are recent reports of how 502 party-goers and strippers were convicted and 32 night clubs shut in Lagos, the uncontested epicentre.
That was how 52 fun-seeking youths were arrested for partying at Parks & Gardens, Abule Egba, during the original wave. With all these ‘coffee’ all over the place, are we implying that Coro operates or operates more actively, only at night? Anyway, most of those arrested were those who espoused the nothing-mega (nothing will happen) paradigm! Osun State government had decreed that any bar and hotel that violated the protocols would be fined N250,000 but they were kinder than their Lagos State counterpart, such facilities are sealed. Earlier on, 34 joggers were forcefully quarantined in Lagos while 13 Abuja Mobile Courts convicted 1736 fellows for violating the sit-at-home protocol. However, these were the ‘small’ elites and that was why they were caught on the wrong side of the law.
A-rated Nigerian artistes, Laycon and Dakolo thrilled guests at Dimeji Bankole’s wedding (Abuja, 15/1/21). As in similar occasions, like the wedding of Abdul Aziz, son of Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, there was neither distancing nor serious masking. Long before then, Coro protocols were blatantly violated during the burial of Abba Kyari, (the man behind the mask, then), and that was the first time in recent memory when the FGN would apologise to ‘we, the people’ (they also apologized when Garba Shehu goofed that the Kankara kidnappees were only 12). Encores also happened at the burial of the Emir of Zaria, the former Oyo State Governor (Ajimobi) and the late Ondo State Commissioner of Health, Wahab Adegbenro. Even before his death, Kyari had returned from Germany and instead of staying out of circulation, he moved on with his life and thereby democratized the virus among our super-powerful class. Atiku’s son was also accused of similar misdemeanor. Our elites were at their worst when we opened our skies in July. The SSS boss breached the airport protocol and slapped FAAN security officer and was emulated by Mr Yari, (ex-Governor of Zamfara) and Governor Fintri of Adamawa State who felt he was too big for his temperature to be checked!
The uniformed ones would not be left out as policemen sacked a Mobile Court at Dei-Dei axis of Abuja for daring to arrest non-compliant policemen, just as soldiers assaulted Borno State Coro Enforcement team, including two commissioners at Auno while the Buratai family clashed with the same Team over the retrieval of their mother’s corpse. Naira Marley went for a concert at Abuja (with a private jet) while Mrs Betty Akeredolu also breached the inter-state protocol. Of course our policemen, (they are a part of the elites) also monetized interstate travels, allowing as many as could pay the bills to breach the protocol.
These were however petty misdemeanours when compared with the report of how our big-men and their children were junketing around the globe despite local and international triple locks. The list included the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Karl Olutokun Toriola, of MTN ,his lawyer Aisha Rimi, and four other persons, six members of Late Mike Akhigbe’s family, Seyi Tinubu, and Folarin and Rotimi Alakija (EXCLUSIVE: Bola Tinubu’s Son, Alakija’s Children, Belo-Osagie’s Daughter, Late Akhigbe’s Family And Other Erring Nigerians Who Defied COVID-19 Lockdown Order To Travel Abroad; Sahara Reporters, 17/7/20). And what does one say of that charlatan from Kogi state, whom has been ‘sued’ for refusing to run for the Presidency and who is a key figure in the APC re-registration exercise. He openly declared that Coro is a scam and it was only in his state that doctors and allied staff were attacked by ‘hoodlums’ while undertaking Coro duties!
What does one say of that charlatan from Kogi state, whom has been ‘sued’ for refusing to run for the Presidency and who is a key figure in the APC re-registration exercise
It is not always that the other elites looked the other way or condoned these acts of irresponsibility and rascality, which openly broke the law, scandalized the public and endangered all of us. The Nigerian Governors’ Forum ‘disowned’ their Kogi counterpart for his outlandish anti-Coro declarations; Dave Umahi, the later-day APC darling, suspended 5 of his personal staffers for not masking; Ezenwo Nwike, the GC (garrison commander) of ‘Pitakwa’ sacked a PermSec for chasing away burial protocol enforcers from Oyigbo (This Oyigbo sef!); the irrepressible OBJ , ‘bounced’ his friends and associates during a church-service for his late mother in-law, Mrs Adenekan while Most Rev Onaga, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu chased away anti-maskers from the Cathedral.
The Senate President once ‘kicked’ as senators violated physical distancing protocol. However, he only ‘kicked’ but in the US, Speaker Pelosi, warned that mask-less members would be thrown out and imposed a fine for anti- maskers; $500 in the first instance and $2500 for continued breaches!
In South Africa, President Ramaphosa placed the Minister of Communications, Stella Ndameni Abrahams on ‘special leave’, had her investigated, charged to court and fined R1,000 for breaking Coro protocol (She went for a private dinner where they were only 6), while in Ghana the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah accepted that he breached Coro protocols and resigned. He had failed to self-isolate after testing positive, and the President accepted the resignation ‘with immediate effect’. In other climes, the elites accepted responsibility and did, or were forced to do, the right things. Prof Ferguson, the epidemiologist who ‘engineered’ the lockdown of Britain, resigned because he allowed his married lover to visit him at home while publicly preaching strict distancing; Rosie Duffield, a Labour MP, admitted breaking Coro protocols, apologized and quit her front-bench role after she met her partner (another married man) for a five-hour walk; the EU Trade Commissioner, Phil Hogan, resigned after he attended a golf dinner with about 80 people; the Czech health minister, Romal Prumula lost his job after patronizing a restaurant, which was against his own Coro guidelines. The Prime Minister, Andrej Babiš, had ordered him to quit or be sacked. In Brazil, a judge warned the President to wear his mask and wear it properly or face the stipulated fine while in Georgia, the Governor, Brian Kemp, sued the Atlanta Mayor, Keisha Lance, over the City’s mask mandate.
Compare these instances with what has been happening in Nigeria in terms of elite rascality and indifference on this Coro affair. Our case also evidences leadership failure because in these other places, the leaders took a stand. It has got so bad that another elite, Atedo Peterside and his ANAP foundation have ‘conspired’ with the media (Arise, Channels, ThisDay, Vanguard, The Cable et al) to ignite a Name-And-Shame (NAS) programme against all ‘newsmakers’ who breach Coro protocols. The NAS would ‘highlight the non-compliance of newsmakers by not covering events or denying media coverage of events where participants do not comply with the Health Protection Regulations and spotlighting defaulters in the media’. Of course, Peterside is committing class-suicide by frontally taking on members of his class!
When we were growing up, the elders created the impression that Juvenile Delinquency (JD) was the greatest scourge of the Nigerian society. Incidents of JD then and now include: ‘Ganni-Adams tendency’, students Aluta (including Ali-Must-Go), dressing in rags, drug abuse, Hushpupy tendencies, cultism and ‘otuistic’ behaviours (sexual orgies). But now, I believe that the ‘troblem’ (trouble+problem) with Nigeria is Adult Delinquency (AD) as evidenced by criminal abuse and misuse of office, and our constitution, outright stealing of our commonwealth. Also, legislative pugilism, political indiscipline as evidenced by reckless decamping, militarisation and manipulation of elections, nepotism, love of neighbour more than self, weaponisation of poverty and coro, negative modelling, criminal neglect of duties, mediocrity, side chicks culture, and subversion of national interests. Of course, I am also an Adult!
Meanwhile…
Last week I advised those ‘raking’ about not taking the vaccine not to worry because they would not SEE the vaccine. Now, 100000 units, the only figure that is constant and most certain about vaccines, has ‘failed’, just like that. There were 1001 reasons: we were disqualified, we lacked storage capabilities, it would be a drop in the ocean, other countries needed it more, we would get bigger quantity etc etc. These are however all stories because nobody is sure of anything. Those of you still doubting my prophetic capabilities had better wisen up
