COVID-19: ITS MYTHS AND REALITIES

Africa is a continent with the most irrational leaders any continent has ever had (Shirgba, 2020). A Continent whose leaders exploit their citizens at any slightest opportunity. As such therefore, the assertion that CORONAVIRUS also known as covid-19 has become a business venture in Africa cannot be underpinned.

Using Nigeria as a case study to elucidate my points.
Nigeria is a country that has been regarded over the years as the giant of Africa, by implications Nigeria is supposed to be the most outstanding country in Africa with the most sophisticated social amenities; but the opposite is what we have. Our shameless politicians run to even Ghana seeking for quality education for their children and wards; the same country whose citizens we sent packing some times ago. A country with poor or no medical facilities, poor roads, no good water, no steady light just to mention but a few. Worst is the fact that those who are at the corridors of power are ignorance of the vulnerable state or the impending perils these have posed on the masses. A statement credited to one top Government official revealed his ignorance on the deplorable state of our healthcare centres nation wide. But how will he and his cohorts know when common headache is treated abroad?
Of course we are the giant of Africa in terms of bribery and corruption, theft, thuggery, burglary, insurgency, looting, molestation, gibberish religious superstitions, unprovoked massacre and sycophancy to adumbrate but a few.
Even those who claimed they are philanthropists, are rather hypocritical in their approaches. The last chain of distribution which makes some many billionaires rich today is the customers. This category of people use their hard earned money to buy: rice, salt, sugar, noodles, soaps, cement, aluminum sheet, nails and other too many to mention products produced by these men. Assume the poor masses (consumers) are not there, what will be the fate or predestination of these callous billionaires? How will they care when our looted funds are invested into their disguised businesses?
Instead of giving back to their buyers (the masses) during this lockdown of the country amidst covid-19 pandemic, they are busy looking for gibberish praise by donating billions to well- coordinated bunch of looters who have all the machineries to deviate public funds for their egocentric gratification. A rational man will put; when will Nigeria bridge the gap between the have and the have not?

In order not to transcend much from the focal point of discourse, the Nigerian Government has turned covid-19 to a business venture via this elucidation:
The echoes of this pandemic started late December in China 2019. All nations of the world including Nigeria were aware of the causes and its fatality rate on the human race including the financial implications.
Many well-meaning Nigerians were clamouring for total lockdown of the country via airports and international boarders. This hue and cry was received by Government with mockery and attention to it was honoured by the deaf and dumbs. This was perhaps because of their children who were abroad or to welcome this pandemic and explore more ways of looting.

The well doctored plans were blew open when an Italian arrived the country with the virus. This reported case was in Lagos. But instead, Kano, Enugu and Port Harcourt international Airports were closed; allowing Lagos and Abuja, the most busy and vulnerable ones to operate.
After few weeks of the first reported case, the number of confirmed deaths and cases is increasing astronomically on daily basis. If the situation persist and the equipments are stretched out, the downtrodden if found with the virus will be left unattended to as the equipments will be concentrated on the have at the mercy of the have not. If this happens, our situation will be worst than the USA and UK.
I PRAY GOD TO SPARE US.

The arrival of this pandemic in the country saw the Government of Nigeria sourcing for funds from both Public and Private Organizations and well-spirited individuals in the country which turned out to be commendable.
The government however made a dastard mistake by donating billions to States who recorded CORONAVIRUS cases.
In a country like ours, when issues like this emanates, everyone would like to have their own share of the national cake. To this end, some State Governors started testing and giving audio confirmed cases of covid-19 in their respective States just to have their own piece of the cake.
the second phase according to Shirgba (2020), comes from the retailers who now catapulted the prices of commodities to a point where an average Nigerian could not buy. For instance, facemasks which were sold on a normal day for #200 now become #500, hand sanitizer became #2000-5000, a mudu of rice sold at #300 became 500 just to mention but a few.

The most mind blowing came in when the Nigerian Government said it has transferred over 2billion to its poor citizens. Who are the poor Nigerians and where are they? This question remains unanswered till this day. And when the National Assembly requested for records of how the funds were disbursed to States and transferred to the most vulnerable and poor Nigerians; the office of the Accountant General which was supposed to house the files got engulfed by fire. The next administration will have a mountain to climb if she is to check previous financial records for analysis, synthesis, evaluation and decision making.