No doubt, efforts by the crisis-troubled Borno State Government to confront the ongoing security challenges and lately the coronavirus are comendable and appreciated.
However, it has become imperative for the government to go beyond proclamations, provision of wherewithal, which certainly are well intended to strict enforcement of the rules and regulations and sanctioning of the violators with regard to COVID-19 pandemic.
Of what use are the relentless commitments of the Zulum administration to salvaging at all cost Borno from the impending debris of catastrophe, if the expected beneficiaries, either out of ignorance stubbornness, arrogance or myopic disposition, choose to be defiant of the rules and regulations of the game?
Take for instance, during the last nationwide 2020 JAMB UMTE, where I was privileged to be one of the monitoring officials in Maiduguri, in one of the centres, I introduced myself to the supervisor in charge of the centre, who happened to be a professor. He happily welcomed me and tried to give a handshake. I politely turned this down and jokingly reminded him of coronavirus and the forbidden handshake, but before the shout of Jack Robinson, he grabbed my right hand in a shake and replied, “Coronavirus? Not in this heat of Maiduguri.” Yet, there are so many of them like this deviant professor around who need education or enlightenment to fall in line.
Besides, are the others who are so fatalistic to make bold that whatever happens is in accordance with one’s destiny, forgetting that God, our heavenly father wishes none of his creation evil. It is a fact that the “High powered multi stakeholders response team” chaired by the Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur, is living up to expectations, but there is still more to be done, especially in practical implementation of the directives on hygiene, social distance and unnecessary religious, social or burial gatherings.
Despite the total lockdown of Borno, feelers indicate that even in Maiduguri, the state capital, all the major streets are empty of human and vehicular traffic, but the contrary is the case in the city hinterlands, where in some areas motorcyclists still do brisk business, provided such are outside the major roads. Same with regards to some of the rural areas.
There are reports alleging mysterious movement of some people into and out of the state capital, inspite of the lockdown. There is need for serious monitoring of activities both in the state capital and beyond, especially in the rural areas where many are bereft of the implications of the happenings around.
They must be reached at all cost and be enlightened on dos and don’ts of COVID-19 if the urban centres will be at peace. Above all, serious consideration should be given to palliatives to the poor, especially in the rural areas, to enhance the message of social distancing, hygiene and compulsory lockdown and make them meaningful to them. To ignore this is at the peril of the urban centres, who will have unwanted guests in their abode. The success at rural level entails among others total involvement of the traditional institutions at the local level.
Proactive actions, strategies, planning, implementation of all efforts at curbing COVID-19 at both the urban and rural centres are prerequisites to freedom from this monster called coronavirus. As the alarm sounds in the centre, the same should go for the rural populace. They all must be told COVID-19 is damaging and deadly.
There must be collaborative efforts of all stakeholders at every level to bring this menace to an end soonest while offenders to the rules of the game should be sanctioned.
Victor Izekor, a journalist and analyst, writes at victorizekor@gmail.com
