by Dunsi Ajayi
When the Ebola virus disease (EVD) flew into this country of ours on the wing of an Asky Airline plane, in the body fluids of Late Patrick Sawyer from Liberia, little did we know about its realities. For the virus to have made its way into the Lagos state we know of was by no means a joke. I remember literarily shaking involuntarily whenever I ponder on how things could go bad if we let it. A city, populated with about 18 million humans, with an international airport (one of the busiest in Africa) and with the highest intercity commuting, Lagos is a perfect hub for the multiplication and commercial scale exportation of the virus nationwide and worldwide. Amidst all these, I was one of those who was cock sure we would contain the menace though at the loss of some lives. Let me pause to say that I am eternally grateful to the late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh the Lagos State govt. and others, who with their lives in their hands fought EVD to a standstill.
In our country as it is, throwing blames, casting aspersions and telling how wrongly the other person has done their work are things we effectively do. After days of intensive mudslinging, the heroines and heroes arose to the call of duty as fate presented it their way. In a healthcare system where some private health outfits are swift to say “we cannot handle this case, please, go somewhere else”, the First Consultant Hospital were professional enough to put to bear international best practices in handling an unprecedented case in the country. I only hope that this would be a mind opener to other facilities who are in the act of indiscriminately rejecting patients without proper medical examination.
The activity of the social media promptly fathered hashtag Ebola (#Ebola) which was most popular trend at that period. Information spread like harmattan fire on Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and the likes though they were spiced accordingly with the mongering of various falsehood, misrepresentation, outright folly and opportunistic commercial adverts. It is comforting to note that Nigerians heeded directives from government and health agencies not to panic but do the needful in order to mitigate the propensity of contracting or spreading the virus.
Now that the WHO has stated that Nigeria is Ebola free, though some sections of the citizenry believe it is a premature conclusion despite corroboration by the Minister of Health, Nigeria has received accolades and commendation from home and abroad. This is by all means well deserved, though we all know who and who to thank as God used vessels. I need not say that some who did not encounter or act firsthand are trying to take credit for the containment of the deadly disease. Now, the rest of the world is seeing Nigeria through a different frame as a country that CAN. We may not boast of rocket science, but we sure can ensure that our population is not depleted by some ravaging virus.
What do we get in return, now that the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention is/will come here? I digress to say it is now Center for Disease control as the Eagle eyes were looking elsewhere and did not prevent EVD from entering into Dallas. Their reason? To study our extensive response to a single case of Ebola, as we showed rapid and focused intervention. Don’t get me wrong. I am not positing that they have to ‘pay’ the study, but I think it is diplomatically the perfect time to revisit some issues where we stand offside in our relationship with the US and other countries of the world. The first issue on my mind is the scaling down of support for HIV/AIDS and anti-malaria programmes in response to the passage of the anti gay bill by the
Nigerian parliament. Yes, you may say that the country has enough resources to finance these programmes, but the US intervention has gone a long way in making drugs and materials available for Nigerians (esp. PLWHA) by pumping millions of dollars into respective programmes within the health sector. Due diplomatic move should be made in this direction.
On the other hand, I would suffice to say that the input of the US towards the war against terrorism in Nigeria does not justify the acclaimed rosy US-Nigeria relationship and intolerance for terrorism. In the wake of listing Boko Haram as a WTO in November 2013, I naturally felt the American government would through its military be at the forefront of militating against Boko Haram as they have done with its affiliates in other regions of the world especially in the Middle East. The US, I believe should have bore the torch for the coalition forces actively combating terrorism elsewhere, if they have taken the Boko Haram seriously.
The BH has been said to be the 7th richest terrorist group with about $70 million being pumped into it for their nefarious activities, yet armed robbery and kidnapping ransoms have being said to be their sources of income. Military intelligence should trace and track movement of money from source to the Boko Haram.
I wonder why Shehu Sani still roams free when he purportedly agrees he knows those who are behind Boko Haram. In the days of Osama Laden, it is impossible for one to lay such a claim regarding the then world’s most wanted man and one will be ignored. Let the Nigerian wake up. Our disposition in the comity of nations is now better off than it used to be months ago. We should make maximum use of this window.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
