The National Chairman of Christian Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria, Igwe Nkeli Nzekwe-Kelly, has advised Nigerians to adhere strictly to the stay-at-home directives by government.
Nzekwe-Kelly, the traditional ruler of Igbariam community in Ananmbra East Local Government Area of Anambra, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Awka.
He said that Nigerians should obey the directives by the Federal and some Ste Governments to stem the spread of the Coronavirus disease as the measures were in their best interest.
Nzekwe-Kelly cautioned some religious leaders violating the directive on mass gathering, saying “it is wrong for some religious leaders to pretend to be more Catholic than the pope.”
He appealed specifically to the residents of Federal Capital Territory, Ogun, Lagos as well as other states where restriction of movement was in force to obey the lockdown order.
The monarch stressed the need for community leaders to partner government in enforcing compliance with government directives to check the spread of the virus.
“My thinking is that government should use the money at her disposal to acquire best medical equipment to upgrade our health facilities.
“This will enable the nation to tackle the growing number of COVID-19 cases across the country,” he said.
According to the royal father, the reality on ground suggests that medical facilities in the nation are in poor state.
He urged well-to-do individuals in various communities to help cushion the effects of the lockdown on the vulnerable in their communities.
He said, “This is the best time for us to practice the biblical teaching of being our brothers’ keepers.
“Nigerians, especially the privileged ones should reach out to the vulnerable persons in their communities, while government concentrates in sourcing modern medical equipment to reposition our hospitals.”
Nzekwe-Kelly said his community recently received 200 bags of rice and other items from the Anambra Government which were distributed among the vulnerable as palliatives for the effect of the lockdown on them. (NAN)