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Since February or early last month, the Federal Government, the Ministers of Health and Information and other officials have been urging people in public places to wear face masks and hand gloves and keep a social distance of five to six feet. Given this l was therefore shocked at what l saw on Saturday and Sunday on the television at the burial of Mr. Abba Kyari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief-of-Staff.
Both at the funeral service and burial ceremonies there were more than one hundred people instead of the 20-50 the government had been preaching in the last two or three months. Also, a few of them used face masks and hand gloves together. While others used only one, not the two. Nobody observed social distancing advice. People stood only inches or at best a foot apart and that was at the burial of someone who died of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Only the undertakers dressed appropriately. The presidency therefore did the right thing when those working in the State House were ordered to stay away for 14 days until they are certified not to have the disease. People have become tired of staying at home in the last three weeks, unable to go out to work. But with the scene seen at the burial of Abba Kyari, it may be difficult to get people not to want to go out to work at the end of the current two-week lock-down next week.
Although the Federal Government and some State Governments, religious bodies, organizations and individuals have been giving out food, water, money and other things to those they call most vulnerable people, there is no way all these commendable efforts can be adequate. Several millions will remain unreached. Consequently, those who are hard pressed will continue to attack people to make money or get food to be able to survive. Of course, with less than five hundred thousand police men and women and less than eight hundred thousand in the Army, Navy, Air Force and others, the government does not have enough personnel to deal with the disorder that will arise, if the lock-down goes beyond next week.
What the reality of our situation calls for is that the Federal and State Governments should end lock-downs by the end of this month. Before then they and the Local Governments, religious bodies, big companies should provide face masks and hand gloves for all adults that will go out to work, trade or buy goods and increase facilities to test people for COVID-19.
If free movement is not guaranteed by May l and people are still expected to stay at home l won’t be surprised if riots start breaking out in different parts of the country. And if care is not taken may lead to a revolution. All things considered President Buhari as Head of State should be blamed for the situation we have found ourselves. Because if he had banned planes from coming into the country since January or February we would not have had a single COVID-19 patient. Or if he had provided screening centres at all the cities with international airports and land border entry points. And take those who are positive to where they would be quarantined for 14 days.
Finally, the various governments at the fedeal, state and local levels as well and employers of labour, hospitals, market leaders , should provide water, soap and buckets for people in their establishments and visitors to wash their hands. These should also be provided at motor parks and bus stops. While fulmigation should be carried out once or twice a day in all public places. Governments should also work with religious leaders to carry out spiritual exercises for cleansing. This is also essential. We are in terrible times when things are generally difficult. We just have to endure and hope for God’s help for quick solution
Reactions for & against my Romans Chapter 13 piece
Ten readers sent reactions to my article in focus published two weeks back, on April 8. Nine of them, eight by phone calls, were commendatory. The other positive one and the solitary abusive criticism which both came via text messaging and which l have not edited are the ones l am responding to here.
I start with the complimentary and reasonable one from Mr. Egbo Egbo of Lagos (08054350485): “l write to appreciate your deep knowledge of the Holy Book especially your series on polygamy and God’s position on it.
It was well-researched and backed up with references in the Bible that cannot be controverted by sound minds. Your explanation of Romans 13:1-3 which many men of God/politicians especially in Africa misinterprete to suit their ulterior motives is another kudos to you, that the Ancient of Days is communicating one-to-one with you. Please, roll these into a book for further reference/study for the benefit of future generations.
Before dealing with the substance of his message, l will first draw attention to the errors in his text. I always do so to stop abusive or unreasonble critics from their act or get them to be careful when sending out messages and for others to learn from their mistakes and better understanding of the English language.
Wrote is a verb used when people speak. When it is about writing stated or wrote is the wporo. Also capital B is always used when one is referring to any of the 66 books in the Bible, not small b. Book of Romans is a title and it has to start with capital B. There is an apostrophe sign between u and r in Qu’ran. It is wrong to write it as Quran.
As happens with most people of his ilk the critic, a Christian fanatic, did not have his name come with his text message. I am sure that if it were possible he would have concealed his telephone number. He is fond of sending unreasonable and irrelevant messages to me. Therefore making him one of the people Mr. Egbo classified as unsound minds. Here is his latest rubbish: “Good day sir, l am once again forced to draw your attention to the fact that you cannot claim to know the bible more than the practitioner. You talk (sic) about the book (sic) of Romans (sic because it is an incomplete sentence or statement). You know l just wondered why an Islamic cleric find it difficult to talk (sic) about Islam and Quran (sic) instead prefer to talk (sic) more about christianity (sic) and the bible (sic). If you want to convert to a christian, please do. Until then no serious person will take you seriously.
The following words are also started with capitals: Bible, Christian, Christianity, Christmas and Christendom. This is made clear in good dictionaries. People convert to Christianity (the Christian faith). People do not convert to a Christian (believer in Christ).
The Christian fanatic is a liar in referring to me as a Muslim cleric. Like my parents, my paternal and maternal grandparents l am also a Christian. I was baptized at All Saints’ Anglican Church, Osogbo in 1951 and confirmed in 1961 at Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti Chapel. The Christian fanatic is referring to me as a Muslim cleric because l once wrote a series in this column tht the Heavenly Father told me that Christians, Muslims and adherents to Judaism worship Him. Of course sensible people know that only one God created the earth and all the people in it. And that members of each religion in the world could not have been created by different deities.
The other reason was that l once wrote that God is not against polygamy. As Mr. Egbo stated in his text message l proved this in my series. First, the Lord has no law or Commandment in the Bible prohibiting polygamy and did not condemn it anywhere. Instead He gave rules to a man who has two wives not to discriminate against any of them and their children (Exodus 21:10-11 & Deuteronomy 21:15-17. While Jesus only preached against adultery and divorce (Matthew 5:27-32). He did not condemn polygamy, nor told a man to have only one wife.
Finally, l drew attention in my series to Deuteronomy 27:11-26 God placed curses on anyone who would not obey all His laws and teachings in the Holy Bible. I hope the Christian fanatic has not done or said anything that would make him a victim of the Lord’s curses.
