OSUN AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Tayo Ogunbiyi argues that the state needs special assistance to confront the viral disease

That Coronavirus, alias Covid-19 pandemic, is currently causing the entire world great heartache, like never before, is an understatement. Since its outbreak in the Wuhan Province of China last December, the mysterious virus has found a foothold on every continent except the Antarctica and killed hundreds of thousands.

Its socio-economic impact on nations of the world is simply astonishing. Many businesses have been shut down, with experts projecting disastrous economic outlook for many nations in the coming months. Thousands of flights had been cancelled while countless money spinning entertainment and sporting events have been postponed indefinitely, and in some cases cancelled out rightly.

Some nations have been on lock down for weeks. Yet, respite seems out of sight. The United States of America and Italy are currently the global epicenters of the virus, with frightening statistics of havoc being wrecked by the plague in the two countries constantly staring a bewildered world in the face.

In Nigeria, we did not originally bother about the highly infectious disease until a certain Italian imported it to Lagos on February 24th via Milan. Since then, the country has recorded about 180 confirmed cases of the pandemic and two fatalities. Currently, and understandably so, Lagos ranks higher in the infection ladder, followed by the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. As at the time of putting this piece together, Osun State, with 20 confirmed cases ranks next to Lagos and the FCT respectively.

Being the commercial nerve center of the country as well as the first port of call of most visitors to the country, the Covid-19 situation of Lagos is quite fathomable. Same goes for the FCT which is the nation’s federal capital as well as the seat of power.

But why Osun? The state has neither local nor international airports. It has no visible national and international business concerns. It is mostly an agrarian enclave with limited economic activities. So, what is the point of attraction between the deadly Coronavirus and the pastoral state?

Many have ascribed the current Covid-19 plight of Osun to its land borders with neighbouring West African countries such as Togo, the Republic of Benin and Cote d’Ivoire. The governor of the state, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, recently laid credence to this line of thought when he claimed that a convoy of vehicles coming into the state from one of the West African countries was intercepted upon a tip-off. According to the governor, the vehicles had on board about 127 passengers and out of the first 30 that were tested for the coronavirus, three were positive. Some other 17 persons tested positive.

Sadly, unlike Lagos and the FCT, Osun does not really have the required human, material and technical resources to successfully combat this deadly pandemic. Like the many others in the country, Osun is currently facing economic challenges whose nature transcends local rationalization. It is, thus, going to be extremely tough for the state to contend with any upsurge in Covid-19 cases.

Presently, Lagos has been adjudged by many to have valiantly battled the virus. Of course, there is nothing accidental about this. Lagos State has sufficiently prepared for the virus. It has been building capacity steadily for any biosecurity threat. Its biosecurity facility, a level three laboratory, one of the very few in Africa with modern design, can handle very dangerous pathogens.

The state government has been working tirelessly to curtail the virus from spreading. It has made effort in tracing over 2300 people that were exposed to infected persons. This is no mean feat.

The fear for Osun is that it does not rank among the most economically viable states in the country. In-fact, it is mostly a civil servant’s state with limited economic prospects. Socio-economic activities revolve chiefly around the civil service whose economic activities set agenda for the state’s informal sector.

Consequently, current Covid-19 outlook of the state might further complicate issues for the people and government. Dealing with dwindling state revenue and unpaid salaries are enough worries the state is struggling to cope with.

This is, therefore, a clarion call to all well- meaning individuals and organisations to urgently come to the aid of the state and by extension its people. The state has a sizeable aged population, which experts say is most vulnerable to the pandemic.

In as much as it is true that corporate organisations might not really have much to leverage on in Osun in terms of economic prospects, at this point considerations for the preservation of the human life must be far ahead of other contemplations.

In particular, the federal government must stand by disadvantaged states such as Osun and others at this time. Relevant international as well as federal agencies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) must pay crucial attention to states like Osun to avoid looming health catastrophe.

Also, this is the time for goodhearted sons and daughters of the state to stand up and be counted. It is quite obvious that the state government alone doesn’t have the capacity to pull this one through. Therefore, every help surely counts. We must set aside every divisive tendency, no matter how cogent, and stand by the government in this hour of need. Ogunbiyi, a Public Affairs Analyst wrote via ogunstayo853@gmail.com