Ogu Bundu Nwadike, M.A
The pandemic called Coronavirus disease, which erupted in 2019 and earned the acronym “Covid-19” is still raving and raging, claiming many lives daily across the world.
For the past one year or thereabouts, the relevant authorities led by the World Health Organization (WHO), with various National Centres for Disease Control (NCDC), Ministries of Health and related agencies, have been articulating and enlightening the people on certain preventative measures against the Covid-19.
Among the basic preventive measures are social distancing, wearing of nose and mouth masks, avoiding handshakes, washing hands regularly with soap and water, coughing into the inside of the elbows, etcetera.
In Nigeria, a law was recently passed and accented to by the Nigerian President, recommending six months jail for anybody caught violating the laws of Covid-19.
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 laws are brazenly violated in the country, not only by the ordinary masses, but also by those that made the laws and those that signed them into law.
In Imo State, since Sunday, March 14, 2021, when Senator Hope Uzodimma kick-started his celebration of 14 unbroken straight months of failure, it has been a case of extensive violations of Covid-19 laws.
From the crowd of mostly Uzodimma loyalists and apologists in his Camphope, with visitors from Abuja, the laws of Covid-19 were unpatriotically violated, exposing a lot of people to infections by the Coronavirus disease.
Not only were people jampacked like sardines, thereby violating the Covid-19 law of social distancing, there was also a grand violation of Covid-19 law of wearing of nose and mouth masks.
People coughed freely into the air, without mind the Covid-19 law of coughing into the inside of the elbows. People shook hands, embracing one another with careless abandon.
If the penalty of six months were to be invoked, then the venues of Uzodimma’s gatherings in Owerri should be converted into extensions of the Nigerian Correctional Service facilities, to hold Uzodimma, the visitors from Abuja, and of course helpless and hapless sycophants that joined Uzodimma in violating the Covid-19 laws.
Not too long ago and still counting, there’s been a steady rise in the number of cases of fresh infections of Covid-19, as reported in the daily charts by the NCDC.
And it was in the areas of Owerri Federal Constituency viz Municipal, Owerri West and Owerri North LGAs that the sad high rise in Covid-19 infections were mostly being recorded.
Experts have since zeroed the situation to high population density of those areas in Imo State, because they also serve as the capital city of the State, housing the seat of power and most public offices and institutions.
Incidentally, Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, venue of the thanksgiving church service where Uzodimma lied profusely in front of a supposed Altar of God, is located in the heart of the Heartland city in Owerri Municipal. Ditto other venues.
Except Uzodimma characteristically compromises the NCDC officials with his usual bribes, after Uzodimma’s celebration of 14 unbroken straight months of failure in office, there would inevitably be a higher rise in the number of Covid-19 infections in Imo State.
And that will be the terrible result of Uzodimma’s non-observance, non-adherence and non-compliance with the Covid-19 laws, which he should spearhead its observance, adherence and compliance by the citizens of the State.
Lawmakers and law enforcers shouldn’t be lawbreakers. All the lawmakers and law enforcers that turned lawbreakers at that event should be ashamed of themselves and tender unreserved apologies to Imo people for violating Covid-19 laws and exposing lives to avoidable danger.
In the event of huge rise in the rate of Covid-19 infections in Imo State, it’s very clear that Uzodimma should be held accountable for deliberately violating the laws of Covid-19 and thereby aiding the spread of the dreaded disease in the State.
That’s our package in this edition of our short essay series where we articulate pro bono constructive criticisms weaved with truth, facts and figures to guide the failed Uzodimma regime. Till soon again, please stay safe by obeying Covid-19 laws. Thank you.
9News Nigeria (Owerri)
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