Stella Dimoko Korkus.com: Weekend Arena - Nigerians Only See Business In The Coronavirus Pandemic...

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Friday, June 19, 2020

Weekend Arena - Nigerians Only See Business In The Coronavirus Pandemic...

Nigeria’s COVID-19 situation reminds one of the old village woman, who loves to dance only when the song is about to end. 










The sudden passing of a number of prominent personalities like Dan Foster, a respected broadcaster, Senator Osinowo, and the rumoured death of Senator Ajimobi (a very unfortunate trend exacerbated by the misuse of social media) amongst others during the week, has rustled some Nigerians to the reality that the virus is real and with us. Those daily figures, from NCDC, which has ultimately come to an unprecedented 745, never sounded convincing to so many Nigerians.


The common belief on the streets is that coronavirus is a scam, a scheme designed by ‘government people to chop money’. Much as this is a confirmation of the low level of confidence the people have in their government and politicians, any discerning mind who follows the news, will know that the whole world cannot be playing a game at the same time; even if Nigeria is wont to this kind of misnomer. But cynics will be quick to say, ‘corona virus was born in China, grew up in Italy, went to school in America and came to Nigeria as a businessman’.


In just one week, a nation that was eagerly looking forward to full reopening of the economy has suddenly realised that danger is far from over, but still lurks around. The planned reopening of churches and mosques in Lagos State has been suspended. The plan to reopen the domestic air space does not look feasible, according the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19. Reopening of schools is also not in sight, even as teachers in the private sector continue to bemoan the situation. It seems the gains, the country earlier made has been eroded, more so with the spiraling figures NCDC has been lately posting, even as the National Orientation Agency (one of the most ineffective agencies in this fight) continues to fold its arms in indifference.



Nigeria obviously lost a lot of grounds to this virus during the first two weeks of the lockdown. What we are seeing as a surge has always been with us and probably came about due to the laxity with which the lockdown has been prosecuted. While interstate movement was banned on paper, people have been travelling to and from all parts of the country. All it costs is money! I am aware that people pay as high as N18,000 for a trip to Owerri from Lagos up from N4,500, bulk of which is collected by the security agents, manning the various interstate boundaries. The rich men are also moving with chartered jets, and it only took the Naira Marley incident at Abuja for us to understand how they are getting permits to make such movements. The implication is the surge in the number of cases we are recording.


That is why many Nigerians believe the entire saga is hot air, lip-service, and ‘business for some people’.


So many things give credence to this unfounded belief though. Take a critical look at the word ‘palliative’ which is associated with the pandemic in Nigeria. While it came from the Federal Government as they contemplated how to cushion the economic effect of the pandemic on the people, the Yahoo Boys, who did not want to be left in the cold, got busy with calls and text messages to vulnerable Nigerians, claiming that they were collating data for the disbursement of palliatives. 

The gullible ones, who saw it as the only opportunity to benefit from Nigeria, parted with their vital bank details and got swindled in the process. I know a woman who lost N600k to scammers while pursuing the imaginary N30k palliative from FG prompted by scammers. Several others would have become ‘maga’ in an attempt to benefit from their government.


Palliatives also became a business for people who executed the contracts of buying and distributing food items on behalf of the government. Of course, if one was not a card-carrying member of the ruling party in the states, he or she cannot come close to such ‘empowerment’ as they call it in Nigeria when politicians want to freely distribute government funds to loyalists.


Perhaps, another interesting group which emerged to reap from this corona episode is the ‘emergency philanthropists’, who see distribution of palliatives as a status symbol. Yes, the Dangotes, Otedolas, Leo Stan Ekehs, Arthur Ezes and a host of other billionaires stood up to be counted in making sure that people weather the corona storm by handing out huge amounts, but some emergency philanthropists soon jumped on the fray with their eyes on showmanship. 

These men were giving one or two packets of noodles and a loaf of bread with so much fanfare. With their camera crew on the ground, waiting to upload photos on the social media, they lured some indigent people to pose for their palliatives, meaning to impress heaven-knows-who.

It got so bad that people were calling their parents in the villages to be mindful of such invitations. You can imagine how one would feel being tagged on Facebook with pictures of his old parents posing with a loaf of bread as palliative!




*Mgbafo you hit the nail on the head..Some are still on with the loud palliatives on instagram sef...
Sme Nigerians have no fear.........May God help us all oh

33 comments:

  1. This man is too loud mouthed. Isn't he is the number one profiting from the sufferings of corona virus. 😏😏😏😏

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Please explain so that I can understand better how he is profiting from this pandemic

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    2. Anon 13:05, are you sure you collected all your medication from the hospital?

      Delete
  2. Nigerians profit from anything.
    The tears of others will mint my money]
    ...I pass my neighbor...
    that's their mentality.
    They now call kidnapping, runs, yahoo yahoo ...all are called "business"
    Business, really?
    Criminals are being venerated and celebrated on the pages of newsprint and social media. It is a malady. 🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️

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  3. Mr Ngozi please keep it up,you really make a whole lot of sense....more wisdom.

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  4. May God trully help us.

    The unfortunate truth is that this govt can not help us healthwise or economically to fight this ravaging pandemic. The ball is in our individual hands to be responsible for our health and economic survival.

    Buhari administration in my candid opinion is the WORST in the history of Nigeria.

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  5. Write on point as usual. Nigeria my country.

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  6. I always look forward to your writeup and as usual you delivered. NOA is one of the most useless government agency. Since this pandemic started I have never ever heard any jingle sponsored by NOA on radio warning the populace about this disease. I try my best to eduactae people when they make such ignorant statements like Covid-19 is a scam however, I won't blame them. Government has always lied to us so it is no wonder the citizens naturally distrusts anything they say or do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haba!NOA do jingle on radio.
      They use some of the social media influencers for their jingles

      Delete
  7. Hmm Ngo your own is a real knock-in-the-head write up..Your analysis is apt..I dunno when we will get it right in this country..

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  8. That was how my mum said they called the women in the community under different Organisations to come to receive palliative, she went under CAN. According to her, they were there from morning till the evening and at the end of the day, nobody gave anybody anything. They did sensitisation on the Virus and closed the program after taking to long to commence.
    I was pained and angry that she went for that kind of thing because she was not in need. She said my dad laughed at her when she got back empty because he didn't want her to go. She even broke down after that because she is hypertensive.
    The organisers will of course take pictures and post and may even claim to have given out palliative too. I have warned her never to answer such call again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think she shouldn’t have gone there, since is obvious she doesn’t need it

      Delete
  9. God bless you real good Mr. Ngọzi 🙌🏽🙌🏽

    Nigerian government and every other governmental organizations don't know how to implement strict laws, laws that can protect the country and the masses.

    The mismanagement of Covid-19 funds, the bigmanism among politicians and wealthy Nigerians, the no transparency system and the gullible and ignorant masses are the main reason Nigeria will not be able to conquer Wuhan Corona virus.

    I hope they have some sense soon and re-strategise immediately.

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  10. I enjoy your column, God bless you really good.

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  11. I love your write-up,Ngozi. More ink to your pen,sir. I really wonder at the low level of intelligence of a lot of Nigerians,even the so-called "educated"ones. Everything is a scam! I don talk tire ontop this matter

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  12. Seriously I have been missing all your write ups. Tanks so much for d write up,nice job. Make I go read d previous ones.

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  13. If only govt and the politicians are truly honest,a lot would have been achieved,stay safe everyone

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  14. Aptly written, you're so on points Mr Ngozi. Nigeria case is just Negodu

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  15. You write so well like Reuben Abati. I can condone anything but fraud especially now people are going through a lot, i have the government doubles the punishment for it.

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  16. Well written sir! I just pray all those in charge of our borders will also be punish for not being strict in implementing the law of no interstate travelling.

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  17. Some people have made a lot of money especially the security agencies. A lady told me last night that she had to cough out 5k to policemen because she couldn't get home before the curfew time which was caused by traffic

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  18. Why will Nigerians not think the said virus is a scam with what we hear and see on a daily basis? All you've written is nothing but the truth, every single being/authority in various sectors of this country wants to "cash out" during this period thereby causing pain and hunger in the land. May God help us all
    Thanks Mr Ngozi🤗

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  19. This covid 19 period has blessed some people shah.

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  20. Stella abeg use another picture of Mr Ngozi to make the column look attractive.
    This picture doesn't fit

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  21. I love this column so much.

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  22. Those who needed the palliative were ignored...

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  23. Audio palliative, soo annoying 😣

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  24. You are correct sir, more ink to your pen. I look forward to your write up on RAPE.

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  25. I can only but imagine the last paragraph.

    It's comical to me.
    Nice article.
    Covid19 is real.
    Well done Sir.

    ReplyDelete

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