9 Reasons why total lockdown can never be a solution to the spread COVID-19 in Nigeria

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The worst thing that can happen to a
state or a nation is when the leaders are forced by circumstances to take
decisions may be because of the fear of death, of course, you know such
decisions can never be good decisions.

It is very evident that despite the
implementation of the idea of total lock-down in the country and our state, new
cases are still springing up; the question then is: where are these coming from
since people have been locked down? The answer to this critical question should
force our National and State leaders to sit down, rethink and review their
strategy on more effective and realistic measures of preventing the spread of
this universal reigning demon called “COVID-19”.

In my own thoughts, “I believe TOTAL LOCK-DOWN” as a
preventive measure is an optimistic thinking that COVID 19 will soon go, what
if the big guy decides to linger a little longer? How long will TOTAL
LOCK-DOWN be applied as a preventive measure to the
virus spread? If TOTAL LOCK-DOWN did not work then, it won’t work now based on
the following reasons:-

MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY DO
NOT EVEN BELIEVE THAT SUCH PROBLEM EXIST

Many rural folks do not even believe that such virus exist, they seems to see
the LOCK-DOWN policy as Governmental punishment on the masses. It therefore
become difficult to successfully implement such policy with the expectation of
the desired result in a democratic atmosphere without the total cooperation of
the masses.

YOU CAN NOT SUCCESSFULLY LOCK-DOWN
HUNGRY PEOPLE EXCEPT IN A PRISON FACILITY

When people are hungry and the doors of their houses are not locked, they will
go out and look for a way help themselves and their hungry children. When the
voices of their crying children sound in their ears, the hunger tears of their
young ones drops from their eyes, the fear of COVID-19 makes no sense to them
again, survival becomes the real battle of the moment. When such situation
becomes the order of the day, pressure will force the masses to defy the
LOCK-DOWN policies.

THE MACHINERIES THAT GOVERNMENT
RELIES ON TO ENFORCE THE LOCK-DOWN POLICIES ARE CORRUPT

The uniformed men that the Government relies on to enforce the LOCK-DOWN
policies are corrupt. During the first two weeks of TOTAL LOCK-DOWN in our
State, one of our members was in the hospital critically ill (not COVID 19
attack), and my attention was needed urgently for prayers.

I had no alternative
than to call one of us who is a professional health worker to help carry me to
the hospital to see the patient, I was surprised that some men on uniform out
rightly told us that they don’t need to see the permit, that they need money.
So with money to give to the uniform men, anybody can still move around.

MAJORITY OF OUR CITIZENS ARE SMALL
TIME HUSTLERS

Another reason why total Lock-down won’t work here is because majority of
citizens are small time hustlers. Many folks in this Nation survive by daily
hustling; they earn a living and sustain their families by daily hustling.
Based on these means of livelihood, you cannot successfully lock them down,
except in a prison custody.

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE WHAT IT
TAKES TO SUSTAIN THE CITIZENS IN A TOTAL LOCK-DOWN SITUATION IN TERMS OF PALLIATIVES
AND SUPPORT INCENTIVES

Government does not have the resources and honest men that can handle the
palliative and family support operations successfully.

The idea or the concept of our LOCKDOWN is wrong, I mean, very wrong. We
blocked major roads, closed Churches, Schools, and major Businesses. In my own
opinion, that is not a LOCKDOWN; it is a compulsory HOLIDAY. People are still
fellowshipping and interacting everywhere without nose mask and any preventive
measures. How then will blocking of major roads stop the spreading of the
virus?

HIGH LEVEL OF NATIONAL INDISCIPLINE
AND DISORDERLINESS

In this Nation, we are already used to high level indiscipline and
disorderliness. So it becomes difficult to wake up one morning and
try to enforce something that was not part of the prevalence culture and expect
100% compliance.

IN NIGERIA GENERALLY, LAW MAKERS ARE
THE FIRST TO BREAK THE LAW

In a State and a Nation where the people who made the law are the first to
break the law, how do you expect the masses to keep the rules you are
breaking?. In leadership, people don’t do what you say; they do what you do;
that is why they are called “followers”

THE POWER OF RELIGIOSITY

Another reason why LOCK-DOWN policy won’t work in the fight against this
pandemic is because of the influence of religion in the minds of people. Very
few religious people understand that Church and Mosque closure is for the
general good of the people. Majority believes is a religious war against their
faith. So this mindset has already defies the good intention of the
Government’s LOCK-DOWN policy.

We must also be aware that many people believe
religious gatherings is their lifeline, success tonic, spiritual and even
physical defence, based on this sentiments, despite the LOCK-DOWN, many
religious people are still gathering secretly without mask or any preventive
measures, thus the spread tendency is still very high.

BECAUSE BILLS ARE NOT LOCKED DOWN

The last reason why this LOCK-DOWN policy won’t stop the spread of COVID 19 is
because ” the masses are locked down but their bills are not locked down.
People are restricted from going out to hustle, but hospitals are not
restricted from collecting money when children are sick, Power companies are
not restricted from collecting power bills, Banks are not restricted from
deducted 35 Naira inter-bank ATM withdrawals, Landlords are not restricted from
collecting house rents, Schools and Colleges fees are not restricted etc.

So
how do you successfully LOCK-DOWN people who still have bills to pay and have no
money to pay and the money to pay used to come as daily bread from daily
struggles?, it is not realistic, people will defy the policy and still go out ,
hence the spread continues.

MY HUMBLE SUGGESTION

Government should rethink and review the LOCK-DOWN policy.

Allow Citizen to go about their daily businesses within the
state.

International and Interstates borders can be closed.

Moving without nose Mask, Handshaking should be avoided.

Religious gathering should be allowed with proper preventive
measures.

Various task forces should be formed to make sure that the
masses comply with the new safety and preventive regulations.

With these
the Government will win the cooperation of the masses and win the war against
this universal cataclysm. The Government must be sensitive to the poor masses’
sentiment. When this is done, the masses will willingly cooperate with the
Government and victory shall be ours.