The stand of the Kogi State government to constantly rebuff persistent onslaught from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on the current Corona Virus pandemic seems to be creating a uniting ground for majority of the people of the state and the government.
Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Kogi State was unarguable one of the most socially polarized states in Nigeria. This polarization has always been along a number of issues like politics, ethnicity and religion which is also typical of every Nigerian State.
However, varied opinions from most Kogi people on the issue seem to be in clear harmony with Governor Yahaya Bello’s disposition towards the way the deadly disease is being “marketed”, to quote the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Evangelist Kinsley Fanwo.
On this matter, the COVID-19 case, many people appear convinced that our humanity side has, for once, tied the majority of us together willingly without much discordant tunes from some quarters in the State. It’s even more amazing to see the enormity of solidarity that Kogi State now enjoys from other Nigerians in other State as far as the resoluteness of the Kogi State administration is concerned on the issue.
Moreover, if the cliché, ‘silence is consent’ is anything to go by, then, the decision of even the opposition Political Parties in the State not to be at dagger-drawn posture with the government’s decision to keep NCDC at bay speaks volumes about the unanimity of our human nature which is at play here.
Although enemies of the State would want to paint a picture of division within the same ruling Party at both the State and the Federal Government, they can assuredly be free to toe any line of thought they deem consoling but should have it in mind that it’s never out of place to see that everybody can use different approaches to solve a problem; even if it’s among the same family members.
It’s however interesting that feelers from most quarters of the State, including Kogi State indigenes in the diaspora have put both the State Government and her people on the same page in relation to the COVID -19 pandemic.
One would only pray that we all continue to have more reasons to stay united as State on other issues that have direct bearing on our humanity.
– Solomon Enejoh writes from Abuja.
