Inordinate and undue laudation or unconscionable honourable mentioned is not in keeping with my nature perhaps my character. But when a leader begins to serve the people and consider himself as servant and people his paymasters, a well balanced mind must play up the nice part of that leader even though he has paid pipers who already sing his praises. I have on several occasion pour scorn on our leaders’s inability to foresee how things would turn out and their lack of degree of foresight to do the needful in an uncertain circumstances like the one we find ourselves in today. This had already set me at daggers drown with those who think they own me as well as my feelings. Notwithstanding, in this instance, I must follow what psychogists sugest: “Judge everything in proportion to its true value and then put it in its proper place.”
Leadership as we all know is the potent of strategy and character or ability to inspire willing action, and what worth heroic examination is the capacity of a man to function under great shock to work the wheels of his mind with logic when emotions are numb to sought out reasonable priorities of action under storm, shock and fatigue. I have been passionately and enthusiastically keeping a wheather eye on how governor Malam Nasiru Elrufai has been blowing up in this trying time: Series of meetings were held, views were exchanged, creative ideas were generated, analysis and examination of the situation was carefully done, strategies were developed, and stepwise — bit by bit, appropriate and reasonable measures suitable for the situation were so far been put in place to curtail the spread of this pandemic within the state.
The never say die attitude that has been demonstrating by his excellency has created an awe-inspiring spectacle among refined and judicious minds. Despite the fact that he shows no sign of giving up the ship, and he has been on the beam, some residents within the state held a different opinion on the measures he has taken so far to tackle this menace. They groaned and find fault with the decision to shut down markets, stoppage of congregational prayers in mosques and churches, and other public gatherings like wedding. They subsequently condemned the imposition of curfew in totality within the state. Even though people are entitle to their opinion but they are not entitle to fact and figures on the ground. The insensible comments that have been trending on social media platform about the measures taken by the government, proved beyond reasonable doubt that many people are not well-informed about the dangerous effect of this common enemy called COVID 19.
Up to date beings have seen how some leaders across the globe treated the issue of coronavirus with kid-glove; correspondingly, we are watching how they are paying a high price and how the coronavirus is behaving towards them, taking bad care of them, and consequently dealing with them squarely at present. For instance, Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom appeared in a video footage early this month cheerfully and indifferently saying that:
“I can tell you that I’m shaking hands. I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were actually a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody you will be pleased to know and I continue to shake hands.” Three weeks later, Boris Johnson runs back and ate his humble pie when the gravity of the situation set in. Listen to him once more: “The coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced for decades. You must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is to stop the disease spreading between household.”
However, Donald Trump, president of the United States had earlier belittled coronavirus where he was reported to have carelessly said that: “It’s going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.” He talks recklessly, and his thoughtless behaviour brought him down on this occasion as United States of America is currently leading the world in the number of infected persons. If coronavirus can create a strange sense of panic and confusion in countries with world-class hospitals, then what do you think will happen should it infiltrated and spreads in a country like Nigeria whose hospitals are death-trapped for the poor? In this testing situation, where panic and confusion ran high, where the virus is spreading like a wildfire, a well-rounded — up-to-the-minute leader is required, and tough measures are necessary to stop the spread of this disease in every nook and cranny of the state. I suppose more tough measures should be taking if occasion calls for that.
But tough measures like total lock-down must definitely have a negative financial impact on families. In fact, it had already subjected and deepens working-class families’s financial hardship; we must accept the fact that even before coronavirus comes into being many families were psychologically sick, emotionally unstable, living hand to mouth without having access with three square meal a day. Therefore, restricting movement or keeping a social distance, self-isolation and total compliance can’t be sustained or uphold without a financial support from the government and wealthy individuals among us. Government must do everything possible within its capacity to put a decent meal on the poor’s table to cushion the so much pain cause by this stay at home order.
At this juncture, I will like to draw our attention on certain issues: Disobedience to government directives is not a badge of honor; covid 19 shows no mercy on humanity as Italy recorded 919 deaths on Friday 27th March, 2020 while Spain recorded 836 death on Thursday 26th March, 2020. Thus, total compliance is a distinguished service medal because it’s in so doing that we can be able save more lives. We should not graciously laced our discussion with profane and vulgar language, and we must eschew unnecessary loitering and polemic. Coronavirus shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to play immature politics or to create division among the populace but it should be view as an opportunity to foster unity, support the government to enlighten those who are not clued-up about the the dangers of this disease.
Finally, on Saturday 28th March, 2020 an evil-tidings rang into my ears which sent shivers down my spine at about 7:45pm: “Governor Malam Nasiru Elrufai testes positive for coronavirus.” On behalf of myself and my entire family, we wish to extend our endless prayers to his excellency. We sincerely wish him a prompt restoration—get well soon my dear governor.
Amiru Halilu writes from Kaduna and can be reached through haliluamiru@gmail.com Follow me @AmiruHalilu
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sky Daily
