Don’t play politics with COVID-19, Osun monarch tasks politicians, parties

The Aafin Oluwo of Kuta in Osun state, Oba Hammed Makama has tasked politicians and political parties to stop playing politics with the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the traditional ruler, the coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by surprise, adding that Nigerian politicians must ensure that the virus is tackled with all sincerity.

The Osun monarch, who made the call at a press briefing at the weekend, said there is need for political parties to desist from playing politics with the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic and heed to the Presidential Task Force and federal government’s advice which is based on scientific information they received.

According to him, many people still don’t believe the coronavirus, but prayed it should not be too late for politicians to be serious about the pandemic.

He urged the political leaders to take a look at countries like Sweden which is now regretting not locking down their country on time.

“Our country shouldn’t wither like America,” the Oluwo said, adding that some Nigerian doctors serving in the diaspora are dying due to the negative effects of the pandemic.

“In Nigeria, we have clusters population in our cities, our people and religious leaders that are still sceptical of the instructions given by our leaders are doing it at the peril of our people.

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“I didn’t see anywhere in the Qur’an that says imam should lead his people to death, neither the Bible says a pastor should lead his congregation to death.

“Disobeying the social distancing order declared by the federal government can only lead to untimely death,” the monarch said.

He advised political leaders not to mislead the people, adding that the pandemic is a global disease which nobody knows when it will end.

“It is good enough that the government is giving palliatives without taking cognisance that the palliatives are not reaching the targeted downtrodden, but I believe the government will improve,” he stated.

On whether the federal government works with traditional rulers to enforce the stay -at -home order, the traditional ruler said the federal government has not relegated the traditional institution.

He insisted that the pandemic has taking Nigeria and the world by surprise.

“As we are seeing in some media, the FBI advised the American government, we expected our Nigeria Intellingence Agency (NIA) to have advised us because NIA are serving us with external reports from all foreign nations.

“We the Department of State Services (DSS) are serving us with internal security reports,” the monarch submitted, adding that if the relevant agencies had advise the government earlier, the preparations to combat the disease would have been more proactive.

“This pandemic is an issue of concern to the security and social welfare of every citizen in this country, especially the poor who can’t afford one square meal.

“I think the federal government has done reasonably well in that angle, though where they need to improve upon is sharing of the palliatives.

“If you look at the National Assembly, they’ve also made efforts to see that the palliatives get to the right people and is which l advised my subjects to obey the government’s directive so that we will be free from this deadly disease,” he said.