ZIK GBEMRE SPEAKS ON OMICRON COVID-19 VARIANT: EHANIRE MUST REVERSE THE BEGGARLY POSTURE OVER UK & CO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON NIGERIA

The travel restrictions against Nigeria, by UK, Canada, Indonesia and other foreign nations over the new dreaded Covid-19 variant in defiance of WHO directive is so appalling and inciting.

That Nigeria, through the shameful utterances of her health minister is sounding apologetic over this foreign arrogance is even more inciting.

Ehanire must reverse self. Whether he spoke President Buhari’s mind or not, the wisest thing to do as a nation is to retaliate any provocative attitude by any country against Nigeria, over a Covid-19/Nigeria never originated.

I totally align with former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, on his charge to African countries including Nigeria and South Africa to issue reciprocal travel restrictions on the United Kingdom, and other Western nations that have placed Nigeria on red list due to the emergent Omicron COVID-19 variant.

Before the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported three cases of the new most dreaded variant. Last week, Canada had announced that it found two individuals with the variant who had travel history to Nigeria. Just Saturday night, the UK also announced founding 21 cases of the omicron they linked to Nigeria, stressing to, from two days after, restrict all flights emanating from Nigeria.

UK also impulsively suspended all pending visa applications in Nigeria due to the ban on flights from Nigeria due to the Omicron variant. And it is most appalling that the most thinkable response of Nigeria’s health minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, to this sheer arrogance by these nations, including Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong, was to rule out the possibility of a reciprocal reaction. What arrant nonsense.

Ehanire tried to hide his beggarly response to a deliberate provocation by these foreign nations by some sanctimonious regards to a recent WHO directive for countries to focus more on collaboration rather than shutting borders. Again, we say what arrant nonsense. Is Ehanire saying the UK, Canada and co never heard the WHO directive. If they deliberately undermined the WHO, why would Ehanire say, “At the moment we (Nigeria government) have no plans restricting anybody coming from another country”.

Of course, the familiar script Ehanire is playing is in no way for the common good in Nigeria. Nigeria political class and associates in the corporate Nigeria who, in unholy alliance, control power and the economy know that they can’t endure not going to the UK/US. The president can’t afford not rushing to the UK to treat malaria and headache. So Ehanire must be apologetic in responding to the foreign arrogance over Covid-19.

Indeed I couldn’t agree less with Moghalu when he reacted that, “It’s unconscionable to subject Africans to restrictions because of a variant that did not originate from the continent when Western countries with similar or more cases are not subject to similar restrictions.

“This is more than public health. It’s about worldviews in international relations. Our dignity matters. Our leaders should protect it instead of the case with Nigeria today, travelling around the world with a begging bowl for foreign assistance.”

Ehanire must retract his beggarly posture and declare reciprocal action. It is unacceptable for any foreign nation, no matter how powerful, to talk down on Africa like we invented Covid-19. It is an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. That must be Nigeria’s disposition.

Covid-19 originated from China and western countries of the world. It didn’t start in Africa. Why are they even tagging it with African countries? The Covid-19 and whatever variants were imported from Europe, North America, Asia. It is not an Africa pandemic. It is their own. Why tagging Africa Covid-19 and whatever variant?

Their people fly in and out of Nigeria and they don’t want to accord Nigeria such privilege? It will not work. For how long will Africa continue to be subjected to this ridicule? If they feel they don’t need us, why should we be begging them for mercy when all we need to do is reciprocate their arrogance?

From this omicron variant narrative, the whole thing about Covid-19 is looking more confusing and gravitating towards targeting it to tarnish African countries and people. With everyone fabricated variant, there seems a deliberate design to raise more fears and global panic.

Though real, the West must stop the unholy alliance at making it look like an African pandemic. The West and Asia, East must admit that Covid-19 and all the variants are their pandemic. Tagging it an African thing is malicious. It is evil to mislead the world without thinking of the worsening consequences of this conspiracy called Covid-19.

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