COVID-19: Kogites’ Lives Matter

The Kogi State governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello is one of the persons who believe in the non-existence of the novel coronavirus. He had been seen several times on air falsifying the existence of the virus. The last time he spoke on COVID-19, he alleged that the pandemic is an artificial creation and that it is being used to cause panic and fear among persons. He would later vow not to join other governors in playing the COVID-19 game.

Despite Nigeria’s colossal losses to the virus, one would be wondering why a man like Yahaya Bello is wrestling with the truth — finding it difficult to admit that COVID-19 is real and had killed many and is still killing. You would recall that the late Chief-of-Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari, was reportedly killed by COVID-19. Senator Bayo Osinowo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Adisa Logun, and many others were killed by the virus.

When the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), announced that it had discovered COVID-19 cases in Kogi State a few weeks ago, Mr. Bello said it was untrue and that the agency was just eager to declare his state a COVID-19 state which it was not. That wasn’t the first time he antagonised the agency. He had once asked its visiting officials to go on 14-day quarantine before they would embark on anything in the state. What was he trying to insinuate? They shouldn’t come and infect his state with the virus he believes is artificial?

On July 16, however, TheCable unfurled the investigation it carried out on Kogi State’s COVID-19 cases and deaths. The medium visited three local government areas after receiving complaints that the death rates in those areas are becoming unbecoming. The three visited local government were Okene, Adavi and Ankpa. The residents were also reported to have expressed how they have been living in panic and fear. This is a state that has not been carrying out tests on COVID-19 because its governor is yet to admit that the virus is real.

The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Nasir Ajanah, died last month at the Abuja COVID-19 isolation centre. And Governor Bello came out as usual to falsify the claim that coronavirus caused his death. Did he run a test on the late judge? No! He’s using his views of the virus to affect the lives of his subjects. There are even some Kogites who are living by his words: “There is no COVID-19 in Kogi.” They wander around without using nose masks and respecting other COVID-19 guidelines. It’s high time the federal government came to the rescue of Kogites. They’re not aliens. They’re Nigerians. Their lives matter too.

––Aremu Lukman Umor, Lagos.