Pestilences in any part or time in the world does test the integrity of existing governance system and the patriotism of its leaders. Nigeria is yet to experience the revenging plague of COVID 19 (God help us to remain so) but our Leader’s are clearly failing in mobilizing the strong and the weak towards ensuring collective goal of survival.

The Government remain despondent and ignorant on how to monitor and care for her approximately 200m Nigerians at both National and sub-national levels in the wake of the present global pandemic of the corona virus (COVID 19). The explanation given for this gargantuan failure is the non- functional citizens’ database. Really?

This excuse or explanation is a fraud by government and its leadership. At the tip of my hands are many governmental, commercial and traditional databases that can be individually or collectively use to enlighten, enforce hygiene and distribute palliative in a transparent, effective and efficient manner.

1. Within the Governmental databases are the National ID card, Voters constituents and corresponding active voters record, IPPIS and States Salary databases.
2. At the Commercial sectors are databases of phone user records, banks BVN, Utility coy (Power and Water) billing records, Driver license record, Tax Identification records, CAC coy records and many related databases.
3. At the cultural and traditional domains are Chiefdom, Emirates and autonomous Heads areas with their lineup of District Heads, Village Heads, Ward Heads and Community Development Association’s networks as well as religious body’s membership records.

The inability to take advantage of these databases but rather relay on the usual which at times of peace and cohesion do not offer optimal result is fallacy to use same at times of chaos.

For instance, using the traditional audio-visual channels (Radio, TV and social media) to advertise the do’s and don’t’s for COVID 19 is good but mobilizing and training the trainers of representatives drawn from MDA’s, Commercial Coy, religious houses, organize unions and traditional domains would have been better.

These structures are presently still in use for HIV/AIDS enlightenment and cut across various strata. It had proven to be effective hence adapting it would have been more coordinated and controlled for the COVID 19 debacle sensitization.(enforcement of hand washing hygiene, social distancing and the lockdown citizen participation) better.

The distribution of palliatives could equally be divided into two: Monetary and Edibles. The CBN could have taken over the monetary palliative distribution because she has all records of active bank accounts users in commercial banks and she oversees micro finance banks as well. With a programmable code, the CBN can credit directly to all active accounts in a stagnated manner. For example, government can mandate CBN to credit all active personal accounts in use within the last three months for instance with 20k if the average balance is above 100k, while those with less than 50k average balance gets credited with 30k and those with less than 10k averge balance gets credited with 50k. This distribution can be audited anytime and will apply to all and sundry regardless of work status, party affiliations, geographical location or other mundane variables.

For the distribution of edible and others palliatives, citizens within the city centers during lock down can get their palliatives using heavily guarded escort of Utility coy staff who knows the various houses due to constant distribution of bills. where as, citizens in areas without utility services can get their palliatives using traditional wards heads who will get the edible palliatives in bulks to share along with LG Staff record officers or religious bodies. This distribution style will take care of all and sundry regardless of work status, party affiliations, geographical location or other mundane variables as well.

The disinfection of social places can equally be organized by traditional, religious and community leaders because they know where their members frequent for play and relaxation. They can identify areas that are prone to touch and set ground rules for all users and ensure frequent disinfection. In the villages, most farmers have knapsacks and know how to use it; hence they can disinfect regularly areas of interest in their communities rather than the charade of spraying tarred road as done on the plateau which is of no effect.

Times of crisis are always times of new or upgraded innovations! It is not rocket science as long as the people are mobilized and allowed to partake. Sadly, our leaders are continuously driven by ignorance amidst knowledge but most sadly, the governed continued to fraternize with the leaders who use their strife to promote their political brand. How else do one explain the recurrent scenario where leaders paste their pictures on watered sanitizers that cannot kill a germ much more a virus? How does one explain the distribution style of these items that only gets to their caucus party members?

We are unfortunately and truly led by ignorant leaders in a knowledge society. What a shame!

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When Ignorance Drives Knowledge – Hon. Pamson Dagyat