Since late February when a certain Italian suspected to be infected with the dreaded Coronavirus arrived in Nigeria through the international airport in Lagos, concern for public health has been national with the states and Federal Governments doing their best to contain the pandemic. The media has, indeed, been awash with news of how, the authorities are responding to what has become a global plague. Both the state governments and the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have commendably in their respective prompt and ongoing efforts to track all persons who may have had contact with the foreigner and risked thereby, infection. Beyond this, these two levels of government have been observably up and doing- putting in place treatment facilities, relentless multimedia campaigns and ensuring the lockdown of specified territories to protect public health.

Lagos State is, understandably, in the lead in the anti-COVID-19 efforts. The state government is distributing food packages to the elderly and the needy. It is relaxing the rule on lockdown to allow neighborhood food markets in designated areas. The economic capital of West Africa (Lagos) allows pharmacies and some convenience stores to open to the public on condition that the guidelines on public safety are observed.

But there has been a curiosity of some sort, while the other two tiers of government have been battling the scourge, the third tier of government is virtually nowhere to be seen. There hasn’t been any thing of significance at this level of administration. Except for a few reports of activities – fumigation of the environment by personnel of the Mushin local authorities, the Langtang North Local Government in Plateau State, and the Agege Local Government authorities in Lagos shutting down and fumigating a mosque where worshippers earlier congregated in defiance of state order, the local government cannot at all be said to be evidently active as they should be. In specific relation to the clear and present threat to public health, the constitution states the functions of a local government to include in the Fourth Schedule 2 (c) “the provision and maintenance of health services.”

There are 774 constitutionally recognised local government authorities administered, in principle by democratically elected local government councils. This is the tier of government closest to the poor citizens who, by the way constitute a majority of Nigerians. The local government authorities are for good reasons, expected to be acutely aware of, and concerned about the needs of the people and the prevailing conditions – security, health, education, and economy- within their respective jurisdictions.

Doubtless, as COVID-19 poses an existential threat to local and global health, every hand must be seen to be on deck to fight it and save mankind.

We challenge every local government council to demonstrate its commitment by doing whatever needs to be done. First, they should be seen to enforce the state and federal stay-at-home directives, the fumigation of the environment, and the non-congregation of more than 20 persons. In this connection, it was an outrageous defiance of public safety regulation when some persons congregated somewhere in the north denying the existence of Coronavirus.

Pray, where were the local council officials, the police, and other law enforcement agents? Second, councils should aggressively enlighten their publics on the recommended steps against infection through local media such as town criers, and place for public use at designated locations simple facilities such as basins, soap and water. Third, toward raising money to pay for persistent public enlightenment, food packs to the poor and the elderly, for the provision of face masks, clean water and soap, support the health centres and their personnel, and other necessities, councils should request assistance in cash and in kind from local businesses, the rich in their communities, the elected officials in the state and federal legislatures, even from the religious groups.

Fourth, in Lagos State, because the local councilors, through their wards, know more accurately those who genuinely deserve the food assistance being distributed by the state authorities, councils must get involved in the exercise. The direction and longevity of the present situation is unpredictable. Local councils, therefore, should buy up from local farmers, the perishable food items and think of ways to conserve these items for future sale or distribution.

COVID-19 is a crisis that tests the quality of a leadership. This is the time Nigerians must stand together, and everyone, starting with the leaders at every tier of government, must come up with out-of-the-box solutions to the unusual predicament that we have found ourselves in. In addition, it is expected that chairmen and councilors would be out on the streets empathizing with, campaigning and demonstrating to their people what needs to be done to keep safe. Nigerians need their leaders now and local government officials must not be found wanting.

The United States still smarting from the welter of the coronavirus pandemic announced its withdrawal of funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a move that was hardly surprising but viewed as a bit precipitous in the midst of a global health emergency. Before the U.S. action, its president, Donald Trump had tweeted that “The WHO really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China-centric. We will be giving that a good look…” Trump’s action was hinged on the allegation that the WHO mishandled the response to the pandemic by not challenging the Chinese government enough to tease out the dynamics of the deadly virus, which would have allowed for a quick curtailment of the outbreak before its global spread.

In ways less critical of the U.S. action, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison also expressed concerns about the WHO’s handling of the pandemic. He, however, called for greater transparency from the health body on the causes of the outbreak. The point being made really is that the WHO allegedly dithered in disclosing its contagious nature and its mode of transmission. On the contrary, the timeline of the WHO’s efforts revealed a stage-by-stage understanding of the dynamics of the virus and even recently its aerosolised nature was revealed in underscoring the deadly nature of the virus.

The crux of the matter may not be farther from the controversial origin of the virus. Was it borne out of human contrivance? Time will tell.

Nonetheless, the WHO has absolved itself of any wrongdoing. The organisation’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who regretted the action of the U.S. president called for unity and warned against allowing the virus exploiting the “crack between us.” He noted that the world health body was addressing many health crises such as polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes and mental health among others. The director-general further hinted on self-evaluation on how it has handled the COVID 19 crisis while expressing optimism that the agency would work with its partners to fill the financial vacuum that the U.S. has created without distraction from its everyday activities.

It is interesting to note that opposition to U.S. withdrawal of funding for the WHO lurks inside the U.S. For example, the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi observed that President Trump’s action was another case of “ineffective response, that ‘‘a weak person, a poor leader, takes no responsibility. A weak person blames others. This decision is dangerous, illegal and will be swiftly challenged.’’ American Medical Association president Patrice Harris saw it as “dangerous step in the wrong direction that will not make defeating COVID-19 easier.” Also, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President, Myron Brilliant, remarked that, “U.S. leadership and involvement are essential to ensuring its transparency and accountability going forward. However, cutting the WHO’s funding during the COVID-19 pandemic is not in U.S. interests.” The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres who also lent his voice to the denunciation of Trump’s action noted that, “Now is a time for unity in the global battle to push the COVID-19 pandemic into reverse, not a time to cut the resources of the World Health Organization (WHO), which is spearheading and coordinating the global body’s efforts.” Countries like China and Russia have expressed their solidarity with the health agency and in fact China has announced a donation of 20 million dollars to support the effort of the global health agency. The African Union expressed its support for the WHO and Dr. Ghebreyesus’ leadership.

Even basketball stars from Italy, Japan and Spain, playing in the NBA, have lent their support to the WHO’s hard work. Danilo Gallinari, playing with Oklahoma City Thunder; Rui Hachimura, of the Washington Wizards; and Ricky Rubio, of the Phoenix Suns, have applauded health workers and exhorted the public to abide by control measures.

We acknowledge the position of the U.S. as the leading contributor to the WHO, which is leading the battle against the COVID-19 global pandemic. But Trump’s action was petulant, disruptive and precipitous. Coming against a background of global solidarity with the efforts of the WHO, that threat is ill-timed and ill-advised. And it raises a number of questions. Why the action to withdraw funding to the WHO in the middle of a global health crisis? Is it because the agency is being headed by an African? Or is it the failure to dictate the tune being the main payer of the piper? Could it be that the president is searching for straw man having failed to heed the WHO’s warning and act proactively reining in the spread of the Coronavirus in his country as alleged by Sen. Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee and House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff? Does its decision not further alienate the U.S. from its global leadership role?

While we leave the U.S. to ponder over the above questions, we condemn its action and note that a pandemic of the magnitude currently facing the global community calls for a concerted effort. It is not about bickering or great power politics. The lesson of the current global crisis that many have hopelessly referred to as “equal opportunity health crisis” is that in the face of the overwhelming power of nature, there is no such thing as superpower but common humanity; otherwise, the powers that be should have nipped the spread of the virus in the bud.

The WHO is a specialised agency of the United Nations and its role in superintending public health is immeasurable. Indeed, when a significant public health event occurs, it is its responsibility to issue a comprehensive global alert and respond swiftly in a coordinated manner. Whatever its limitation, it needs to be strengthened at this critical time in mankind’s history. Need we remind the U.S. that the organisation’s secretariat for the Americas is in the U.S. and with U.S. employees! Therefore, we call on the U.S. to reconsider its action and instead propose some measures to reform the organisation in the light of the present fight against the lethal coronavirus. It is to be preferred to the current withdrawal of funding.

The return of traffic in some parts of Lagos and major highways despite the lockdown order on the city as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is worrisome and unfortunate in the extreme. It shows clearly that we are not serious and law-abiding even on life-threatening matters. Specifically, on Wednesday this week, traffic surfaced on the Third Mainland Bridge. That was the day Nigeria recorded 362 cases and 11 deaths across the country.

But that really is a simplistic way of explaining away a serious issue that borders on governance. Should Nigerians be described as recalcitrant and undisciplined? The extent to which Nigerians trust and believe their leaders is a point at this issue. Yet this is not a political matter. It is a public health issue. The deadly COVID-19 pandemic is like heaven falling, which no one can escape. It doesn’t respect any class or status. It is making even the most powerful nations on earth to be trembling. What is more, these wealthy nations that boast of their hi-tech powers are now beginning to observe COVID-19 basic rules to prevent transmission of the deadly virus that has claimed about 130, 000 lives and affected more than two million people worldwide.

It is surprising that barely seven days into the first 14-day stay-at-home order by the Federal Government and enforced by the Lagos State Government, traffic snarls resurfaced in some parts of the state as sizeable number of residents seem to have begun to flout the directive.

Reports from different parts of the commercial capital of West Africa have shown that most residents are always on the roads walking, driving or having group fitness exercises, thereby making mockery of the social distancing policy and restriction order. This is curious and unhealthy.

In the Lagos Island axis, for instance, there have been pockets of traffic on the Lekki-Epe expressway. The traffic in Lekki reportedly stretched and lasted for a long time as some motorists who tried to cut corners drove against traffic when this trend emerged the other day.

The traffic in Lagos has been irritating especially to persons who are on essential services and are being unduly held up on the roads for hours.

In an attempt to enforce the law, police operatives who have also been reported to be collecting bribes for illegal passage, are now on routine monitoring to arrest some disobedient motorists. Early monitoring reportedly took the police to Maryland, Ojota, Ogudu, Agboyi-Ketu, Alapere, Mile 12, where they made arrests and impounded vehicles. Over 500 vehicles were impounded before the expiration of the first order.

There are some critical matters arising from the blatant flouting of the restriction order. Why do citizens disobey order in a city that is as populated as the New York City in the United States where most deaths have been recorded since the scourge began? Some legal practitioners have even argued on whether government has the power or authority to impose the order thereby restricting freedom of movement, which is against the constitution. But this is not a constitutional issue. It is a doctrine of necessity to save lives.

To start with, it is not just enough to order people to stay at home without a complementary plan to meet their needs. The order came without notice and so people were unprepared. Once people’s basic needs are not met while staying at home, it would be difficult to obey the order.

Some ad-hoc attempts are being made to give people support by way of providing food rations but the palliatives are being organised in a chaotic and unfair manner. Besides, the gesture has been a drop in the ocean. Since there is no database to guide the process, it is corruptible. The relief package has not been properly organised. And no state is expressing satisfaction about relief package, let alone Lagos that has been so overstretched.

Besides, sharing loaves of bread with some items to families makes a mockery of social cushioning in crisis time. Most families are not getting anything at all. This is happening even as the prices of basic food items have skyrocketed. Many poor families have no money to buy food. There are issues that cannot be ignored. These issues are what leaders face all over the world: how to take care of the vulnerable ones at this time.

Ordinarily, the law should rule. Order must be obeyed. One must obey before complaining. But that is in normal times. Unfortunately, we are in unusual critical times when people cannot move out of their homes to look for food.

There are millions of Nigerians who depend on daily income for survival. How do they stay and obey the stay-at-home order? A hungry man is an angry man, so goes the saying. The dire straits that many people face can even spark off riots if the hunger is not ameliorated, in this regard. There is no doubt that most people are becoming desperate and may decide to dare the authorities. There are reports of robberies in parts of Lagos and Ogun states already. This is not the best of times. This must be acknowledged.

As things stand, government must show willingness to make people obey by way of providing massive support or palliatives to the people, especially the poorest of the poor.

When a person can’t go out to earn money that sustains him and his family, and there is no support coming, there is a problem. Is it to stay at home and die? Already, there are reports of desperation for food already. The situation may get worse.

Desperate times require desperate measures. While it is a fact that government can’t satisfy everyone, government should not give the impression that it is weak and unable to manage the ugly situation including the one that has triggered traffic amid lockdown in Lagos.

All told, this is a time for a deep reflection on the state of the nation. It is not a time for blame game. It is a time to focus on action that can assist us to stay alive. This time calls for discipline from every citizen as government does everything within its power to bring the situation to normal. Meanwhile, there should be continued civic education on the need to stay safe, especially by our local leaders as we noted yesterday. Besides, leaders of faith-based organisations, and sundry groups of people should reach out to their people at this time too, especially about the need to stay safe even as we scramble for food.

These are unusual times. Social distancing is the norm and is commonsensical to avoid contracting the Coronavirus and avoid its domino effect on the population. The disease is a pandemic hitting hard even the most developed countries struggling to cope with it in spite of their industrial status and capacity. The deadly virus claimed at the weekend Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s president. Therefore, governments at all levels are creating awareness of basic hygienic practices and physical distancing. Both government and private companies have contracted celebrities to reach out to the people with basic information about this scourge. As it turned out, Funke Akindele, a Nollywood actress, who had acted as the face of Dettol informing the public of the importance of observing basic cleanliness and the need for social distancing in this period of COVID 19 emergency occasioning lockdown of major cities in the country, has been caught in the corona-virus law. It is unfortunate.

The awareness is such that even faith-based institutions have chosen to obey secular authorities and workplaces have been shut. As the trite saying goes, prevention is better than cure, even so for a disease that has no certified cure or vaccine. Unfortunately, in a streak of hedonistic indulgence, Funke Akindele, herself a brand ambassador, threw a lavish party ostensibly to mark her husband’s birthday with motley of invitees in clear violation of the norm of social distancing with a consequence of spreading the contagious disease that persons could harbour without being symptomatic. A heed of the advice of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni could have led to an unnoticed outcome. The latter had advised in his presidential broadcast on COVID-19 what he called scientific conviviality involving only the key celebrants. This is certainly not for this couple.

As expected, Lagos State authorities superintending the state most hit by the Coronavirus moved into action to arrest and arraign the couple before an Ogba Magistrate Court, Ikeja Magistrate District, Lagos, where they pleaded guilty and were accordingly sentenced to 14-day of community service and a fine of N100, 000 apiece for violating COVID-19 lockdown regulations. This incident, however, raises a number of questions about the moral characters of celebrated Nigerians. One, can they actually serve as role models for the younger ones? Two, are they committed to ennobling values of societal development? And three, can they be trusted to lead? Unfortunately, as the late Commonwealth literature laureate, Festus Iyayi, once observed, there are no heroes and heroines in Nigeria that too little good makes one. Iyayi’s assertion could be qualified to say that in a country with a vast moral deficit, little showmanship makes you a hero or heroine. Nobody cares to vet the character of the individual celebrity and so often those genuinely looking up to them for norms of national rebirth end up hugely disappointed as we are here in this medium.

Akindele went to school and perhaps forgot the certificate, which essentially emphasises worthiness in character and learning. In her conduct, she betrayed the absence of those two twin values that education ingrains in those who went through the process without question mark. Yet, we acknowledge that Akindele and her husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, have done well for themselves and the entertainment industry and that they have the right to private life. Nevertheless, in times of emergency, some rights are moderated for the common good of the community. Needless to say for a lethal global pandemic, moderation becomes imperative.

Again, we acknowledge that Akindele is an influencer not a politician; given our national context, societal expectations of the two categories differ. Akindele being a campaigner for social distancing ought to have been more circumspect and discretional. By a stretch of imagination, we could predict that very soon celebrities will take after some politicians who visit toyshops to slap women with impunity.