Covid-19: A Call To Help Poor Nigerian -By Mathew Adebisi

Following the stay-at-home directive aimed at fostering total compliance of Nigerians to social distancing, as one of the preventive measures against the (COVID-19) pandemic, everyone (both old and young, rich and poor) is presently at home.  From a logical perspective, this directive is not only considered as being timely, but it is also a very good move which is necessary for us to collectively survive this scourge as a nation. We have heard of large margin of mortality rate of innocent souls in worst-hit countries like Italy, but Nigeria and many countries in Africa have somehow been in an ‘advantaged position’ among other countries of the world, as far as this worrisome global menace is concerned.

In this light, the country has only recorded mild cases of infected persons, a good number of recoveries and just a few deaths since the outbreak of this life-threatening pandemic. Meanwhile, it is absolutely imperative for us to continue to maintain and improve on this our ‘seemingly favoured position’ and not jettison the potency of all preventive measures stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO). So, the stay-at-home directive is indeed a welcome development by the government for the benefit of all Nigerians.

But it truth is that many Nigerians are poor and hungry. It should be recalled that the country overtook India in 2018 to become the World’s Poverty Capital with the largest number of citizens living in extreme poverty. It is also worthy of mention that in June last year, the World Poverty Clock revealed that 91.8million Nigerians live in extreme poverty and this is about 46.5% of the country’s population which is approximately 200million. Based on this heart-rendering statistics and the standard measure stipulated by the World Bank for determining extreme poverty, it is therefore a statistical assertion that more than half of Nigeria’s population live on less than $1.90 (N360) per day. Imagine!.

Now, let’s look at this analysis from a compassionate perspective. This stay-at-home directive simply reflects the fact that about 91.8million extremely poor Nigerians have been helplessly confined in their various homes (for those who have a home) all because of the deadly pandemic. Similarly, for the next one month or thereabout, these hungry citizens are expected to stay indoors with their children and family members on empty stomachs. We need to imagine their travails at the moment. Sincerely, we really need to spare a moment of sober reflection on the fact that their hope of earning the meagre (N360) per day had been dashed because of a global menace. How on earth will they survive this isolation period? How will they escape the deadly ‘hunger virus’ in the corridors of their homes?

Honestly speaking, as good as the stay-at-home directive seems, it leaves a hole in the heart because many poor and hungry Nigerians are at the receiving end, as they silently wait for who will advocate their undeserved fate in the nation’s public space. The fact remaims that the rich and wealthy class will not feel the burning heat of this moment as much as the poor, because hunger can never sneak its ugly heads into their homes, whatever betides!. So, it is high time we noticed the plight of the poor among us and offer a helping hand especially during this period. Moreso, if we reflect properly on the shock of this period (an historical period of global economic standstill and large margin of deaths in developed countries), then one thing should be clear to us. We must have clearly seen that (COVID-19) pandemic has not come to destroy Africa, but to unveil the chronic state of poverty and hunger ravaging our national terrain.

In actual sense, coronavirus is here on the African continent to blow a warning whistle on the national epidemic (hunger virus) which could be a time bomb waiting to explode, if not addressed urgently. Emphatically, this is not only a wake-up call for our leaders at the helm of national affairs to do the needful, the call also extends to founders of notable non-governmental organizations, heads of financial institutions, leaders of the numerous religious organizations in the country, genuine humanitarians and philanthropists, amongst others, all clustered on our national terrain. This is a menace we must fight together as one!

Meanwhile, it is worthy of mention that some reputable stakeholders have risen up to this challenge by donating huge amounts for purchase of medical items to stem the viral spread. But it is expedient to advice that a huge chuck of these monetary donations should be directed towards addressing the challenge of hunger amongst the people. Similarly, these donations should be properly distributed across board to serve the purpose for which it was donated. It is also important to submit, at this juncture, that this is not the time to play political games or indulge in corrupt practices at the detriment of innocent lives of poor Nigerians who are prone to death, more as a result of hunger, than the viral outbreak.

We should learn not to trivialize sensitive issues, especially during this period, where millions of lives are at stake. Furthermore, there is a timely need to augment these bail-out donations from philanthropists and humanitarians by leadership of government at state levels of the country. So, it is expected that all states of the federation should embark on emergency relief exercises, as a matter of urgency, to cushion the effect of the stay-at-home directive on the helpless masses. As such, households within the state should be targeted for distribution of food items inclusive of essential vitamins to proactively combat the deadly menace of hunger ravaging our land, especially at the grassroot.

Conclusively, it is important to emphasize that faith-based and religious organizations are expected to do the needful at this period. They are meant to play key roles in combatting extreme poverty, protecting the vulnerable, delivering essential services and alleviating suffering among the people. It should be recalled that faith-based and religious organizations are not only structured around spiritual matters, but also for development through fostering of relief delivery programs, contribution of distinctive assets and resources to reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity. On this logical perspective, it is high time many of these faith-based and religious organizations clustered on our national terrain rose to their expected responsibilities through collaboration with the government and international organizations to end hunger in the country. As for this trying moment, there is an urgent need for them to demonstrate practical love and compassion for poor and hungry citizens in their large numbers, who could hardly afford a square meal per day, especially during this period of financial burden. As such, more of these organizations should also embark on ‘stomach infrastructural exercises’ by distributing essential food items to the poor within their reach, to complement the potency of prayers and prophecies. Meanwhile, this is a clarion call to collectively preserve the entity called humanity. Let’s heed it.

Mathew writes from Lagos, Nigeria.