COVID-19: Between Prof. Wole Soyinka And The Presidency -By Christopher Ifeoluwa Oni

I am not in any way sure whether Prof. Wole Soyinka who has commented on the order given out by the President of Nigeria that major cities in the country should be locked down as a preventive measure against the widespread of deadly disease has enough constitutional books in his library. As said by the Vice President in response to the Nobel Laureate’s comment, there is a Quarantine Act of 1926. Its been published in all of the Laws of Nigeria, every edition of the Laws of Nigeria, it is there. It is a regulation that gives the president powers, and these powers come from the National Assembly because, of course, it is an Act of the National Assembly.

But as said by the Nobel Laureate, there should be framework for the people sitting at home and also this universal imperative and urgency of this affliction should not become an opportunistic launch pad for a sneak re-centralisation, no matter how seemingly insignificant its appearance. Governors and legislators are to be especially watchful and not allow new political viruses for the future.”