EDITORIAL: Above-the-law leaders, threat to societal advancement
That a group of our federal lawmakers came back from the United Kingdom, a country hit hard by coronavirus, and they ignored emergency protocol at the airport is unfortunate. In a normal clime, such acts only find comfortable abode in human imagination say less reality. Their action is a reflection of the true state of law and enforcement in the country. Law are made by the elites to control the common man for the benefit and convenient of the elites.
The lawmakers had reportedly traveled to the UK for a workshop on Petroleum, Oil and Gas Seminar at a time countries around the world encourage citizens to stay within the confines of their boundaries to mitigate the spread of the virus. Ours loaded an aircraft jetted out of the country, came back with the virus, refused to isolate themselves flouting the instructions of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Now we have at hand swell cases of positive virus carriers.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, on March 21st wrote to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to rein in the excesses of these federal lawmakers and ask those who had refused to submit themselves for coronavirus test to report themselves at screening centers across the country.
The attitude of our political elites has never for once changed. They have from time positioned themselves against the masses. They formulate repressive laws, appropriate bogus salaries and allowances for themselves all at the detriment of the economy.
Apart from the Senator representing Osun Central, Senator Ajibola Basiru, who made it known that he complied with the directive of health officials by isolating himself since he came back from the UK, no other Senator or Honourable member of the House of Representatives that was on that trip had done the same. There were reports that most of them reported straight to the National Assembly from the airport.
There are also reports of Governors who had contact with the Chief of Staff to the President, who currently is at isolation/treatment center after he developed symptoms. It is also embarrassing that the governor of Kogi state, who had hosted Abba Kyari when he buried his late mother in Kogi state refused to isolate himself claiming he is healthy and able. The Governor of Enugu State, marked his birthday in his office and had crowd in his office at a time when social distancing is recommended and encouraged.
What should we say of some religious leaders who are supposed to be the bastion of moral and spiritual integrity? These recalcitrant leaders flouted various government directives that ordered gathering of over 50 persons to be banned.
It has become cleared that laws and directives of government are meant for certain individuals and section of the Nigerian population with the recent development that emanated with the outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria. Our political and religious leaders have shown to us and the world that in Nigeria some Nigerians are more Nigerian than others. What is good for the goose could be above the shelve as far as the gander is concerned.
By the time we welcome the new dawn, when the coast is clear and the dust of this pandemic settled, we, as Nigerians must have a discussion about our who are Nigerians, and who are the Nigerians. Until then we advise that all precautions should be adhered to and stay safe.
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