COVID-19: Oluwo of Iwo calls for reopening of economy

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adbulrasheed Akanbi has commended the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on his effort in the fight against COVID-19.

In a statement obtained by MyNigeria.com, the Oluwo, however, revealed that more need to be done towards curbing the virus.

He also called for policies which will help rejig the country's economy towards recovering from the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The statement reads: "Aside several physical meetings, the last time I juggle my mind and dusted my paper to write the presidency was at the peak of recurrent banditry by the black sheep among the herdsmen. Now, I'm obliged and divinely mandated to seek presidency's attention in considering a strict enforcement and severe penalty for covid-19 rules violators in reopening of our economy.

"I'm not unaware of the president's resolution to protect human lives at this fragile time. So far, you have given us hope that Nigerians are safer under your government. You respected human lives and toe the path of the progressives. Amazingly, Nigeria is one of the best countries controllably managing the virus. Royal kudos to his excellency and the covid-19 taskforce.

"Unarguably, we have respected the accompanied challenges to covid-19. It has locked today, should the virus be at advantage to tingle tomorrow? I'm not ominous but the covid is pushing economy to tipping point of regret should we fail to stay by the virus and respect tipster ideas. Covid is an unannounced visitor. It neither nocks nor greet. Your administrative libations are persuasive and yielding. Just like most developed countries, we should endeavour to manage it and expose our economy to survival, for today and tomorrow.

"Continuous locking of our economy is an hazard, not only for today but also the future. We have fought, fighting and winning.

"The economy must be rejigged through opening of the economy but conditional enforcement and impregnable policies. President Muhammed Buhari has to give an imprimatur enforcement with strict penalty on violators of Covid-19 rules. The rules of wearing mask should be mandated without exclusion. If need be, should be extended to animals to include animals in human skin. Human who refuses to wear should be meted with animalistic treatment.

"I suggest billboards across the nation mandating and cautioning Nigeria residents on the use of facemask. This will further give no one an excuse of ignorance for full wrath of the law. I'm ready yo complement this move in my own little capacity as a paramount ruler.

"Our vulnerable women could improvise a specially designed dress to protect their faces. Many of them are not used to facemask while others consider it task. They prefer such protection as an accessory to form part of their dress. Improvising through development of an inbuilt protective face coverage with female dressing is needed to curtail their tendencies. To be relaxed, females have to take this as librium.

"Covid 19 is a leveller. It jumps all barriers- Knows no age, status and influence. The laws should be enforced to know nobody too. If the government can manage the trend as this, we can do better when economy is reopened by respecting the moral engagements of the virus.

"The Buhari led government need to domesticate a moral slogan as done in 1984 through War Against Indiscipline. The new normal should be wearing of facemask, regular hand washing and keeping social distancing. The violators should be severely punished with deserving constitutional dictates. The constitutional pronouncement should be intelligible by every patriot.

"Your excellency, instituting War Against Covid-19 (WAC) or related cognomen is much needed. The fear of death must not permeate hunger. Hunger kills faster and farther. An hungry man is obsessed and oppressed and has no boundary to commit illegality such as maiming and killing others for survival. Hungry leads to depression. Depression leads to suicide. All these abnormalities are offspring of a recessed economy. An unfriendly economy is the enemy of the government.

"And Nigeria is only close to greatness but not too close. We cannot afford to start again. Your administration is restructuring the punctured structures. You deserve commendation and the best I could personally to compensate you is through pieces of royal advice and support part of which is this. You have successfully mounted a public awareness against corruption, drastically checkmating unemployment with Npower scheme and other opportunities, ensuring effective project implementations without delay. It is now and not later. These good tidings must not be destroyed by a virus we can formulate and enforce policies to live with.

"The world are living with covid -19. Nigeria should open up and enact an enforceable directives to effectivy manage ourselves. Today must not be allowed to destroy the future. Let's get up and face the challenge. If we fear to die, it may be difficult to be great should we run away.

"Once again, I charge the government to see this epistle beyond ordinary while I equally commend President Muhammed Buhari for his steadfastness in installing a new order/normal devoid of corruption into Nigerian democracy".