COVID-19: A call for reflection in Nigeria

James P
3 min readApr 21, 2020

Nobody really knows when this pandemic will be over, but global lockdown isn’t sustainable beyond June. No visionary government is looking beyond two months. Else, the economic impact will be nothing like ever before seen. This is why some world leaders are thinking of relaxing the lockdown and why some were never strict on the lockdown in the first place.

As a Nigerian, my concern is naturally set for my dear country. Nigeria can’t handle a protracted lockdown. The reason is that Nigeria already has the endemic outbreak of corruption, which has led to a high rate of poverty, unemployment, and crime. As I write, daylight and nocturnal robbery are going on in some states in Nigeria? Even in this unprecedented hard time!

Nigeria, especially, can’t handle a protracted lockdown. The reason is that Nigeria already has the endemic outbreak of corruption to deal with.

Abject poverty, crude oil-dependent economy, and lack of planning make prolonged lockdown infeasible in Nigeria. Even the United States, as rich as it is, isn’t looking beyond June. The loans and aids the US Government released to its citizens via the CARES Act were primarily designed to sort out payroll, utilities, and other business expenses for 8 weeks.

This pandemic outbreak has exposed the feebleness and fragility of Nigeria’s economy. Our economy is skeletally run on crude oil. What happens now that crude oil has remained crude and refused to be refined? What do we do as a nation? The ugly reality staring at us in the face is that it’s already too late to salvage anything. We will have to go through this painful process of regeneration — that is if we have learned from this hardship at all.

Our economy is skeletally run on crude oil. What happens now that crude oil has remained crude and refused to be refined?

We have refused to divert our economy when we had ample chances, when the price of crude oil per barrel was solid and tantalizing. The government has failed to invest in its human resources, and the country is suffering for it. Bill Gate’s bold, timeless and commonsensical advice that “the people of a nation are its core asset” was snubbed by our leaders, as evident in their unbalanced budgets. And here we are today, unsurprisingly.

And before you blame the government, can you please hold on for a second. Like the Yorubas will say when they want someone to exercise patience and hear them out, “I use your money and your child to put your objection to rest.” So, yes, we are also to blame for our pathetic situation because we have all been part of the problem.

Like the Yorubas will say when they want someone to exercise patience and hear them out, “I use your money and your child to put your objection to rest.”

How? Great question!

Because we prefer foreign products over local products! Do we not know what happens to the economy of nations with greater import than export? So, my dear reader, you are part of the problem if you prefer foreign rice to local rice. Many are quick to justify their preference by claiming local rice isn’t as neat and as refined as foreign rice. I agree. But it also shows their ignorance on how businesses work. Patronize local rice sellers and invest in them, then see if they also won’t step up their game.

This is common sense. So before you blame the government, know that you’re also to blame! I have only used import/export of rice as an index case. There are several other areas we need to reflect on as a nation, such as our mentality, our approach to government jobs, our handling of offices and positions, our attitude to education, our vain religiosity and zeal, and so on.

Nobody knows where this pandemic is going, but one thing is sure: lockdown isn’t going to be sustainable forever. Vaccine is the best bet, but we only have experimental vaccine at the moment. Herd immunity? Nobody is sure. But one thing is certain and true in Nigeria’s case: “We are sleeping on our bed as we had laid it.” Who came up with that axiom anyway!

James Polamz-king is a top-rated writer on Upwork.

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James P

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