COVID-19: Yoruba group says easing lockdown measures risky

The Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum on Wednesday warned that easing the COVID-19 lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is risky if certain measures are not put in place.

The group, which conceded that the order for the ease of lockdown by President Muhammadu Buhari is understandable, said epidemiologists and communication strategists it consulted believed certain measures must be quickly implemented to make the government’s “sudden exit plan” successful.

It would be recalled that President Buhari had in his nationwide broadcast on Monday, announced partial lifting of the lockdown in the three states from May 4, as well as a total and immediate lockdown in Kano State.

Yoruba Ronu, in a statement by its President, Akin Malaolu, said the President’s directive could fail without adequate and effective nationwide sensitisation.

Read also: Nigerian govt sets May 4 reopen date for banks in Lagos, Ogun, FCT

It further said that the influence of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) which, in collaboration with states and local governments, would have been best suited for this task, is yet to be felt.

The group said: “Going forward, the enlightenment strategy must include physical appearances in communities in deference to our communal way of life. This should be for the next 12 months in the first instance and starting immediately. It must also utilise relevant media of communication, not the least radio, which remains potent in reaching a largely oral society.

“The sensitisation, if properly carried out, will help the nation to avoid returning to sudden lockdown again, which, this time may be difficult to exit from.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now