COVID-19: PMB’s Method On Lockdown Will Revive The Economy – Adegbenro

Otunba Adejare Adegbenro, an international businessman and successful entrepreneur hail from Ogun State, Nigeria. He is the grandson of the first Republic Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Dauda S. Adegbenro, and also grandson to the late Pa Alfred Rewane, both from father and mother sides respectively. Pa Alfred Rewane was the late financier of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), that fought the military juntas to a standstill.

He is Otunbalaje 1, of Owu Kingdom as well as Asiwaju Ogbenioja 1, of Awowoland, Ewekoro, Owu Kingdom, all in Ogun State. In addition, he is a philanthropist and the founder and financier of Otunba Adejare Adegbenro Foundation (OAAF), an NGO he floated to assist humanity and contribute his quotas to the development of his people and the state.

In a media interaction recently, Adegbenro threw his weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari over the choice of the method adopted to ease the lockdown in the country, describing it as the best option to save the nation’s economy from hitting the ground irredeemably. Excerpts:

Sir, are you comfortable with the method adopted by President Muhammadu Buhari to ease the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus?

Yes. The method the President adopted is known as Herd Immunity Strategy. It means the virus will kill the weakest in the society while the strongest will develop immunity against the novel coronavirus pandemic. That is what Sweden is doing and Nigeria has just adopted that model. People will contract the virus, they will either die or recover but the economy will keep going and the rest of the people will eventually develop immunity against it.

It clearly indicates that his administration has adopted a method known as Herd Immunity Strategy that would threaten the life of the most vulnerable people in the society while the stronger ones will survive. This is, regrettably, our new reality and if I was in Buhari’s shoes, I would adopt the same method.

Are you sure of its workability in Nigeria?

Why not! Mr. President has done his best to make it work and his efforts should not be sabotaged. He has given directives and also released funds to various agencies of government to combat this deadly virus.

So, the government must remain transparent and accountable to the public. We need to know how the funds and donations by charity organizations across the world to Nigeria government are utilized. We need a website to track information on the utilization of the funds and what they are being used for. How many hospitals are being built? How long are people going to stay in the isolation centres? The government must, as a matter of urgency, begin to revamp our health system.

The Governor of Lagos State has been on the frontline in this battle against COVID-19 and has done tremendously great. Also the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun is personally supervising all the donations and distribution of the palliatives and ensuring that they get to the appropriate quarters. I will not fail to mention the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who is working tirelessly to ensure that the nation’s Capital City is safe and people stay at home. Former Governor Ibikunle amosun of Ogun State has also contributed immensely to fight COVID-19 in Ogun State.

What impact can the method have on the economy?

A lot. President Buhari knows his onion. His resolve to adopt the strategy is okay by me because there will be no alternative way of fighting the virus again. And it does not make sense at this point to continue keeping the economy grounded in the face of glaring hunger and imminent job losses.

Since Nigeria is not so rich to continue to shut down the economy and at the same time continue to feed the hungry citizens and having run out of options on how to tackle Coronavirus, Nigeria does not have any other alternative than to ease off the biting lockdown by adopting the Herd Immunity Strategy Model.

What is our survival chance under COVID-19 going by its deadly nature at the community transmission stage we are now?

Well, it depends on our attitudes towards containment measures. However, our strategy to move forwards against the deadly disease ravaging the world would remain only strict adherence to wearing of face masks and observing a high level of hygienic conducts.

My candid advice therefore there is that, when you are going out from Monday, May 4, do all you can to make sure you will not be among the weak that will contract this Chinese disease and die. Protect yourselves. Work from home always if you can and build your immune system up.

In my opinion, we must adopt the strategy of working within your locality. For instance, if you are living in Ikoyi, you should work within Ikoyi. You cannot go to Ikeja to work. This will help us to track where and how to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Our mantra should be testing and testing of the populace the same method they have adopted in Senegal, Ghana and other places.

We must have a testing or quarantine centres at the borders of our states and ensure all the drivers bringing food items are tested before entering the states.

What impact is your NGO, Otunba Adejare Adegbenro Foundation (OAAF), having on the masses towards cushioning the effects of the lockdown on the less privileged people in the country?

The Foundation has been assisting the community with essential facilities like boreholes, free eyes test and treatment, feeding of the less privilege among others.

Furthermore, palliatives distribution still continues to the less privileged people to cushion the effect of hardship and hunger by the lockdown against the spread of COVID-19. And we have reached as far as Alake and Olowu places, as well as Ifo and Ewekoro Local Government areas of Ogun State.

The distribution is a continuous process and it has got to the journalists and various media houses. Other aspects of life like education, health and financial assistance to the needy are integral aspects of the Foundation. It is a Non-Governmental and Non-Profitable organisation with a Director-General in charge.