COVID-19: The Place Of Psychological Protocols: By Benedict Alabi

Protocol:

I give all adoration and honour to our grand progenitor, the almighty God, for this great privilege of life and opportunity to witness today; I recognise Mr John Carrilo, Chairman of Global Facility Management Practitioners, I also recognise the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Mr Stephen Jagun and the National President, Mr Collins Osayamwen.

Other members of the association here present, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.

I am greatly delighted to address this assemblage of noble professionals in the business of facility management, point-blanky, this is a nostalgic moment for me, being an active member of this association before my expedition to partisan politics.

I, therefore, considered it a great honour to be given this opportunity of making a keynote address on this special occasion of the 2021 World Facility Management Day Commemoration in Nigeria, with the unique theme: ‘STANDING TALL BEYOND THE PANDEMIC- THE ROLE OF STRATEGIC FACILITY MANAGEMENT’.

Sincerely, the theme of the event would not have been more relevant and apt than now, considering the pervasive trend of the novel coronavirus and its devastating impact on the global socioeconomic wellbeing.

Moreso, the scary surge in the number of cases in Asia and Southern America, particularly India and Brazil, in the couples of weeks back left a lot to be desired in the quest for social security and economic advancement in the developing economies of the world.

Identifying human cases with onset of symptoms in early December, 2019, at a wholesale food market in Wuhan, China, the deadly virus, apart of becoming a global menace and a pandemic by its strength of spread also changed the paradigm of world order and compelled the global community to opt for a new normal.

Of course, the adverse effects of the pandemic have seriously put governments of the world on their toes, regarding adequacy and sufficiency of social infrastructure, especially in the health sector, without the exception of the so-called advanced economies and matured democracies of Northern America and Western Europe.

As the scourge of the pandemic puts much pressure on the global seats of power, to look inward and strategize for better future, this challenge also threatens the actualization and attainment of the 17 identified Sustainable Development Goals and its 169 targets, most especially the third goal, which is ‘Good Health and Well-being’.

However, these challenges are surmountable going forward, with conscious deployment of ” Planning and Management”, which remain the core of Strategic Facility Management.

Since strategic facility management solely rooted in management and planning, with focus on a set of clear-cut goals on the long-term for better future, it is therefore a preferable path from the wilderness of pandemic to a promise land of social inclusion and pragmatic leadership at all levels of government.

The inherent philosophy of strategic facility management in the face of the pandemic will provide direction to political class to harness nations’ resources to critical sectors of the economy, in line with their varying economic advantage theory.

This philosophy will essentially instill the discipline of frugal management of resources for greater outcome in the political players and the propensity to invest for rainy days and for rapid socioeconomic development.

Also, the instrument of planning and management will provide necessary ideological concept of technology-driven development, in tandem with global trend of developmental agenda.

Meanwhile, this philosophy, intrinsically presents dimensional safety protocol of socioeconomic model, which goes beyond physical safety protocols of wearing masks and social distancing among many others.

It is indeed a ‘Psychological Protocol of Survival’ in the face of the pandemic and post-pandemic era. As a matter of importance and exigency, we must start to observe these psychological protocol, which is cognitive interpretation of the gains of the pandemic above its embedded adversity.

It is indeed fundamentally instructive for governments around the world to embark on advocacy of social reorientation for the purpose of reshaping the psyches of their citizens towards this psychological protocol of survival, as the pandemic continues to reappear in series with little or no potent solution in sight.

On a final note, I am happy to tell you that the deployment of the dual models of physical and psychological protocols of COVID-19 in the State of Osun, has helped us immensely to effectively manage the menace of coronavirus with resultant moderate cases and minimal fatality, despite the incursion of 127 returnees from Ivory Coast into the state at the peak of the outbreak.

Our amiable Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola and myself as the Chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force in the state, alongside members of the cabinet worked assiduously through proactive interventions to stem the tide of the ravaging virus.

Obviously, we wouldn’t have been able to attain this feat without effective planning and management, as a robust tool for standing tall above the dreaded pandemic.

I thank you so much for your rapt attention.

BEING A KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY HIS
EXCELLENCY, BENEDICT ALABI, OSUN
STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR, AT THE 2021 WORLD FACILITY MANAGEMENT DAY COMMEMORATION IN NIGERIA, ORGANIZED BY ASSOCIATION OF FACILITY MANAGEMENT PRACTITIONERS IN NIGERIA.

DATE: MAY 12, 2021

VENUE: ONLINE