Valentine To Quarantine By Rotimi Makinde

…..No one in the world and
not even the Rev Mbaka of this world would ever think something could make the whole world become friends, associates, partners and with common cause over a dreaded disease that suddenly sent a chill down our spines like it is happening  now all over the world.

President Trump of United States of America and with all his might initially called it CHINESE VIRUS and when the ugly situations begining to unfold in the entire landscape of his country, he chickened out and he said the effect was worst than 9/11. Lady Merkel,the Chancellor of Germany went further to regards the deadly virus as the worst ever event in the history of the World after the 2nd World war…Now the question is are we giving it the much needed attention it deserves or still dancing to its glorious welcome ?.It is pertinent to ask for we joke more than necessary in this part of the word and we are never for once proactive on issues until its confirmed to have fell down the son or daughter of a prominent personality in our society.

We presently focus on our airports and lesser energy on numerous and porous land borders.. People still continue with Aso Ebi and distribution of invitations cards as if they will distribute immunity along with such arrangements. We forget things easily in this country,we forget how we groan and went into economic recession within short time of oil down fall.With this ugly development and unless we become ready hand tools to join the global world to fight this coronavirus.. Not just salary will be quarantined but money in our pocket may become useless for all market operators may have suffered one calamity or the other.

It has certainly beaten every imagination and made nonsense of any economic projections , political and even emotional calculation that   just last February 14th of this very year, we were all celebrating “Lover’s Day” accros the world without thinking of our languages, religions and our differences in different locations, but felicitating joyfully  with one another.  

Since Valentine’s comes once in a year ,it was only logical that people all over the world were celebrating and exchanging pleasantries with their loved ones, it is indeed the only time we call lovers’ day. People were always in joyful mood all over the world  exchanging visits even accross the borders, making new friends,new commitments and with much emotional  contact like touching, hugging, kissing, etc to show love and and affection to our dear ones. Shaking hands with each other was not a sin then and it was never regarded as a no go area. Love was always in the air during   Valentine’s Day for it was just a perfect period  around the world for people to register their affection to one another…The 2020 Valentine’s day was not  different especially in Nigeria where the period almost  coincided with  one year of governance by the ruling political class.

It was a perfect time for each of the representatives  to review their progress so far and a nomal time for Mr  President, the governors,the  senators and our elected honourables to evaluate themselves and above all to restrategise for their future deal….People from different categories did  not think of what could change their fortunes, their forecasts and their  game plans. That is the irony of life. There is a paucity of role options when total stoppage of socializing  is the issue. We knew we wanted to continue to enjoy our life, stay connected to the outside world and in some cases and circumstances for businesses and meaningful way of life , but we didn’t have the premonition that coronavirus will come,we do not have the immunity on our lives either in case of dangers. We do know we can not triumph in an isolated environment but the reality is here.

We are all prisoners of CORONAVIRUS ! We are now  bound to change our ways of life, forced to review our social life, from our attitude of making friends to husband and wife relationship accross the border. Not a time to apportion blame for no shaking of hands attitude, not hugging must not be seen as unfriendly act nor rejection of holiday offer met with malice with one another. Coronavirus finally brought along some weird and strange  perceptions about our life, social life must change ,social parties stuff must be extremely important or put on hold. Church services, Mosques group prayers,picnic and public gathering and even marriage ceremonies must take the back seat, and one basic result is to have the spirit to quarantine oneself if need be as mandated . This is a period of total  escalation of negativity that must include self denial and stonewalling against each other.

Now that we have a common enemy and in  searching mood to conquer the coronovirus now which is now killing us in minutes by hundreds and may be in thousands and before it gets to the level of killing us in millions or in billions, we must act in unity and adhere strictly to every attending norms and standards of the menace. This common unity of purpose accross the world  must provide for ways to heal our political division ,economy maladies and wild differences accross the globe.We honestly need to consider the potential functions of unity of purpose with which this strange unity might be serving us a positive impact accross the world . It may be a good opportunity to  give us a sense of comfort and meaning to be able to draw clear distinctions between friend and enemy, to know whom to blame, and to know what we are fighting for which in a time like this become uncalled for and infallible to our existence as human being. Americans are jittery, Britain are sleepless while African opinion matters.

Intractable political differences  aren’t just going to make us more united like this period when we have common ailment like coronavirus especially during times of disorder, when we find solace in simplifying our complex world and not placing blame on an all powerful enemy but for us to rally with one strong mind to fight with one mind…

This is a clear manifestation for us as mammals to embark on efforts to reduce political polarization, economic equilibrium and to begin to  recognize that our divisions may be  unfulfilling and baseless in life.   Today in Nigeria,the ruling class and the governed are now being  forced to stay put in the same Coronavirus prison and suddenly no more needs for any one to travel outside the country, and that we need to find collective ways to stay alive in our society which is relatively less pruned to coronavirus. All lives suddenly become important, China wealth or American power became unenviable.

Black men as scientists or white doctors  as inventors would never mind but the need to arrest the situation becomes the target and continuous CNN breaking news. It became very  clear that if we truly want to reduce conflict accross the world, any common enemy such as CORONAVIRUS is better not imagined…
May the peace and rest of mind be the world’s portion….