COVID-19: Unmasking The Evil In Capitalism; A Call For Collectivism

By Comrade Efe Agabi
Human history is replete with plagues and diseases. Some of the plagues are very deadly and without cure. I will not bore you with a chronicle of the deadly plagues that have ravaged the world, but the Great Bubonic Plague which is the most deadly pandemic that ravaged the world, and gulped over 200 million persons is enough to convince doubters that we are in for a long period of uncertainty. It is not a time to be superstitious, carefree, and careless. It is obviously not a time for political correctness or time to feign ignorance and the embers of pettiness as demonstrated in high places. This is not a good time to concoct prophesies from the pulpit to deceive gullible Nigerians on the pew. It is a time to close ranks in unison to surmount a crisis that is lurking around.

The opposition in her usual fashion is reeling out press statements that suggest that the place of virile oppositions in a democracy is still oblivious in our political landscape.
There is no doubt that the world is on the verge of a total lockdown that would not only dovetail into another financial downturn in ten years, but may stimulate debates on the usefulness of capitalism, particularly in developing countries. Expectedly, developed and developing countries are reeling out orders to push back the virus that is currently operating in high places, from the revered throne in England to the seats of government in developing nation. It is the same story. No one is immune to Covid-19. Even Nostradamus would not have envisioned that world powers would be ruffled and rattled by a virus. To cushion the economic and psychological effects of the virus and forceful hibernation, governments across the world are taking responsibility for food, water, electricity and domestic gas supply. The Senate in the USA signed a whopping 2 trillion dollars to aide citizens financially. In Italy, food is delivered by the police to the door step of citizens. In Spain, food is subsidized but what is the case in Nigeria. In a swift reaction to the plummeting oil price, the government announced a reduction of PMS from 145 to 125, a change that has not been effected in most cities across the country. As at the last count, the reduction of the price of PMS is the only palliative that has been provided by government to the Nigerian people to cope with the ‘stay at home’ order. Of what benefit is the reduction the PMS Price when over 80% of Nigerians are expected to stay at home? Perhaps to fuel generators or to provide cheap transportation for those allowed going to work to provide essential services. Ironically, the price of transportation has skyrocketed. Apparently, hunger may be more deadly than Covid-19 in Nigeria. This did not occur to the coterie of the Nigerian political elites that continually traversed hotbeds of Covid-19 in search of what is left for soothsayers to unravel.

In the past few weeks, after the announcement by World Health Organization that COVID-19 is accelerating uncontrollably, Governors, Senators, House of Representative members, Ministers and Members of House of Assemblies have travelled around the hotbeds of the virus, even their lapdogs and pets are not left out. What has been tickling them to continue to entrench our legendary status in tours around the world in a period of tribulation is still unclear, but only the thinking that the virus is reserved for the paupers, the out of school kids, the Almajiris, the downtrodden, Nigerians in IDPs would be logical for such arrogance and guts of the Nigerian elites.

At a time when portfolio investors, captain of industries, tourists and citizens in Diaspora are retiring to their cocoon, the crème de la crème and sons and daughters of the crème still decided to explore the world and exchange banters. Unsurprisingly, virtually all of the tourists returned infested. The national uproar that ensued from the announcement that an Aso villa Czar, the son of the former Vice President and a Governor has been infested; and they all travelled outside the shores of the country was not unexpected. Leaders caught napping after ignoring the index case of the Italian consultant suddenly came to the realization that to sleep when crises are lurking around is suicidal. They decided to mount media outfits to reel out executive orders, sleeping parliamentarians became active in legislative business, bills were raised, teleconferencing in high places was adopted for safety, willful self isolation was adopted and the NASS members that refused scrutiny in the airport in total disregard for constituted authorities, they were elected to protect, with the thinking that virus does not infest the rich became apprehensive.

Propaganda outfits were shelved, but in a bid to regulate the pulse of the people and in total disregard for press freedom, the villa decided to downsize its media outfits. The criteria used to give license to the remaining medieval outlets are still unknown.
The fire on the mountain is not only after the poor, the rich also cry. The once lethargic leaders suddenly came to life, but in peremptory fashion. To insist without preparation that orders should be enforced immediately, was as expected, greeted with mixed feelings. Nigerians would starve and starve but that is not an issue of national concern. What is important is to ensure there is no further spread of the virus by the Nigerian elites. To close down all informal businesses, upon which the survival of over 53% of Nigerians is hinged without palliatives is not only a disservice to the Nigerian people, but a call for anarchy. Religious leaders have not also helped; the deification of G.Os was evident in the refusal to comply with the stay at home order, the indoctrination of the gullible that God can only be worshipped in the church or mosque has not also helped. This is why a police station was set ablaze for attempting to enforce the rule on social distancing. Apparently, an organic synergy with the big religious leaders would have been a better approach as the congregation would adhere more to the instructions of religious leaders than government.
Recent market survey indicated that cassava flour is currently not affordable as 80% increment was recorded, the price of other consumables are not left out but donations to the poor by the Dangotes of this world and his ilk are channeled to a purse that is still not known. How these donations would be distributed to the poor who are worst hit by the economic effects of the virus is still a puzzle that economic experts have not been able to fix; but one thing is certain. The monies donated by philanthropic Nigerians would end in private pockets. In the face of the looming famine, the elites that have monopolized the production and distribution of some essential consumables have not reduced the retail price of such commodities, understandably so because the intent of every entrepreneur in a free market capitalist economy is to optimize profit. OXFAM report revealed in 2017 that the top eight billionaires of the world are richer than the poorest half of the human race, a revelation that stimulated conversations around the path the world is headed with capitalism. As Michael Moore would put it, “Capitalism is not just evil, it is very evil”. The capitalists would never see anything wrong in it; society is free for everyone, but the questions as to whether opportunities are open for all is still unanswered. The call for redistribution of wealth and enthronement of egalitarianism is only a sociopolitical thought that would never fly, but in spite of the obvious flaws of capitalism, it has made a good population of the world poorer and incapable to cope with economic crises. In a period of crises, empathy and humanity should override profit making principles. Patriotism by its true definition should prick the conscience of owners of production lines not only to reduce the prices of consumable, but to convert productions lines to the production of food and toiletries. As the world is moving towards the era of protectionism, which would erode the progress made to entrench a globalized economy; collectivism should be adopted and localized to provide succor for the ‘have-nots’. The ‘haves’ should as a matter of national concern, bin the cloak of hypocrisy currently demonstrated in donations to attract eulogies, and consider collaborative actions and investments that would make food available for the downtrodden. Religious leaders that hitherto prioritized gigantic structures as places of worship which was evident in our status of having the biggest church in the world should revisit the tenets of the early Christians that were communal and empathetic. This is the time to replicate the feeding of 7,000 and 5,000 by Jesus Christ through the provision of food for the congregation – not a time to insist on congregational worships. As exemplified in the establishment of academic institutions of learning, where only the sons and daughters of the crème can acquire qualitative education, churches should as a matter of necessity complement the efforts of government in food production as hunger might be deadlier than the ravaging COVID-19 in Nigeria. Anything below this would only enrich the few in various positions to distribute money donated to an unknown purse to cushion the effects of COVID-19.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all Nigerians in isolation centres and families; they will recover in peace in Jesus name. Amen