COVIDE-19: Starvation Is Not enough Reason To Flout The Lockdown Directive—Delta Monarch

By Daniel Dafe

The Ovie of Oruarivie Abraka Kingdom in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Akpomeyoma Majoroh Ojeta II, has said that no reason including starvation is cogent enough as reasons for citizens to flout the lockdown directive by the Buhari-led administration in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun and other states as a measure to tackle the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The monarch spoke to journalists recently during a media chat in his palace in Abraka.

According to him, he is not excited that journalists and some media houses, as well as social media influencers have championed the idea that food must be provided first to citizens before they can obey the lockdown order.

He added: “Those that support this narrative and the said media houses are making a grievous mistake by projecting this. They are playing with fire. Coronavirus is not a joking matter. In some countries people are not thinking of how to cure patients but finding it difficult to meet up with the death rates and retrieve dead bodies.

“Media houses must make Nigerians see that the lockdown is in their own interests.

“I have seen what is happening on the international scene. Despite their very improved healthcare system, it has been overwhelmed. We pray we don’t end up with the kind of numbers of confirmed cases like in America, Italy and the United Kingdom. If that happens, then the lockdown that they are afraid of will then be voluntary because death will be staring all of us in the face and no one will be talking about food.”

He continued: “The Federal Government cannot give food to every Nigerian because of the decrease in oil prices and our large population,” stressing that “a one month lockdown is necessary.”

While calling on Deltans to obey strictly the lockdown directive, he scored his domain low in keeping to the stay-at-home order, but said he was doing his best to sensitize his people and see that they adhere to the exercise.

He continued: “I sent town criers to all the communities and it was announced throughout. There was also a motorized announcement about the lockdown and the need to observe it.

“My people developed some seriousness when they heard of the index case.”

Furthermore, he called on the state government to find ways to police more the community to community borders, adding that many persons have exploited this loophole to continue moving around. This is very dangerous.”