Coronavirus has opened up a whole Pandora of supernatural truth about life and our place in it. We are the world. We are one. It is only the arrogance and wealth of the Western nations that divide the world into sentimental categorisations of developed, developing and underdeveloped. Coronavirus has shattered that illusion and has shown that only together we are strongest, most humane, most supportive and most human.
The effect of Koro is felt around the world. Yes, some countries are blessed and yet to record any contagion. The geographical spread of Koro – man unseen killer – has given world governments cause to pause and rethink the meaning of life and death. Koro brought in racism, panic, suspicion, fear, anxiety, fatalism, insecurity, loss and even resignation. Koro is no respecter of geography, colour, status or rank. Covid-19 is one of the most deadly viruses you could ill afford to engage in a hand-to-hand combat. That is why governments all over the world are in panic mode and preaching a new gospel of care, support and togetherness. Governmentality with all its remoteness to the governed have all disappeared.
First published in an article, titled: “Locked, Quarantined and Coroknackered,” on March 22, 2020.
Today I am living in a society beclouded by fear, agitation, loneliness and social distancing. I cannot go and see friends. I had wanted to travel to Nigeria in May but that is now a distance dream. We now live in a shifting void of life and death and total obedience to the rules that mitigate for us and temper the brutality of COVID-19. These include: social distancing, washing of hands frequently, self-isolation, lockdown and life under quarantine. These are, at best, mitigating rituals that appease the rage of COVID-19!
Sunny Nigeria, I was told, is repellent to COVID-19. The virus could not easily mutate under our burning sun and as such the rate of death in Nigeria is low compared to the Western Hemisphere. This is God’s balancing act and mercy for all Nigerians. If Covid-19 malevolence is unleashed on Nigeria as it did on Italy, we would be counting deaths in millions because our health care cannot cope. And that is why we have been corona-creative and comedic on the social media. We laugh at Koro jokes and advise it to stay away from the Nigerian soil. Children born under the pestilence of Koro are now given names such as Corolabi, Corowale, Corowunmi, Corolola, Coroseyi, Corotade, Corochukwu and Coromeka.
First published in an article titled: “Locked, Quarantined and Coroknackered,” on March 22, 2020.
COVID-19 is a provocation. As President Buhari said last night, it is an enemy. It is a raging wolf that ravages in the night and leaves nothing for the morning. COVID-19 is a leveller. It is the most inconvenient virus that brought global disruption to what we know as living. There is no anti-virus yet to cut through the babel of its homicidal power. It is an unseen and weaponless killer. In Nigeria, we shrug it off. The narration was that COVID-19 was not a black man’s disease. We lived on false consciousness. Then the truth began to dawn that COVID-19 is actually a leveller that has no respect for leaders, colour, religion, race, status, sex, nationality, height or wealth. Even though news of mass devastation in China, South Korea, Spain, Italy and to a lesser extent US and UK have been filtering in, the Nigerian hormonal reaction was let-us-wait and-see.
First published in an article titled: “How Covidisation Reframes Barbaric Impunity,” on March 30, 2020.
Then the barbaric police impunity set in. They go about braking bottles, smashing heads and beating already saddened people into coma in order to force a social compliance to the lockdown order. Why are we a society of stupidity and violence? Why this heavy handedness against Nigerians who may be facing serious financial bereavement after the war on COVID-19 is won? Why this covidisation of brutality and lawlessness?
An incident in Lagos sent to me on WhatsApp was particularly galling. It was very enraging and it showed that our law enforcement personnel believe in punch up rather than benign and gentle persuasion when dealing with the public. I was shocked to see a barbaric act of wild abandon of bottle smashing and complete destruction of a beer parlour business. The action was nothing but inflicting gunshot wounds on the helpless owner of the business. I imagine that scenario in the UK. Armless officers on such assignment will most possibly speak to the owner of such business with respect, courtesy and advice the owner to close shop in few hours. They may even offer to help the business owner to pack up. Job done. No animal zealotry. No barbaric impunity. No smashing of heads to enforce covidisation impunity. No bloodletting. No bullying. No smashing of bottles on the ground to endanger the life of the business owner. No inflicting financial ruin on the business owner. The Bible says that a gentle word can break any bone!!! Bala Elkana, the Lagos State Police Command spokesman, has made known that policemen involved in the bottle-smashing and power rascality action have been arrested. To say that they should be dismissed is to say it nicely. They should face the court for assault to cause bodily harm, harassment, destruction of property and public disorder.
First published in an article titled: “How Covidisation Reframes Barbaric Impunity,” on March 30, 2020.
Yet, its ongoing aftermath in Nigeria has been converted into a war game where our army are allowed to use horse whip freely, smash heads, damage limbs, cause havoc, maim and kill. Rather than use diplomacy to smother wider discontents or fissure caused by COVID-19 against Nigerians, they turned them into victims of oppression, barbaric brutality and inhumane mistreatment. A white woman in US, in a viral video, was moved to anger and warned that the whole world is watching our human rights abuses on helpless and innocent Nigerians. The question is, who let these hounds of hell out of their shithole to foment so much damage on Nigeria’s image? Who gave the order to these smug barbarians to go out there and enforce COVID-19 lock up order with punch ups, slaps, kicks, assault, battery, press ups and beatings? Our security forces are a menace – to themselves and to the wider public. The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has so many explanations to give for the brutal activities of his men and women. The army has a lot to explain regarding the atrocious behaviour of our soldiers. This madness has to stop.
First published in an article titled: “Covid-19: The Aftermath, Conspiracies, and Sexualised Humanity,” on April 6, 2020.
In Nigeria, videos are emerging of women lamenting that cucumbers are no longer finding their thrusting ways into their melons. Side chicks are in sorrow at the absence of sugar daddies who are all under forced lockdown. Hotels are quiet. Creaky hotel beds are quiet. No more pounding fireworks to make the bed groan, bark and grumble. Sex starved wives before the lockdown are now complaining that the lockdown has turned their men into sex predators. They want an end to COVID-19 lockdown. Into all these gut-wrenching inanities are the avalanche of COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Microsoft super conductor, Bill Gate and Melinda his wife are now the awaited Anti-Christ who is said to be working assiduously to a genocidal script to wipe out the black race with a deadly vaccine. Wuhan the original home of COVID-19 has been pardoned, discharged and acquitted.
First published in an article titled: “Covid-19: The Aftermath, Conspiracies, and Sexualised Humanity,” on April 6, 2020.
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