Recently, the United Kingdom suspended the issuance of visitor’s visa to Nigerians, in addition to other (African) countries who made it on the red list, as a result of concerns over the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
In reaction to this ‘insult’, the spokesman for the Federal Government of Nigeria, Lai Mohammed, had said, “I can say, without mincing words, that the decision by the British government to put Nigeria on the red list, just because of less than two dozen cases of Omicron which, by the way, did not originate in Nigeria, is unjust, unfair, punitive, indefensible and discriminatory. The decision is also not driven by science.”
Undoubtedly, most Nigerians share his sentiments: it is discriminatory. I mean, how do you explain a situation where more than fifteen European countries has the omicron, yet not one of them is in the UK’s travel Ban/Red list. Not one! Yet the UK travel ban has only African countries in it?
I am completely in agreement with the fact that this is not science at all. Again, the omicron didn’t originate from Africa.
However, this is punishment for failure to put our house in order; healthcare in comatose, lack of infrastructure and poor leadership. This is what you get when you’re lacking in visionary leaders and vibrant citizenry. Sad realities of our country Nigeria.
When our leaders run to the UK for malaria check up and medical tourism with photo ups as part of the latest additions. Why would African nations not be classified as high risk nations?
Regardless of the ranting about racism and all not what. I am personally, not surprised. When we don’t value ourselves, foreigners certainly won’t either.
This is part of the reasons why some of our compatriots, particularly, the home based, think that; Nigeria remains a British subject and a product of slavery and colonialism.
This development should trigger us as Africans to “wake up” and put things in order for ourselves.
The so-called third world countries are in deep mess and need to get cracking and put on its thinking caps. We will remain expendable guinea pigs as long as we are Nigerians [Africans]. Hence, the need to de-colonize ourselves and mindsets by dismantling colonial enclaves.
We must be intentional in our task of repositioning the African nations by reason of renewal of our minds and the true meaning of the African Renaissance.
The premise is easy; infrastructural development – good roads, efficient transport systems, uninterrupted power supply, affordable food, good healthcare etc – affords the general populace improved living standards.
If people live comfortably – not on survival mode, like most of Africa – they can begin to think outside the box and invest – in cash and kind – in the economy.
Furthermore, we can clearly see how Infrastructure development is, predictably, the one-cap-fits-all for a country’s myriad of developmental challenges.
This is the time to create nations of consent and determine our destiny. Africa, it is time to get cracking. The time is now to build the Africa we want. The time is now to build the Africa we want. Mother Africa!
NiGERIA NEEDS A NEW NATIONAL MODEL…… ARISE ‘O COMPATRIOTS.
Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI
