Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Centre for Change, has urged Nigerians still doubting outbreak of Coronavirus in Nigeria to comply with the preventive measures as directed by the appropriate authorities.

Okei-Odumakin, while condoling with the family of the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, who died of Covid-19 infection on Friday.

She said in a statement on Saturday in Lagos that Kyari’s death had taught many lesson that the COVID-19 pandemic was real in Nigeria.

“Follow-up to the sad occurrence of the death of Alhaji Abba Kyari, who reportedly succumbed to Coronavirus on Friday and was buried in Abuja on Saturday, this is one death that has poignantly brought home the reality of Coronavirus to all and sundry.

“Coronavirus is real ! Let doubters know this and believe and begin to take all preventive and curative measures as directed by the appropriate authorities,” she said.

Okei-Odumakin noted that Kyari’s demise was a clarion call to other well-known Nigerians who had been where they might had contacted the virus to come out of their hiding and denial and submit themselves to testing and treatment before it was too late.

She said that for anyone who had come in contact with such personalities, it was also incumbent on them to quickly approach the relevant authorities with the very vital information.

“Kyari is gone! May his soul rest in peace! The task now is to safeguard those who are still living. We must play by the rules, regardless of whose ox is gored.

“Social distancing is for all and no one is exempted, be the rich or poor, powerful or weak.

“Government functionaries in particular, should show good examples by observing the same rules made by them.

“Otherwise, they will lack the moral right to ask for compliance from the rest of society.

“Wearing the appropriate protective gadgets is also for everyone. Those in authorities must not be seen flouting this life saving rule.

“It is for their own individual good as well as for the good of all of us.

“When videos in which such rules and regulations are blatantly flouted go viral, as surely they will in this age of social media, then, it becomes difficult to ask the ordinary man on the street to act differently,” she said.

According to her, we are not in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” where some animals are more equal than the other, but we are in a democracy where all are equal before the law.

She said when they broke their own rules, they must expect others to imitate them accordingly. (NAN)