COVID-19: Ooni fumigates Ile-Ife, moves to donate fumigators to 36 states
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has fumigated the ancient city of Ile-Ife and its environs against the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease with newly invented locally made fumigators.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the exercise started from the Ooni’s Palace on Tuesday in Ile-Ife.
Addressing newsmen before the fumigation, Ooni described the current moment across the world as one necessitating the deployment of creativities especially those deposited in the youths.
“The art of being creative is the motivation behind the creation of these fumigators.
“Volkswagen which is currently being used across the world was discovered by the Germans during the Second World War and look at what it is today.
“This motorised fumigator is equally a product of necessity which could serve other purposes including agriculture after this challenging period.
“Right now, we need abundance fumigation and that is why we have partnered with drones’ suppliers to widen our coverage,” the Ooni stated.
Thd traditional ruler explained that the specially made fumigator has advantages over other lookalikes fumigators.
According to him, it is decently designed with equal fumigation capacity as industrial fumigation trucks used in China, Pakistan and some Western countries with a wide fumigation coverage of about 20 to 30 fts radius.
The monarch stated further that aside from its cost effectiveness, it is easy to assemble and dissemble on any locomotive engine for mobility.
The Ooni promised to donate two of the fumigators to each state of the Federation as his way of supporting State and Federal Governments.
Prof. Olapeju Esimai, the Head of Department, Public Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, lauded the Ooni for his creativity and proactiveness to combat the novel COVID-19.
“We must increase awareness and also not forget precautionary measures like the social distancing, personal hygiene, nose and mouth covering as well as staying at home. COVID-19 is real,” Esimai explained.
On his part, the inventor, Mr Victor Badejo, explained that the modular fumigator has countless potentials, including provision of employment for Nigerian youths.
“If you look at the current situation, you would see that we are facing a great difficulty which has among other disadvantages locked us down, this means that we must look inward for solution and bounce back stronger.
“These equipments were sourced within the country and assembled within the Palace of the Ooni.
“It is flexible, durable and simple to use. In order to expand the fumigation, the Ooni approved our request to partner with FTS Drones for the supply of aerodrones,” Victor explained.
Similarly, the Managing Director of FTS Drones, Mr Olarinde Williams, who also doubles as Technical Partner to the Ooni on the project, said that the efforts of Oba Ogunwusi cannot be over emphasised.
Williams explained that he was motivated by the proactiveness of the Ooni towards winning the war against Coronavirus, commending the monarch for supporting the government in combating the pandemic.
“Look at what we have here, we are prepared and ready to fumigate the entire nation.
“We have the mandate to fumigate with aerosdrones to complement those driving moving trucks and this we would do optimally,” Williams said. (NAN)
