The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, on Wednesday reacted to Professor Wole Soyinka’s statement which decried President Muhammadu Buhari’s lockdown order in response to the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Nigerians were implored to trust information coming from scientists and medical specialists on issues concerning viral diseases, instead of listening to Professors of Literary writings.
Mr Shehu, said Prof. Soyinka, who is not a medical professor, should not be used as professional expertise in this matter in any shape or form. His qualifications are in English literature, and his prizes are for writing books and plays for theatres, not science.
He stated this while reacting to comments made by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on the legal basis of a 14-day movement restriction ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday.
He advised Soyinka to write a play on the coronavirus pandemic, after this emergency is over, rather than attacking measures put in place to tackle the spread of the deadly disease.
Mr Garba Shehu, asked the of Nigerian people to trust the words of our doctors and scientists and not fiction writers at this time of national crisis.
“Across the world, from parts of the United States and China, to countries including the United Kingdom and France, government-mandated lockdowns are in place to slow and defeat the spread of coronavirus. “All have been declared, and all have been made necessary, based on medical and scientific evidence. The guidance of the Nigerian Government’s medical specialists is to advise the same.
“Professor Soyinka has also declared, doubtless based on his specialism as a playwright, that: ‘We are not in a war emergency’. “Dr Richard Hatchett, Head of the International Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (and former Director of the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) has said, ‘War is an appropriate analogy’.
“As for the legality of the lock down, the Government of Nigeria’s primary duty in law and action is the defence of the people of Nigeria. We face a global pandemic. Nigeria is now affected. The scientific and medical guidance the world over is clear: the way to defeat the virus is to halt its spread through limitation of movement of people. “Perhaps, Wole Soyinka may write a play on the coronavirus pandemic, after this emergency is over. In the meantime, we ask the people of Nigeria to trust the words of our doctors and scientists and not fiction writers at this time of national crisis.”
