Of Ebola And Boko Haram (I)

Ebola Virus disease is more daring, dreaded,
deadly and dangerous than Boko Haram. Whereas Boko Haram strikes people found in their domain of North-East, Nigeria, especially in Borno State, Ebola kills people anywhere, even in the remote village and inside one’s bedroom.
Since the arrival of this giant killer, called Ebola in Nigeria, stress and tension increased in a nation that over stressed becaase of Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria. Movement to countries affected by its virus is somehow restricted. Many international conferences in Nigeria have been cancelled. Movement of people from other countries to Nigeria is reduced and ban placed on the movement of corpses in and outsideNigeria. Burial, which is a celebration in Nigeria, particularly in Ikwerre land is now low-keyed. Attention, attendance and vibrancy given to burials in Nigeria are curtailed. People attend burial nowadays with fears and caution.
Hospitals and other health care services in Nigeria are now in disarray. Fears has gripped doctors, nurses and other health care providers. This is because they don’t know which of the patients they are about to treat is infected with Ebola virus. Health workers these days dress like people going to the space because of Ebola.
Hand shake, which is common among Nigerians is now forbidden and avoided. People are no more comfortable relating with their fellow Nigerians. In commercial buses and taxis, people are suspicious of each other. Ebola virus disease is separating mankind, drawing lines and demarcating nations. This is what Ebola is doing to Nigeria that Boko Haram could not do.
Of all ailments and diseases we have seen and heard, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, stroke, typhoid, malaria, diabetes, hypertension, tuberculosis among others, none is as daring, troublesome, problematic and dangerous as Ebola Virus disease. Worse still, Ebola has no cure or vaccine for now. If I may ask, where is the world and its inhabitants particularly Nigeria is heading to?
Ebola virus disease was first discovered in 1976 in Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ebola is a name of a River, called Ebola River in that country. Ebola River has a tick forest where all kinds of animals inhabit. They include Apes, gorillas, monkeys, chimpanzees, reptiles, etc. Also, birds of the sky of different species perch in Ebola Forest.
It is believed that the animals and birds in Ebola River Forest feed on infected fruits and animals and  in the Forest. Thus, it is through consumption of these animals and birds that the virus was transmitted to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo . Hence, it was called “Ebola Virus disease.” Besides Democratic Republic of Congo, countries like Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and recently, Nigeria have recorded cases of  Ebola Virus disease.
Ebola virus disease was imported into Nigeria on July 20, 2014 by a Liberian-American, late Mr. Patrick Sawyer. Mr. Sawyer contracted Ebola virus from his sister, who died of the disease on July 8, 2014. He was a staff of the ArcelorMittal, an iron mining company based in Liberia. He was diagnosed and discovered of contracting the Ebola virus and was quarantined in Buchanan, Liberia. But regrettably Sawyer was cleared to travel to Nigeria for an ECOWAS conference in Calabar by the Liberian authority, even though he was under isolation and observation.
Sawyer arrived Nigeria under excruciating pain and weakness, and was found laying flat on his stomach on the floor in the corridor of the Airport. Unknown that he was suffering with Ebola virus disease he was helped by the Airport Porters to a hospital at Obalande, Lagos for medical assistance. He was diagnosed and found of contracting Ebola virus, and he subsequently died. Sadly, a female medical doctor, Stella Ameyo Adadevoh who attended to Sawyer, contracted Ebola virus and had died of the disease. Nurses and others who had physical contact with Sawyer are now quarantined and monitored.
I laughed when late Sawyer’s wife who said she knew her late husband more than anybody, including Sawyer himself that Sawyer came to Nigeria merely to seek for a better medical attention. I wonder when Nigeria became a super nation in health care services than USA and India where he should had gone for a better medical care, if indeed he was seeking for a better health care service. However, for me, I saw Sawyer’s travel and death in Nigeria as a conspiracy, deliberate and calculated attempt by the Liberian government and ECOWAS states to wake Nigeria up against the disease.
Ogbuehi, a journalist, wrote in from Port Harcourt.
To be continued.
Their thinking is that the world will not pay proper attention to the deadly virus until it gets to Nigeria, being the most populous black nation on earth. Hence, ECOWAS invited Sawyer for a conference in Nigeria and Liberia cleared him to attend, not minding that he was on observation of Ebola virus. Again, I saw Sawyer’s death in Nigeria as a honourable one. Had he died quietly in Liberia, no one would have heard about Patrick Sawyer and much about Ebola, as we have heard and known it now.
By choosing to die in Nigeria, Mr. Sawyer had no doubt immortalized himself and saved many people in Afri who would have ignorantly contracted the virus. Today, indeed the attention of Nigeria, Africa and the world on Ebola virus disease is unprecedented. Also, . measures are been taken. I heard that the trees harbouring bats and other birds dropping faeces on visitors’ cars in the Presidential Villa, Abuja are now cut-off. Courtesy of late Patrick Sawyer.
My only regret, however, is the death of a female doctor, Ms. Adadevoh who battled to save Sawyer’s life and later discovered that he was suffering with Ebola virus, and she quickly quarantined him. And of course other health workers infected by their close contact with Sawyer. May God save their lives for working to save other peoples’ lives.
Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria began in 2008 or thereabout in Borno State, North East, Nigeria by one Yesuf who started by brain washing the youth of the area with strange and doubtful Islamic doctrines, which resulted to pockets of crises here and there. Yesuf was arrested and later killed. Since then, Nigeria has not known peace as the organisation has turned into full blown terrorism and have murdered thousands of people.
I agreed with Nigerian minister of health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu that Sawyer’s action has placed unnecessary stress on Nigeria, considering the stress the nation is passing through over Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the basic things to do to prevent the spread of Ebola are keeping good hygiene and sanitation, avoiding physical contact with Ebola infected patients or persons, regular washing of hands, keeping away from infected animals and eating of bush meats, touching of infected died persons, ensuring that Ebota infected persons are isolated etc.     ‘
Ebola symptoms are weakness, diarrhea, stomach pain, headache, fever, vomiting, depression, red’ eyes, cold, confusion, cough, sore throat, chest pain, joints and muscles pain, internal and external bleeding etc. 21 days are Ebola virus incubation period. These are Ebola deadly weapons against human race.
I wish the Federal Government could deploy great Ebola to Boko Haram, or Ebola would on its own walk boldly and majestically to Sambisa forest or wherever their camp may be to engage them in the battle of supremacy. By the time Ebola deploy five of its deadly weapons like weakness, diarrhea, dislocation of joint and muscles, excruciating pain, they will surrender and let Nigeria be, and of course give Borno and the neighbouring states a breathing space.
President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state should be commended for their bold and prompt steps taken to prevent the spread of Ebola virus in Nigeria. Late Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, the daughter of Prof. Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh and great grand daughter of Nigerian Nationalist, Late Herbert Macaulay should be commended and honoured for diagnosing Sawyer as an Ebola virus infected patient and quarantined him. Dr. Adadevoh sacrificed her life to save Nigerians.
It is sad and regrettable that Rivers State Government has chosen Oduoha-Emohua, my community as a quarantine (isolation) centre of the Ebola virus infected patients. It is indeed sad that Ebola virus disease discovered in faraway Democratic Republic of Congo has now a camp for its victims in Oduoha-Emohua. Well, I pray that God will also choose Oduoha-Emohua as a healing centre of the universe of all the and ailments diseases. Afterall, our ancestors prided Oduoha-Emohua as a hospitable community; and it has been known as such to this days. Could that be the reason of sitjing on Ebola centre in Oduoha-Emohua? To God be the glory.
Ogbuehi, a journalist and social commentator, wrote in from Port Harcourt.

Prince Ike Ogbuehi