Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Anonymous Whatsapp Message Alleges Concealed COVID-19 Explosion in Lagos, Nigeria

Victor,

Please help me understand.

You challenged the information I shared as in effect unnecessary scare mongering drumming Africans' abilities.

I asked that you justify your view with reference to the actions by the Nigerian govt and by Nigerians in general that make the scenario described an outright improbability and therefore clearly a lie.

You have responded by asking qs.

I thought you already have the answers to such qs and were therefore responding to me from a position of assured knowledge.

thanks

toyin

On Mon, 23 Mar 2020 at 14:59, Victor Okafor <vokafor@emich.edu> wrote:

Well, you have hit the nail in the head. Were these recent announcements by Nigerian government authorities based on a thorough assessment of the Nigerian situation, taking all relevant environmental factors into consideration and with input from Nigeria-based epidemiological scientists and WHO, or were they primarily cat-copies of promulgations emanating from certain Western capitals? A consequence of these emergent Nigerian govt announcements is to trigger mass panic seemingly unwanted by the situation on the ground. Prior to the announcements, Nigeria appeared to be responding in a level headed manner.

On Mon, Mar 23, 2020, 9:49 AM Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin.adepoju@gmail.com> wrote:

Okafor,

Simply tell us why think the information has no value,  with reference to evidence.   

You could reference the actions taken so far by the Nigerian govt and Nigerians in general  that make the message an obvious lie that should be ignored.

thanks

toyin

On Mon, 23 Mar 2020 at 09:17, Victor Okafor <vokafor@emich.edu> wrote:

Oluwatoyin:

Why are you peddling a dooms-day scenario based on hear-say at a critical time like this that calls for responsible leadership? Who is helped by this sort of propagandist posting that seems to derive from an inner self-doubt, an apparent display of a belief in an innate African vulnerability and weakness and an apparent display of a lack of belief in an African capacity to do? What do you remember of how Nigeria responded to Ebola? What lessons can you derive from that experience?

On Mon, Mar 23, 2020 at 6:13 AM Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju <toyin.adepoju@gmail.com> wrote:

 I spoke with the consultant of the Infectious Diseases Unit, LUTH yesterday and he told me clearly not to listen to a single thing spoken by the government.

 A lot of people are already infected and are taking Armatem at home, meaning when the pandemic becomes full blown in Nigeria, it will likely be worse than China and Italy.

 Pls tell your family and friends to stay away from needless gatherings, no matter how "important", keep your hands as clean as possible all the time, avoid touching anything outside your house, run away from anyone who sneezes or coughs around you.

Pls I have a note of warning for all of us, especially those in Lagos.

They are dealing with far more than what they are revealing and he warned that everyone should take caution as though the pandemic is already full blown in Nigeria.

He said even those who recover from COVID-19 suffer close to 50% of lungs damage permanently, which means they will be on medication forever or they may die from complications in a few years after recovery from COVID-19.

 It's not a flu like China makes people believe, it's more like chronic pneumonia.

The doctor told me the NCDC is telling suspected cases to self isolate when there's no means of checking how well these people isolate. This means by the time  they start showing symptoms, they would have infected others.

 The virus like most viruses doesn't last long in the body after incubation. Viruses have no "cure", only the symptoms will be managed. The virus takes its course in like two weeks before the body develops antibodies to defeat it.

This is the best possible way to curb the spread. This thing is not a joke at all. It is estimated to claim at least 80million people worldwide. Do all you can not to be one of them.

 Avoid people like the plague Cos asthma has weakened the lungs already and they won't survive COVID-19.

 COVID-19 will almost certainly be fatal to anyone who has respiratory illness, kidney or liver disease before infection. Cos those organs are usually its target.

 If you have asthma, pls treat this like someone gave your name and picture to an assassin.

 This virus is not a joke whatsoever.

 More advanced countries don't even have enough test kits, how much more Nigeria?

Panic now and act like the crazy one now, so you can be the sane one in the end.

 It is capable of infecting every human being on earth and killing up to 10% of the human race.

If you have internet, watch "the worst hit hospital in Italy" on YouTube and see what's going on there first hand.

 I don't even care what Lagos State want to tell me.

If they like they should underestimate the virus..

on our own part.. let's stay at home.

It was when I saw how free the roads were at closing time yesterday that I knew that some people are actually already at home.
 
Stay Safe, Everyone

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Sincerely,

Victor O. Okafor, Ph.D.

Professor and Head

Department of Africology and African American Studies

Eastern Michigan University

Email: vokafor@emich.edu

https://www.emich.edu/aaas/

https://www.facebook.com/DAAASEMU/

Tel: 734.487.9594

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