COVID-19: Poor sensitization, advocacy at grassroots may hinder fight – Monarch

Poor public sensitization, enlightenment and advocacy may have dogged the fight against the COVI9-19 pandemic particularly at the grassroots, a monarch has said.

According to Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, a former Nigeria Airways Public Relations Manager and lawyer, relevant government agencies especially the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have not mounted enlightenment on the Corona Virus protocols in the rural communities.

The traditional ruler of Akinale, a satellite community of Abeokuta, Ogun state capital, said there was need for the distillation and dissemination of the guidelines of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 in local languages to enable the people to learn how to live with the virus.

He spoke at the presentation of COVID-19 items by Persecondnews to the Ogun State Association of Veteran Journalists in Abeokuta.

The items were presented by Mr Ayodele Akinsola, the Managing Editor of Persecondnews headquartered in U.S. on behalf  of the Publisher, Mr Femi Soneye.

At the event were a former Executive Director of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and ertswhile chairman, Ogun Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Eddy Aina, Barrister Demola Badejo, a retired Permanent Secretary and also ex-Ogun NUJ chair and Alhaji Lai Labode, one-time Deputy General Manager of a national brand, Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) and CEO, Sally Gallant Communications.

Ogunleye, the chartered mediator, said:“We have been told the reality of the COVID-19 and we know that people have either been infected or died of the virus. It is not a hoax or lie; it is real.

“What we need is aggressive public enlightenment through public address system, short videos on the pandemic and how to keep safe. We must learn how to live with it by observing the necessary protocols – social distancing, using face mask, washing of hands with soap and applying sanitiser as well as avoiding crowded places.

“Like past flu epidemic, Corona Virus will come and go and we shall survive it by fighting it before the drugs and vaccines will be ready, hopefully, by 2021.’’

Oba Ogunleye thanked the management of Persecondnews for the gesture and also commended federal and Ogun state governments for their relentless fight against the COVID-19.

He also used the occasion to express appreciation to the Rotary Club in the area for its recent sensitisation visit to his community and donation of some COVID-19 items.

Earlier, Soneye, who spoke through the Managing Editor, said COVID-19 is a battle that must be fought and won like the past flu and other diseases and commiserated with the families of the victims of the virus including some journalists nationwide.

He said all categories of people – babies, young and old regardless of age – are susceptible to the attack of Corona Virus contrary to the suggestions of some experts.

“As we have seen, babies of age three and above, teens, oldies have contracted the virus. Some elderly have either survived it or died while younger ones too have died,’’ he said.

The Persecondnews Publisher urged the retired media executives and journalists generally not to let down their guard, but keep safe and build their immunity against any infection or disease.