On the ownership of Lagos and weeing-while-walking

Most people who call themselves students of history only speak about things they heard from others or read in books written by other people who also got stories from others including those copied and pasted on the internet. This is partly because much of the stories we call history these days happened at a time when writing was a lot not as easy. There is thus not much that can be trusted in the manner of histories available these days - especially those available on the internet. While this is not to discredit history so as not to lose touch with our past, it is important for all those who call themselves students of history to truly study history in person and not by proxy. This is because, normal students don't normally study by proxy i.e., through others, they go to school, attend classes and do the toil. Unfortunately, most students these days – including even those who found themselves in schools – prefer others to do the toil for them. I am a teacher; I know this for a fact.

Now with that out of the way, it is a known fact that all people on the planet today are immigrants. The days of original settlers had long gone. However, it is helpful to remember that some people have always lived in the places that some people now call their own or home. For example, some so called students of history will tell you that Christopher Columbus discovered or stumbled upon America – depending on who they heard the story from or who they choose to believe. But isn’t if funny that Christopher Columbus was an Italian who sailed a ship called The Santa Maria from a port in Span called Palos starting in 1492. Mind you, Christopher Columbus was not on this journey originally to discover America; he was in fact on the journey in search of gold, pearls, and spices. It is also important to note that what most historians now relate as stories of Christopher Columbus’ voyage are not according to Columbus himself. We know that Columbus’s original accounts of his journeys were lost and present available stories about his first journey are as written by Bartolome de las Casas in the 1530s. Anyways, Columbus had a disturbing journey and had to stop at the place now called America because he met some “naked people”, green trees, much water and variety of fruits. It does not take a prophet to understand that it is those “naked people” who kept the water clear, the trees green and the fruits flourishing. It is also not rocket science to deduce that those naked people lived in the area long before Columbus ever was burn.

We were also told that Mungo Park discovered the River Niger. Did he not meet people along the river? What did the people who he met along the river call it before he came around? Between him and Flora Shaw – Lady Lugard who was said to have named the country Nigeria – who really should have the credit for “discovering” Nigeria?

There are pockets of stories like the above about everywhere that people live. The current debate about ownership of Lagos is also an age long one. But never have the arguments been based on bigoted dreams, deluded political agitations and a muddling up of issues tantamount to throwing out the baby with the bath water. For example, some historians will tell you that the Aworis were the first people who settled in Lagos. Others say it was the Binis. Some even do not see the Aworis as a people. They would say the term Awori was only a descriptor of how Ifa guided some people from Ile Ife to where they should settle. Interestingly, and lending credence to the narrative that all are immigrants, some stories have it that the Yorubas people have come from the Arabian Peninsula. Whichever of these stories you believe, you will never find people from those now laying claims of ownership to Lagos in any of it. Again, whether you subscribe to the Awori, Bini or the Arabian version, you will always find the Yoruba fishermen and hunters as the earliest inhabitants of Lagos since around the 15th century.

But Lagosians understand why people lay claims to Lagos. Who wouldn’t love to tell stories that they own the largest economy in Nigeria and the 5^th largest in Africa? We get it that everyone wants to claim Lagos as their own. Unlike some other parts of Nigeria, Lagos and Lagosians pride themselves on the openness and the warmth with which they receive and accommodate all peoples from all places. So, we get why everyone wants to be associated with success and the success of Lagos is too attractive to be ignored. We understand why many national, states and cities governments in Africa are now copying the Lagos model on many policies of governance. We get why everyone would love to claim Lagos as their place of heritage – as you will hear people say Lagos is no-man’s land.

Although all people claim to be warm and accommodating, the influx of people from all parts of Nigeria and indeed all over the world into Lagos evidences the fact that some places are not as warm to their own people let alone strangers. Most of these people cannot go back home to wherever they have come from. Those who venture to go home would not dare spend a week before returning to Lagos. Again, we get; we understand why there are not many places like Lagos. Like London, New York, and Paris, Lagos is open to every comer. London, New York, and Paris did not become so developed and attractive except by truly welcoming to other people and their ideas and ofcourse their monies in the form of rents and taxes. Again, like London, New York, and Paris, Lagos is flourishing and prosperous because it allows everyone that comes into it to flourish and prosper by accommodating them and giving them piece, hope, love, a sense of home and a sense of belonging. So, we get it, everyone wants to claim Lagos, and this is not much of a big deal. However, what is both weird and funny at the same time is how absentmindedly some of the contemporary definitions of ownership and basis for the claims to origin are conjectured.

As noted earlier, laying claims to a place is neither surprising nor new. However, it is one thing to wish for something; it is another thing to wish for something true and achievable. Sadly, place of origin is not one of those things you wish for. Even citizenship by naturalisation hardly confers status of origin to its beneficiaries. It only confers citizenship or nationality on non-citizens on the promise that the beneficiary will respect the ideals of their new country of adoption, and even such conferment can be renounced.

If a certain segment of Nigeria finds opportunities in Lagos, this definitely does not confer on them the right to the ownership of Lagos. As Nigeria is a democracy, I subscribe to people choosing their political leaders and representatives through the ballot. As long as such representatives can commit to the ongoing better Lagos project, no worries at all. If the people of Lagos and those living in Lagos believe they need to change the narrative by changing the government, they are by all means free to do so. If that means they need to vote out a particular party and vote in another, by all means feel free. However, people who are currently dreaming of owning Lagos because they record a higher number of votes in an election need to dream a different dream. And let whoever is desirous of stepping into the shoes of governance of Lagos beware that neither the scalp of the elephant nor dàńdógó are worthy items in the hand of kids; a kid will struggle to grasp the scalp of the elephant and dàńdógó kọjá ẹ̀wù àbínúdá ― the dàńdógó is beyond what can be made on the impulse of anger.

Again, Lagos is not a political entity. Politics is only a system because the country is a democracy. Origin and politics are two separate entities. Although they meet at some points and are often complementary – especially in a democracy, one does not necessarily confer the same rights as the other. Just as being a Lagosian does not automatically give you the right to participate in the governance of Lagos, participation in governance in Lagos does not make you a Lagosian. Being a Lagosian is a right. Participation in governance is a privilege. Privileges can be lost, and a right may be suspended. However, when a man and a woman decide to wee-while-walking, the watershed experience can never be the same. Finally, such people ascribing their victory at the polls to their ownership of Lagos need to be aware and be careful because, if you do not exercise caution in seeking those who owe your father some money, you may encounter those who your father also owes some money, and they may not be nice debt collectors.

What is wrong with 1st of January?

At the risk of stating the obvious, *the 1st of January 2022 is the 28th day Jumada Al Awwal 1443 (AH).* 

I don't remember the god that is worshipped on that day but I know with every certainly that Allah made that day and every other day to be celebrated, to give Him thanks for the gift of life.

One of the problems of the world today is the newly found Muslim who begins to see Muslims as enemies of the Christians and eventually, enemies of everyone and everything else. 

Such Muslim propagandists ignore Allah's very own words and the practice of His beloved Prophet (saw). They abandoned the noble teachings of the greatest benefactor of mankind and get carried away with frivolous competition of religiocities. 

This problem is complicated by other Muslims who are too busy to study what their religion teaches and follow such propaganda and eagerly and happily share and propagate these misconceptions.

But little should we wonder. These days, events and or eventualities were long foretold. 

This is one of the many prophecies of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) about what will become of the faith when the world awaits Christ's (as) second coming.

When Muslims will forget the teachings of the glorious Qur'an and the practice of our beloved Prophet (saw) and begin to chase shadows, contesting with peoples of other faiths as though in a rat race. 

First, what is wrong with January first that is not wrong with every other day in a year?

Does the fact that some people pick a day for their god remove that day from the days that Allah has created? 

In sura Aal-e-Imran 3:190 - 191, Allah says

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَءَايَٰتٍ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ 

 *Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.* 

ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَٰطِلًا سُبْحَٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ 

 *Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.* (see also Suratul Yunus, 10:6).

Every blessed day is a day to reflect and appreciate Allah's creation (i.e. weeks, months, years including ourselves). To reflect on how our deeds (and misdeeds) are contributing to the purpose of our creation. 

Second, how do Muslims celebrate or how does Islam recommend that Muslims should treat every day, every breath that we take? 

We learn from the many traditions of our beloved Master (saw) to treat every breath, every day, every opportunity with gratitude. To say alhamdulillah always even when we do not like the situation. 

More importantly, to live through every day and approach every opportunity with caution as Allah says in sura Al-Hashr 59:18

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلْتَنظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ 

 *O you who have believed, fear Allah . And let every soul look to what it has put forth for tomorrow -  and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is well aware of what you do.* 

Most of these Muslim propagandists often cite verses like sura At-Taubah 9:36

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ ٱلشُّهُورِ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِى كِتَٰبِ ٱللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ مِنْهَآ أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلدِّينُ ٱلْقَيِّمُۚ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا۟ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْۚ وَقَٰتِلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَٰتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةًۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ 

 *Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him].* 

But these are Muslims who would celebrate birthdays like there is no tomorrow, consume alcohol everyday including on yaumul jum'ah (Friday) and do every other thing that Allah forbids even in the four sacred months, yet they forbid Muslims from celebrating January 1st; one of the days that Allah created.

 *Is this not hypocrisy?* 

And speaking of hypocrisy, one of Muslims' greatest hypocrisy surrounds birthdays.

There are Muslims who clamour for an holiday to celebrate what they call the birthday of Muhammad (saw). Other Muslims argue - and we all know - that our beloved Prophet (saw) never celebrated his own birthday. 

While the latter is correct and Muslims are advised by the Holy Prophet (saw) to avoid  innovating the religion, is it entirely wrong to rejoice on one's own birthday - and indeed every day one is alive? 

What the Holy Prophet (saw) advised is *Kairul umuri aosatuha* i.e. *the best of your deeds are those you do in moderation.* 

Finally, the gods that people dedicated calendar days to celebrate are less important as the reason why the Creator creates the day.

Again, instead of debating what gods people celebrate, we can achieve more by reflecting on what do we ourselves celebrate on which day?

Do we celebrate the creator or the created?

Do we honour the traditions of humanity's greatest benefactor Muhammad (saw) who Allah says has the best examples for us to follow? (sura Al-Ahzab, 33:21).

The one whose live examples are the most documented?

Lets face it, OK? Non-Muslims are not the enemies of Muslims. Non-Muslims may not accept Islam but that does not make us enemies or competitors.

The lives, property and belief of Non-Muslims are as sacred as ours and for them is their faith and for us is our faith.

May Allah make us lead lives that will please Him and honour His messenger Muhammad (saw), ameen.

Am I not my alma mater?

Most people like to remain connected to their alma mater. We love to keep the tales of the pains and gains and to proudly connect with those institutions that at some point were like unto us nursing mothers. Conversely, we cringe - and some even go into denial - when we learn of unbecoming developments about our former schools. Shamefully, hardly are the images of many institutions nowadays anywhere near where they were in the times past. Some are undoubtfully already in the mud, and it doesn't seem like they are coming out any time soon - at least, there doesn't seem to be efforts in that direction yet, certainly not yet. Did I say some? I bet most should have been more accurate but I guess I speak only in part because I know only in part. 

In this hurridly written piece, I engage in a conversation with myself on the subject matter of alma mater.  I am drawn in by the predominantly woeful tales coming out of most institutions these days. And although I could worry and I could pray, I'd rather dedicate those energies to not becoming part of the emerging tales of woe.

If you read reports from most institutions these days right from the primary schools to the higher educational institutions, not only are the stories getting more horrifying, most are also very badly written. Some are so badly written in terms of grammar and structure. Most are so badly written to make the story look like fake news. It reminds me of the advice you get now and then on how to detect fake alerts or fake customer care calls from your bank; when the words are wrongly spelt, when the message is badly written or when the caller is using wrong grammar etcetera. 

In spite of this seeming confusion, and sadly too, most of these stories are not fake. While this is so sad, I worry less and perhaps care less about all these things these days. In the past, I'd worry and go to work on changing the narratives. Did my worrying and working in the past change anything? Did it not take huge sacrifices for me not be changed myself? Worrying won't ever change anything; at best it gives you a headache and you lose some sleep and by the time you come of it, the story has moved further down the line of wackiness. Happily, working works but only if the energy and effort are channelled in the right direction, usually on the worker.

Won't people call me a quitter? Won't it seem as though I am giving up? Neither do I care about being seen as a quitter. Nor do I worry about being mistaken for a spineless dude. I am wise enough to know the futility of bitting the huge Iroko tree to make dew drops fall. Besides, I know from my little training in martial art that escape is a veritable form of defence. 

And I get it, most people are concerned because they feel for their alma mater becoming a ghost of its past. Without sounding as though I am preaching, isn't that what happens to everyone and everything at some point down the line? I used to be sentimental about my alma mater; I used to say "oh, look at what they are doing to my alma mater, can you imagine what they are doing to the structures and systems we built, see how the rules we lived by are getting thrown away and the things we valued dragged in the mud". However, when I reflect on the true meaning of the phrase alma mater, I stopped worrying. 

Alma mater is a Latin phrase that roughly translates as "nourishing mother", "nursing mother", or "fostering mother". Is not what mothers do is to raise the children and then set them free? Even where the children carry the mother's brand, do the children not live for and represent their own personalities? I know children whose mothers died or became different people but who (the children) did not lose their heads? Wait, actually, not only do I know people like this, I have actually interacted (and still interacting) with many of such wonderful people on my journey. If these interactions teach me anything, that will be the fact that clean meals do come out of a black pot without the colour of the pot reflecting on the content of what it produces. 

And talking about alma mater, is what we call alma mater not only a set of buildings and people? Do buildings not grow old and lose their glow with some getting rebuilt and many others abandoned? Do people too not always come and go with some remembered and others forgotten?  What if the institution ceases to exist, will I stop existing or will I lose my head? What if the institution is relocated, will I relocate the ideals that it taught me? 

If all these questions are relevant and if what will never go is the person I am because of the knowledge and skills I obtained from the institution, then am I not my alma mater?

The answer to these questions is I am my alma mater. I carry the nurturing that my former institution gave me. I represent the brand that my alma mater represents. And as long as I do not let my knowledge and skills become corrupt, as long as I do not become corrupt, then my alma mater is intact in all its glories and grandeur.

I am neither preaching complacency nor do I mean to discourage people from exploring ways of addressing anti-social developments and attempting to seek interventions that can bring back lost glories. Rather, I am advocating a more realistic approach to how we see and relate with sentiments around alma mater. 

I am envisioning dedicating less energy to rescuing our boat that is sinking because it has a hole in it. I am advocating focusing more of our energies on not drowning with our sinking boat. I am advocating taking the lessons we learnt from our encounters with the sinking boat to make sure we do not become boats with holes too so that we ourselves do not sink. That is what I will do, and I shall not cease to do. I am my alma mater and it is up to me to keep its glories alive and its flag flying high. Like me, you are your alma mater. And if everyone sees themselves in this light even those putting holes in the boat will divert their energies to keeping the boat afloat. Keeping the boat afloat is important for at least two reasons: one we get to keep the boat and two, we get to travel safely. Keeping the boat and travelling safely means we can make plans for what happens when we arrive. And when we arrive, we can all get to work to nurture the mothers that nurtured us when we knew only but little.

Alhaji Abdul Waheed Aina_The Jewels in his crown

Burial celebration takes different forms and turns in different parts of the world. In some, it is a call for sombre reflection, and in others, burial is a call for huge celebrations. Whereas some celebrations take a low-key scale, others go unending, literally speaking. Prolonged celebrations are more common for a departed soul that is blessed with successful offspring. The burial announcements for such individuals would describe them as having led “a life well-spent”. A common denominator that qualifies one for having led a well-spent life – as in the above example – is usually the display of wealth and affluence by the children of the deceased during his burial. This is popular and mostly extolled in some climes. However, this is not the only true story.

Equally valid and equally well extolled in the hearts of the God-conscious are the somewhat more sombre passing of heroes and truly successful individuals like Alhaji Abdul Waheed Aina, who departed this world on the 25th August 2021. His is truly a story of a life well spent. I have no plans to go into his many awe-inspiring life stories that I have the direct privilege of the experience. Staying with the theme of leading a life well spent, I shall only focus on how he has indeed led a well-spent life and hoping that this inspires someone to show some love to the girl child. I shall focus on the beautiful teachings of our beloved master Muhammad (saw). According to several narrations, a man to whom a girl child is born and supports the child to maturity has lived a well-spent life. According to the Holy Prophet (saw), such an individual has earned for himself a guaranteed lofty place in paradise. This submission is apt and timely – I hope – at a time when certain misdemeanours are fuelling misconceptions around the world about how Islam defines and treats female folks.

I am constantly wondering – I bet you are too – about how anyone who treats any life with reckless abandon, relegates fellow beings and throws the basic rule of love for others in the bin can claim to be Islamic? But, of course, we know that the only thing Islamic about these behaviours is in the naming, which, unfortunately, is mostly a matter of convenience. Convenient for the actors on stage and the playwright because it distracts the audience from the actual narratives, which are in the duo’s best interests to remain obscured. Convenient for the audience, too, because they would instead prefer that blue pill over the red one that will set them on a journey of discoveries – which may remove a blindfold they would rather keep on. What is more, it fits into ongoing narratives that tag anything that comes from specific sectors of society Islamic especially when it sells the story better, faster. What can be more convenient than calling a dog a bad name, especially when the goal is to get rid of it? However, this is not the focus here, now.

To the informed, the Holy Prophet of Islam – Muhammad (saw) remains the only individual who has committed more than anyone else in the history of humankind to the cause of liberating women and the girl children. All students of history know that in the 7th century, (Arab) women hardly had any right, including the right to life. Muhammad (saw) made it his life goal to establish women’s equality to men before God. He championed women’s rights, including the right to own property (against being owned as property), right to inheritance, marriage rights, and the right to choose the terms of a marriage proposal and even to initiate divorce. However, again, this is not the focus here, now.

The focus is on how upholding the rights of female folks and particularly respecting and protecting the girl child's honour, and dignity is a valid testimony of leading a life well spent. There are indeed many narrations on the Holy Prophet’s (saw) beautiful teachings on respecting and protecting the dignity of the girl child. Among the most popular ones are those by (1) Abdullah ibn Abbas, (2) Jabir ibn Abdullah, (3) Aisha, (4) Uqbah ibn Aamir and (5) Anas (may Allah be pleased with them all). In the narration, according to Abdullah ibn Abbas, for instance, anyone who has a single female child and does not bury her alive (as is the tradition of the Arabs before Islam), nor slight her will be admitted into paradise. The number of female children that qualifies one for this lofty place ranges from one, as seen in the above narration by Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra), to two, as narrated by Aisha (ra) and Anas (ra) and three according to Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) and Uqbah ibn Aamir (ra).

In all these narrations, showing love to the girl child and raising her and inculcating in her piety and socially acceptable behaviour is a valid testimony of having led a well-spent life. What is more, doing such qualifies one for a lofty place – in one of the narrations – close to the Holy Prophet (saw) like the index finger is close to the middle finger.

The eye that will serve its owner till old age will most likely not ooze built-up oil and mucus in infancy. A valid testimony of a well-spent life can be seen in riches and the affluence of one’s offspring. Similarly, a man who has led a well-spent life can be recognised in the number of jewels in his crown. Alhaji Abdul Waheed Aina is a man who led a well-spent life. Going by the earlier narrations, he – with the support of a loving and caring wife – successfully raised six daughters who are worthy jewels in his crown today. For those who are keeping count, six is two in three places. They have raised six pious, well-educated, successful, well-mannered, socially well-adjusted jewels of inestimable values who are presently leading industries and contributing positive change and serving humanity in various spheres of endeavour.

Furthermore, drawing from the same spring and wisdom vouchsafed to them by their parents, these six jewels are raising pro-social and pious children in their respective families. By loving and raising these six daughters, Alhaji Abdul Waheed and his ever-supportive, pious, and loving wife have built for themselves crowns that are not only of immense temporal values; they have polished jewels that will beautify their crowns and be the keys to their lofty stations in paradise. Even equally important, these jewels will shine bright in long and fruitful lives. They will expand their parents’ territories by raising equally priceless jewels that will adorn their respective parents' crowns even till eternity.

While dedicating this piece to Alhaji Abdul Waheed Aina and all lovers of the girl child, it is hoped that the piece will be a wake-up call to all those who have been fortunate enough to be blessed with daughters to appreciate how immensely blessed and fortunate they are and go to work on the path to attaining the best of both worlds.

I pray that the soul departed rest in bliss, and may the jewels that he has polished continue to shine, to continue to adorn his crown and continue to beam their light on the path of others. Blessed indeed is the end of the faithful.

Abayomi Ibrahim Motajo,

Father, lover of the girl child

Today cannot be women's day

Someone cracked an expensive joke that today is women's day

Very expensive and though I can afford it, I decline to pay 

For those who know, today cannot be women's day

Women's day is every day and every day is women's day

Celebrating the women in our lives should happen every day

So that the prices they pay do not become needles in stacks of hay

Mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, these are not just some random nouns

In truth, they're worth more than the jewels in our crowns

Precious treasures deserving to be abundantly treasured

Far above their sacrifices often unfittingly measured

Every day and in every way, make every day women's day

The debt that's death

Today, I write about debt, that we all owe
And will pay for, with what we sow

A pledge we all sign
A fate to which, all will resign

Today I write about a reality
About which there will be every clarity

About what we all will become
When the time has come

I write about the very travel
That will end all trouble

A journey we know not its form
Neither means, nor our embarking platform

But will invoke eternal silence
That will (or not) make sense

Alone, in a quiet cave
Dreaded, even by the brave

Today I write about death
Death, yes, the very death

The same death that we fear
But that will come whether or not we care

Death that today, took away my brother
My beloved, hero, a brother like a father

But today, I dare not mourn
In apparels torn and worn

Nor dare I relent
Nor my frustration openly vent

Today I pray with lots of hope
That you receive divine pardon and the grace to cope

Today I reminiscent
In every moment, that we together spent

Today I ponder
But not about why, do I wonder

My pondering is about how
I might be worthy of the plough

That you left afield
And how I may sustain the yield

I will miss your brotherliness
Your, admonitions and kindness

And I will strive, by His grace, not to become
Anything less worthy, till my own time shall come

Good night, my brother
Abdul Kareem

COVID-19: What is government hiding by asking people to stay at home?

I’m sure we're all overwhelmed with the volume of news especially in the other media these days of an unprecedented outbreak. I guess, and as someone also observed, the real problem is neither the virus itself nor the loads of information that get dumped on us. The real problem that is by far bigger than the virus itself is the “viral loads” of fake news or wrong information that go viral across social media platforms as well commissioned and non-commissioned news mongers. Equally menacing like the menace of fake news is the hysteria about updates. It is shocking how much people want to be the first to share updates on the number of deaths or numbers of new cases!.  I can’t help wondering how badly people must really need to know so much, so fast to warrant such speed and dedication to announcing the numbers of deaths! I suppose however that we will not be so eager to break the news if it happens close to home – I dare say.

Someone recently said that if you do not work in the mortuary, keeping count of COVID-19 deaths may not be good for mental health reasons. I quite agree with this opinion and this is why, and this can be verified; the human mind is created to rejoice about good news and sorrow over bad news or not too pleasant news. In order to enliven our spirits and increase our level of happiness and immunity in these trying and gloomy times, it makes sense that we pay less attention to the number of deaths and more attention to more positive things like the fact that we are alive and seize every opportunity to seek happy, joyous and spirit lifting news. It is a known fact that engaging in any form of exercise (physical or mental) or simply taking enough rest or sleep and eating good healthy meals can improve immunity and happiness especially at times like this. Above all, we have been advised that the simplest inexpensive route out of this situation continue to be the need to keep proper hygiene and stay away from crowds.

You may wonder how despite the size of the problem, all we get as advice is “wash your hand”, “maintain social distancing” “stay at home”. A truth that I learnt recently is that these suggestions only appear simply when you look at them on the surface; when you see this pandemic are their problem, when the mishap is yet far from home. There is more to these things than washing hands, keeping away or staying at home. These seemingly simple suggestions are in fact golden when you pay attention to how this virus spreads. Although happily, there are no evidence that it can stay in the air for long enough to be air borne, interestingly but not funny, a few droplets of nasal discharge from sneezing or coughing from an infected person that get onto most surfaces can wreak havoc.

Again, one of the dangers in the way the new virus spreads is from people who may have contracted the virus but do not yet show symptoms. So, for example, Mr A has the virus but feels he is alright, so he took the bus or went to the office or a public event or place. He sneezes or coughs into his hands and use the hand to touch surfaces around him. The chances are high that other people will touch the same surfaces that Mr A touched and from then on, they also become infected and as many surfaces as they touch and as many people after them that touch those surfaces are your guesses as to how many people can get the virus through a single person. Still on the issue of symptoms, an infected person without symptoms (at all or yet) is more lethal than a person who has already come down with the sickness. This is why, if we all see a person coughing or sneezing unusually, we will most likely take cover and avoid contact. If, however a person showing no such signs comes round, our interactions will mostly be business as usual. So, in case you are still having trouble pinpointing how all the numerous cases in the most affected countries happen, consider the possibilities that these simple everyday practices can invoke.

Without sounding like an alarmist, – which I am not – and I kid you not, it turns out that the worst is yet to come. According to verifiable facts, before this is over, cases of infections and death from the virus has to peak globally and, i.e. it has to reach a maximum number of cases and then start dropping. For example, experts are describing peaking and dropping in this context like a normal curve (as shown in the image below). In most places unfortunately, the peak is still a long shot away, or we hope not.

To better understand the gravity, consider the fact for instance that, every new case that is discovered today happened about 14 days previously. It means, before a person really start showing symptoms, he may have already unwittingly and unwillingly spread the infection and the more people that are yet to show symptoms, the more the spread. 

It also turns out that asking people to stay at home is actually government's strategy of hiding the fact that they are neither able nor prepared to adequately deal with this pandemic, not now, not in the nearest future. So as usual, government is taking care of its business. Saving cost, saving resources, keeping things simple. It also turns out however that this is not only in the government's interest. 

To clarify, let us do a simple analysis here. We know that people getting sick from the virus are infecting friends and family members, colleagues, complete strangers and perhapd the most vulnerable are health practitioners. Let us consider the case of health practitioners. Health practitioners and all first responders all over the world are getting infected, sick and (can) also die from the infections. It can actually be hypothesised that the ones really at risk are these responders. Going by some other verifiable facts, most facilities are running out of supplies and a good number of responders have either called in sick or become infected and died. So, if governments are advising that we stay at home so that we do not escalate the current situation, maybe they are protecting their medical workforce by trying to reduce pressure on these individuals and reduce exposing them to more risk. We can equally ask: is the frenzy about saving gloves and face masks, is it about saving the doctors and nurses and responders or is it about not biting the fingers that feed us? We can engage in an endless debate about the why or what or who staying at home will help or we may ponder over the fact that all those governments that sing war songs and claim to be ready for the worst are apparently not really for anything, they have no adequate resources to handle a massive outbreaks anywhere not even in the UK or US. Ultimately, it turns out that asking people to stay at home and not spread the infection further is in the interest of everyone and beyond saving resources, government may also be saving lives.

I'm sure you're thinking: what about China? Did China not deal with it recently? Well, wait for this: no country has what China has and only a handful of countries can do what China did without serious repercussions. I’m sure you will have heard of the conspiracy around China’s claims. As such it is neither the correctness nor the wrongness of these claims nor the pound a penny conspiracies that I worry about. What I seek to do is to simply ask: if your elder brother or the super hero who you brought to beat a person that bullied you is advising you to forgive your bully and go home, do you think you need a better or safer advise?

Back to the Chinese and the Chinese government’s uniqueness and how. Not only does China have the largest population, Chinese laws also allow the Chinese government to monitor almost every activity of almost all living things in China any time, any day. Chinese government also collect and use data about every citizen including their biodata, phone details, social media presence, moment by moment movement, shopping history, medical conditions and, in fact everything (except may be in the case of a few privacy that upholds human dignity).

Going by popular narratives about China, the Chinese government knows who every Chinese citizen is and who the inhabitants are; the government know who people relate with, where people are and most likely what they do where they do it. And like most of your banks do on your birthday or how complete strangers on social media send you random birthday greetings, government can send text messages to people's phone in China when the need arises.

For instance, if Mr Chi Peng leaves home by 8:00am, his building’s CCTV and security system will show that he has gone out, the government has this data. If he took a taxi by 8:15am and got off by 8:45am at his office and pays by card or an app on his phone (which is encouraged if not enforced in China), the government knows where he went and how much he spent. With this just two simple activities, the government has terabyte of data about and around Mr Peng. They know he touched the lift's call button (& how many other people touched it before & after him). They know if he sneezed or coughed in the lift and again, how many people used the lift before and after his sneeze or cough; how many of them sneezed or coughed before or are coughing now? The same is true about the taxi he took; who the driver was and who used the taxi before and after him and so on.

Now, imagine if Mr Peng or any other person who used the lift or the same taxi before and after him tested positive to COVID-19, the government knows their current locations, who they have also been in contact with and so on. They can simply send them text messages of what to do, where to go or to stay in a safe place till they are safely taken up for treatment or isolation etcetera.

Do you still wonder how they can claim to have handled the pandemic regardless of the conspiracies? Now, imagine the country where you currently live, what laws, data sharing, and citizens’ monitoring systems and infrastructures are available and are allowed by human rights legislations in your country? Now compare that to the Chinese. How close or should I rather ask, how far? I bet it is nowhere close but far apart. So, do we still think staying at home is only in government's interest?

Like you may also have heard, there are so many conspiracy theories about why we're being asked to stay at home including the most ambitious one (in my view) about 5G launch. Even with that, and if your answer to the above questions is yes, we'll if I were you, I think I'll think again. Here's why; consider this scenario. Daddy and mummy left home and leave no food for the kids. The kids therefore sneaked out to get some mangoes from trees nearby. If a child falls from a tree and sustains fracture or dislocation, the parents will run around to get him treated, if they are caring. But who suffers the pain while the treatment lasts? Who will struggle with coping with orthopaedic casts and the physiotherapeutic sessions afterwards? Then what about the scar or the limp that the wound leaves behind even if it heals completely? Now what if the child's parents are not caring or are unable to help or have some other priorities? Would the child not have been better off not having the injury?

If the governments who pledged and promised to take care of us in any outbreak is hiding their unpreparedness to handle this pandemic and are now asking us to stay safe at home, doesn't that tell us something? 

I know again that we wonder what we will eat, how do we sustain life at home with limited to no provisions and other conditions that may not make saying at home easy. I know this puts a lot of people between the rock and a hard place. Yet again, I ask how would you prefer the story: as told by you or about you?

Someone also asked recently if the issues that may make staying at home only just started? If you complain that there is no food at home or there is no energy supply to keep yourselves entertained, did those conditions just start? I know just as you know that there are people in Italy and Spain who now wish they'd stayed at home or would have wished to stay at home if they could turn back the hands of time, if only they could.

In my honest opinion and in the verifiable facts available about this pandemic, the more we stay away from contagion, the shorter our stay will be; the more we take personal hygiene serious, the cleaner we will be and the more we stay at home now the shorter we will need to stay. Once those that may have contracted the virus stay at home, the nature of a healthy body is that it will fight the virus. The very many stories of immunisation – especially by inoculation – ought to have taugh us this. When people are immunised or inoculated, what is happening is that they are actually being given a form of the virus or diseases so as to ‘teach’ their bodies to recognise and fight the virus or disease by itself.

While I am not advocating that we get the virus and wait for our bodies to fight back, I am imagining how much lives, time are scarce resources we will save if we heed good advice in time and stay away from crowds and stop the chain of infection that will happen if people continue to mingle as usual. As ealier hinted at, the longer we take to heed and the more people continue business as usual, the longer we will have to stay, the only unfortunate difference at that time will be we will truly be willing to stay but it may come at a higher cost. The wise they say learn from the examples of others.

Like you, I hope this is over sooner than hoped and pray that we are rightly guided in our best interests and in the interest of humanity.