…Decries the breaking of law and order at Abba Kyari’s obsequies
DELTA-A seasoned clergyman, Archbishop Dr. Roland O. Adigbo JP, the Archminister and General Overseer of St. Lazarus Christ Church New Bethel Int’l. Inc, a denomination domicile in Delta Central, has heavily cautioned the Federal Government of Nigeria to shun sectionalism in it’s implementation of the quarantine laws and expressed dissatisfaction over the manner at which it carried out implementation policy of the quarantine laws at the funeral of the late Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari.
The super clergy made this known in an official publication signed by him on his Social Media outlet on Wednesday, the statement read as below;
“COVID-19 LAWS AND ABBA KYARI’S BURIAL – FOOD FOR THOUGHT
It is quite unfortunate to say that, the novel Corona virus has claimed the life of a prominent personality in our dear country such as the Chief Of Staff to Mr President- Malam Abba Kyari whose death occurred on Friday 17th April 2020.While I commiserate with Kyari’s immediate family, political associates, friends and well wishers and of course the Federal Government of Nigeria especially the President, But as a matter of fact, Abba Kyari’s death was a big blow to the entire country because, being a man that is versatile in administrative experience, his services would have been very helpful in fighting the covid-19 but it is so painful that we have lost him at this critical time. But however, there are certain things about his burial which has drawn my attention and the concerns of many other Nigerians which needs to be considered.
- Abba Kyari’s Funerals – A Breach To The Covid-19 Laws.
In order to prevent and curtail the effects of the covid-19 pandemic, the Federal Government has locked down several States in the country, thereby imposing restrictions on social gatherings including worship centers, funerals , marriage ceremonies, etc. But it is absolutely disheartening to note that; all these laws were not kept during the funerals of Abba Kyari, as the burial venue was filled up with multitude of people without wearing face masks and gloves, thereby breaching the social distancing laws as shown in the pictures below.
- Abba Kyari’s Funerals- A Boost To Sectionalism In Nigeria.
According to a publication by The Punchng.com on the 3rd of April 2020, the Minister of Culture and Information Lai Mohammed stated that ” Bodies of Covid-19 victims can’t be claimed for burial”
As in Conformity with the above statement, before the sad event of Abba Kyari’s death, as at 10:30pm Friday 17th April 2020, Seventeen (17) deaths precisely has been recorded to have been caused by the Corona virus accross the nation as announced by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), without any formal burial rites observed for them, not even their corpse were seen by the public, not to talk of how and where they were buried. But it is surprisingly shocking to see that Abba Kyari whose death was even one of the most recent was given a full fledged burial as against the statement of the Minister of information and also against the law of social distancing and public gathering restrictions. I’m now left with these questions, is Abba Kyari more human than the rest covid-19 victims, are Nigeria laws made for only ruled, are government officials exempted from being under the laws? It is said that; what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
- A Great Docking To The Supremacy Of This Great Nation.
When laws are violated by those who made them, the supremacy of such laws can no longer be guaranteed in any given situation, and at such, for the burial rites of the chief of staff to the president to have been fully observed in the Federal Capital Territory- Abuja is enough to tell of how far the supremacy of Nigeria laws has been abriged particularly the covid-19 Acts.
Imposition of the quarantine law is it for only the poor? We were locked up in our homes for an additional two weeks rounding it up to a month of being indoors without any sustainable palliatives from the Government, thereby subjecting people to hunger knowing well that most of the people survives by daily menial jobs and yet one man’s burial threw the laws to the dust bin. It is a pity.
- Abba Kyari’s Funerals- A Threat To Nigerians Health.
It would have been better if those who attended the burial were placed on self isolation in government designated places but instead they were rather left to go back to the society after having unprotected contact with Abba Kyari’s corpse , thereby making the society more vulnerable to contracting the virus.
According to the statistical reports by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control the total number of confirmed covid-19 indexes accross the nation as at the time of Kyari’s burial was Four Hundred and Ninety-Three (493) and as at today the to total number of confirmed indexes has increased to seven hundred and eighty-two (782), which means the total number of two hundred and eighty-nine (289) was recorded within the last four days after the burial of Abba Kyari, which is the highest that has been recorded within the shortest period of time since the outbreak of the virus in Nigeria and that is no doubt a reflection of the effects of the funerals of Abba Kyari.
Come to think of it , if Abba Kyari died at arguably ripe age of 81, does it mean it should attract more death to Nigeria? Because this appears to be a deliberate means of sharing the virus because ‘one cannot be trying to quench a fire with a gallon of petrol in his/her hand.
- God Is The God Of Justice And Thus Despises Partiality.
The celebration of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Easter) which is the Apex Christian celebration and several other Christian programmes were truncated by the order of the Government and the entire Christian body obeyed, why then was the law of social distancing and prohibition of public gathering pushed aside during Kyari’s burial? Does it mean his funerals is more important than the entire Christian community?
In as much as God treats everyone equally without partiality,our leaders ought to be impartial too by treating everyone with fairness and equity irrespective of political affiliation, religious beliefs, tribal differences and inter-ethnic rivalry.
I want to conclude by saying that this article is not in an way aimed at committing treason against the government but to seek their attention towards the above issues and also their consequent corrective measures. I want to however, commend the efforts of Government at all levels and also applaud Nigerians for their compliance with the covid-19 guidelines and laws so far since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic and also enjoin all and sundry to take preventive measures and work harder even as we combat the virus in our various capacities and keep faith and pray to God to heal our land from this pandemic.
God Bless Nigeria.” The Archbishop concluded.
