KWARA COVID -19 INDEX AND FIRST DEATH CASES; OFFA DESERVES APOLOGY
10th May, 2020
By: S A Lukman#AIG (Comr)
It was a trending news nationwide on the 3rd day of April, 2020 when one illustrious son of Offa Kingdom by name Alh Obanimomon who recently returned from UK with his wife and died at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital UITH of suspected food poison according to his Personal Doctor diagnosis and his remain was taken for burial according to islamic rite at his residence in Offa the next day.
The kwara State Government made a press release after some rumor filtered that the deceased died of Covid-19 and his personal Doctor and bossom friend *PROF. KAZIM ALAKIJA* a senior Professor of Medicine, Indegene of Offa also and Staff of UITH was alledged of unprofessional conduct, concession of traveling history of decesed to health workers at emergency unit of UITH, Rush to burial among other allegations levied against the erudite Prof which was all explained in his leaked response to disciplinary Committee setup to investigate the matter on 17th April 2020.
The State Government in that very release did not protect the image of *Offa* Community as it was boldly written and mention that the body of decesed had been taken for burial at *OFFA* .
On the 7th of April, State Goverment in another press released confirmed that the wife of the decesed and one other person as index Covid-19 cases according to NCDC test result from some sample collected and mention again *Offa* Community specifically and announce immediate *fumigation* of the community as location of the index case.
The state Governmenor also recommended immediate suspension of *Offa Born Professor Kasim Alakija,* A professor of medicine on alledge complexity in the handling of the case and hurry internment of the decesed as against the purported directive of stay of action until sample taken from the decesed.
On the same day, 7th April, 2020. the Kwara State Technical Committee on Covid-19 Response headed by Mr Kayode Alabi, the deputy Governor of Kwara State announced immediate lockdown of Offa for two weeks to contain the spread of the virus in a false suppose epicenter of kwara. This put *OFFA* community in the news negatively as well stigmatise her people as vulnerable and suspected Carier of the virus National wide.
To the glory of God, the wife of the decesed tested negative within 10 days in isolation center after the first positive test announced as index case, all medical personnel of UITH that had contact with the decesed also tested negative which practically affirmed no Covid-19 case from *Offa* from the inception but the damage to *Offa* Community image and unnecessary stigmatisation remains.
It's so disappointing that similar incident was recorded yesterday 9th May, 2020 in kwara state over the first Covid-19 death and *diplomacy* was deployed, *image protection* was activated and no *sanction* was recommended for those persive to be responsible for the complexity.
In as much, I won't condem the diplomacy and maturity deployed by state government on this 1st Covid-19 death case, its important the state government apologise to *Offa* Community and her people for messing up their name and more importantly to Prof Kasim Alakija the state recommended for suspension over similar occurrence.
A suspected Covid-19 case in government custody as declared by Government Press Release yesterday died before arrival of test result from NCDC test center and body had been relesed for burial ? *Wonderful!!*
Where is the decesed case from ? (Local Govt Area Location in kwara State)
Who order release of the Corpse for burial ?
Why is no one recommended for sanction for this hurried Interment against Govt instruction and Protocol ?
Why is the LG in which the decesed was taken for burial not mentioned and declare for full lock down immediately since the state is no longer under Lockdown but inter LG travel restriction to contain the spread in that same LG like we had during Offa manufactured Case Saga
In as much as kwara state government may wish not to answer the above questions for reasons best known to them, the Government must *dissolve and reconstitute* the incompetent State Covid-19 Technical Committee headed by Mr Kayode Alabi For Negligence, *Apologise* to OFFA people and *Prof Kasim Alakija* except the State Government comes forward to mentions names and recommends sanction for the those involved including Medical Officers in the hurried relesed the Corpse for burial before test result arrival.
I don't want to conclude that it's a conspiracy against the good people of *Offa* and Offa community by some elites in corridor of state power who envy the stock of personalities, erudite scholars, influencial Political/Ecomical Sound Minds that defines the good people of *Offa* accross all works of life.
Or a deliberate act and calculated setup attempt to rubbish the personality of *Prof Kasim Alakija* over the Game of Next UNITH CMD Throne.
While waiting, I am optimistic the state government with correct this impressions by apologising to *Offa* Community and *Prof Alakija immediately.*
S A Lukman #AIG (Comr)
Concern Citizen
From Offa LG Area Kwara State.
That is the irony of Kwara state government against offa
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