Lockdown: Nigerians should trust science not fiction, Presidency replies Soyinka

By Egena Sunday Ode, Abuja

The Presidency on Wednesday said Nigerians should trust science rather than fiction, as the nation continues its fight to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The admonition is a direct reply to the criticisms by the Nobel Laurete, Prof. Woke Soyinka who had raised issues over the declaration of curfew in Lagos and Ogun states as well a the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Soyinka said  the nation was not at war to have warranted the Presidential order on total lockdown in any part of the country.

But in a statement on  Wednesday, the Presidency Spokesman, Garba Shehu argued that medical experts across the world who should know better had appropriately described the pandemic as war.

Accordingly, Shehu said the government and people of Nigeria would rather listen to medical experts’ advise in the fight against the spread of the deadly virus, adding that a lockdown as proclaimed by President Muhammadu Buhari in a national broadcast on Sunday was not out of place.

Shehu wrote: “Yesterday, the esteemed Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka made comments on the legal status and description of 14-day lockdown announced by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Professor Soyinka is not a medical professor. His qualifications are in English literature, and his prizes are for writing books and plays for theatres. He is of course entitled to his opinions – but that is exactly all they are: semantics, not science. They cannot – and should not – therefore be judged as professional expertise in this matter in any shape or form.

“Across the world – from parts of the United States and China, to countries including the United Kingdom and France, government – mandated lockdowns are in place to slow and defeat the spread of coronavirus. All have been declared, and all have been made necessary, based on medical and scientific evidence. The guidance of the Nigerian Government’s medical specialists is to advise the same.

“Professor Soyinka has also declared, doubtless based on his specialism as a playwright, that: 

“We are not in a war emergency’’.

Eminent scientists say otherwise:

“Dr Richard Hatchett, Head of the International Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (and former Director of the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) has said, ‘War is an appropriate analogy’.

“Professor Anthony Fauci, Director of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force has said of the battle against the pandemic: ‘It’s almost like the fog of war’.

“As for the legality of the lock down, the Government of Nigeria’s primary duty in law and action is the defence of the people of Nigeria. We face a global pandemic. Nigeria is now affected. The scientific and medical guidance the world over is clear: the way to defeat the virus is to halt its spread through limitation of movement of people.

“Perhaps Wole Soyinka may write a play on the coronavirus pandemic, after this emergency is over. In the meantime, we ask the people of Nigeria to trust the words of our doctors and scientists – and not fiction writers – at this time of national crisis.’’