Abba Kyari and the rest of us

By Olalekan Osiade

At first, they shrouded his health status in secrecy. For many days, it was a matter for hush tone discussions, and because of the delay in owing up, he carried on as if all was well, thereby infecting others.

When the bubble burst, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) kept saying a ‘presidential aide’, refusing to mention the name of the once most powerful man after President Buhari.

Even after owning up, and said he was moving to Lagos, they kept the venue of his treatment under wraps.

We knew it was a private hospital yet, the SGF Boss Mustapha and the Minister of Health, Dr Ehanire, said no private hospital had been accredited to treat coronavirus and that there would be sanctions on erring hospitals.

They said the Federal Government will shut such hospitals because they put their lives and those of their visitors at risk.But Kyari was attended to, in a private hospital. Who queried that?

Now, reports say he was allegedly treated at First Cardiology Consultant Hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos.

If truly he died in that hospital after being hospitalised for days, couldn’t he have put the management and staff of the medical establishment at risk?

Who are the owners of the hospital? Why did they disobey the rules of government and their professional ethics?

Why wasn’t Kyari referred to an accredited isolation centre?  What should happen to the management of the hospital? Who are the doctors, nurses and other care givers involved in his secret treatment at that hospital?

Have they flouted any law? How about their own safety and that of their families?

Couldn’t they have been infected with the disease? Shouldn’t the staff of the hospital be isolated or quarantined immediately?

Isn’t it possible that the virus has spread through some of the staff to their families and by extension, to Ikoyi and other Lagos environs? Only God knows how many people are infected now by this unnecessary secrecy and unintelligent show of power.

Do we even know how many people that are still hiding their status or the uncountable folks walking dead because they have refused to submit themselves to the test?

Honestly, I believe we have more cases than being reported by the NCDC at this time.

Now that cases are rising and spreading to other areas through community contacts, wouldn’t Buhari be justified if he extends the lockdown beyond the FCT, Lagos and Ogun?

How more difficult will contact tracing be, in places like Lagos and Kano, in view of the foolishness of some people. Even if you would be stigmatised, isn’t it devilish and ungodly to put the rest of the masses at risk with your unholy falsehood?

There are two rules in my country; one for the poor, you can guess who the other rules are meant for.  Buhari, SGF Boss Mustapha, Lai Mohammed and other members of the PTF are culpable in the event of the spread of this virus, if arising from Kyari’s treatment.  There are still many Abba Kyaris out there, in the corridors of power and elsewhere, killing the rest of us slowly.

In his last days, before leaving this sinful world, Kyari has obviously done us harms but Islam forbids me to speak ill of the dead, because we shall all pass through that route someday to our final destination in the hereafter. So, I will rather pray that God should please not record this against Abba Kyari.

The Almighty Allah should please count his good deeds, forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus.  May God also comfort his family and friends and give them the strength to bear their loss.  Ina lillahi waina ilehi rajiun (From God we came, to Him we shall return).

Osiade, an Assistant Editor with New Telegraph Newspaper wrote in from Lagos.