Coping in the age of COVID-19

(Link on Daily Trust site)

Since the outbreak of the ravaging COVID-19 (otherwise known as coronavirus) pandemic, observers have been identifying interesting instances of man’s vulnerability and the inherent limits of his capabilities in the face of overwhelming circumstances. 

Until recently, many people had been apparently under the assumption that with the level of sophistication in scientific discoveries, technological advancement, and economic development that man has achieved, and the rate at which he is still advancing in this regard, there would hardly be any circumstances, at least in the foreseeable future, that could force him to stay home in pursuit of mere survival abandoning the world’s economic engine to practically grind to a halt. 

For instance, no one, including celebrated analysts, scientists and experts in strategic analyses, appeared to have the slightest clue about the looming shutdown of, say, the world’s financial powerhouse of the ever-busy Wall Street in New York in the United States; as no one seemed to have the least suspicion about the impending halt of, say, the machinery of the world’s manufacturing powerhouse of Shanghai in China. 

As, literally, the world’s financial and manufacturing engines respectively, the lockdown of these two cities, in particular, symbolizes the interruption of the world’s economic engine given their sheer influence on the other major financial and manufacturing hubs in Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

Besides, though some financial markets are transacting businesses online, the persistence of the current situation, which by implication means the continued shutdown of the real economy will definitely disrupt what remains of their online operations as well given the inherent interdependence between the real economy and the financial economy. This equally applies to the work-from-home system that many organizations in both public and private sectors around the world have resorted to. 

Likewise, with basically the same COVID-19 preventive and control measures in force across the world, albeit to various extents depending from one country to another, corporate and individual routines and schedules have been disrupted. In many countries only absolutely indispensable service delivery and production sectors operate, yet still, under strict restrictions. Also, school children have since adjusted to taking regular lessons from home through live Internet-based transmission, which, in the UAE and probably many other countries will continue for the rest of the current academic year. 

Also, while the world desperately awaits the availability of the COVID-19 medication and vaccine, thousands are dying as the world literally looks on helplessly. Figures of confirmed cases have already exceeded two million and are still growing in scary proportions. Updates on the vaccine development are so far not encouraging considering the time projected for its availability. 

Besides, the growing systematic evacuations by many countries of their respective citizens based or stranded in other countries including countries with excellent healthcare facilities is a tacit indication that the pandemic may last longer than expected, and that the situation is perhaps actually worse than what governments around the world and relevant international organizations are revealing.   

In any case, everybody, including those enjoying the best living conditions with access to the best healthcare services, is currently living with the nightmare of being infected. Perhaps, only the conspiracy theorists living in denial of the existence of the virus, or who are under the illusion of being somehow immune to it, take their safety for granted. This explains their attitudes towards the recommended preventive measures, which they recklessly ignore and indeed flout with disdain.   

Meanwhile, people the world over are increasingly worried over the long-term impact of the pandemic on their livelihoods. After all, jobs are already being lost right, left, and centre as businesses struggle to survive. Though governments around the world are introducing economic palliatives to mitigate the plight of particularly the most vulnerable among their respective citizens, proactive governments are already preparing to tackle the looming economic crisis, as economic analysts warn of a serious global recession and possibly depression. 

Obviously, poor and poorly managed countries would still remain the worst-hit, for they have always been on the edge and indeed on the receiving end of the dynamics of global economic policies and politics. By the way, this isn’t due to any particular conspiracy against them as some people often insinuate. It’s, instead, the logical consequence of the failure of their respective leaders to live up to their respective responsibilities. 

Nigeria clearly represents a typical instance in this regard. And its already struggling oil-dependent economy has been exposed to further threats by both the COVID-19 pandemic-triggered global economic difficulties and the crash of oil prices in international markets. Though the prices have begun to stabilize following the recent OPEC+Russia agreement, the impending global economic decline as a result of the pandemic would definitely affect the crude oil demand in international markets, which would keep the prices low. 

Yet, the authorities never seem worried enough despite repeated warnings the recent of which is from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which effectively warns that Nigeria is facing the worst economic recession in thirty years. Instead, the looming economic crisis in the country is overshadowed by the controversy over the existence or otherwise of the COVID-19 virus, the controversy over the mechanisms of sharing economic palliatives, and the corruption allegations surrounding it.  

Now, the lockdown of states to contain the virus in the country also represents a tricky dilemma. Because while on the one hand, it’s the only effective containment measure so far, it’s, on the other hand, simply unviable in Nigeria where the vast majority of people have to struggle daily to secure basic sustenance. Besides, with the disproportionate shortage of decent shelter and extremely insufficient coverage of basic utilities in the country, and also its poor quality where it exists, a total lockdown may not only worsen people’s economic conditions but may also lead to other communal health-related complications, God forbid.  

There is, therefore, a need to consider appropriate considerations in this regard to address the country’s peculiar socio-economic challenges without unwittingly undermining the effectiveness of the recommended preventive measures. 

Who’s misleading some Sheikhs?

(Link on Daily Trust site)

From time to time, some otherwise credible Sheikhs make unsubstantiated assertions on topical issues they are barely informed about thereby triggering unnecessary controversy and exposing themselves and, by implication, their followers to avoidable ridicule.

Some Sheikhs are fond of disseminating controversial interpretations of some sensitive topical issues ostensibly to expose alleged conspiratorial motives behind some events and developments including scientific and technological measures designed to address some collective challenges.

By the way, though many people are excessively obsessed with conspiracy theories in interpreting events and developments, which explains the ridiculousness of many of their analyses, it doesn’t necessarily negate the existence of conspiratorial agendas as many wannabe “wayayyu” insist. In fact, the current trend of dismissing and ridiculing whoever suspects a conspiracy in something regardless of the quality of his arguments is itself probably borne out of a conspiracy designed to discourage appropriate critical approach to issues and developments.

In any case, the reality is that, since time immemorial, conspiring has always been and would indeed remain a key strategy in the human struggle for power, resources and influence; only that it’s dynamic in sophistication according to the era, place and issue in question. However, just as it necessarily involves extremely painstaking intellectual efforts to plan, and indeed massive resources to pursue, exposing it equally necessarily involves appropriate intellectual capabilities, sharp analogical and analytical abilities.

Anyway, out of inexcusable gullibility or a penchant for controversy or both, some Sheikhs seem unable to resist the urge to comment on any topical issue even when they are clearly misinformed or, at best, ill-informed about it. It isn’t uncommon to hear an otherwise authoritative Sheikh citing speculations and mai-shayi joint tales to form a conclusion on a sensitive issue not minding the security and other serious implications of his conclusion. In their haste to comment on any trending topic, some Sheikhs have inadvertently compromised the sanctity of their respective pulpits.

The current unnecessary confusion among a significant segment of the society over the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic is largely due to the unfounded speculations promoted by such Sheikhs.

Sheikhs with this tendency don’t only inadvertently undermine their own credibility, but also expose themselves and indeed their respective followers to mockery. Many a time, one feels hugely embarrassed when an otherwise reputable Sheikh makes an easily refutable assertion or peddles a ridiculous supposition based on, say, a poorly photoshopped picture, an anonymous or digitally altered voice circulating on social media.

Besides, being supposedly and indeed quite understandably too engrossed in preaching related works to thoroughly follow the intricacies of topical issues, one would wonder where such Sheikhs get the sensitive information on the bases of which they make their controversial analyses on local and international political, economic and strategic issues. Perhaps understanding the dynamics of their relationships with some members of the elite would solve this mystery.

It’s a common practice in the society that a typical serving or retired political or technocratic elite individual, and depending on his influence, current pursuits and future ambitions, would always keep several marabouts and/or Sheikhs as kind of private spiritual advisers. And in his private chats with them, he would sometimes reveal some sensitive, albeit not necessarily always accurate, information on the conspiracies, shenanigans and other manipulative manoeuvres perpetrated in the corridors of power, which the Sheikhs believe on the assumption that since he is/was part of the system, all his claims are necessarily true.

They hardly bother to confirm the authenticity of his revelations, which they confidently repeat and sometimes even stress that “Wani babban mutum ne ya gayamin”, to lend absolute credence to the revelations. They, therefore, analyze developments accordingly; and sometimes make demands on the authorities, and even make blackmailing rhetoric in the name of promoting or protecting the Muslims interests, Arewa or their respective states and communities.

Whereas, those “babban mutum”’s revelations may not be the whole truth after all, as he would, of course, never reveal the extent of his involvement by commission or omission; and would instead only reveal what would fetch him unearned credit in the eyes of the general public.

Some Sheikhs are also apparently misled by some of their close disciples who knowingly or unknowingly feed them flawed or false information on public affairs, local and international political and economic issues. This is quite obvious from some of the allegations that such Sheikhs make on their respective pulpits, and the conclusions they arrive at on the bases of such allegations.

Now, though, like everybody else, a Sheikh has a right to hold and express his views on any topical issue, his particularly sensitive position of moral influence in society underscores the particular need for him to always ensure the authenticity of the sources on which he forms his opinions. After all, as someone who is supposedly necessarily conversant with the stringent information verification methods in Islamic intellectual pursuits, he is supposed to be particularly concerned with the authenticity and exhaustiveness of information especially on sensitive issues before forming an opinion on its bases.