Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has said that the true heroes behind Nigeria’s success in curtailing the spread of Ebola Virus Disease are not those campaigning across the country.'
In his Independence Day address in Lagos, Wednesday, Mr. Fashola said that credit should not be taken away from the health workers who helped curtailed the virus.
At various rallies across Nigeria, ruling party politicians have continued to cite Nigeria’s success on the virus as among the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party.
“I have heard some stories emanating from campaign podiums with claims of conquering Ebola,” said Mr. Fashola.
“The question we must ask is whether those who make these claims saw Ebola?
“It is women like Stella Ameyo Adedevoh to whom such a claim rightly belongs.
“It is young Nigerians like Dr. Morris Ibeawuchi, who first made contact with the case patient and continued to treat him who saw and conquered Ebola.
“He got infected, from doing his job, got sick, survived and is back to his job.
“It is first responders from the Lagos State Ministry of Health like Dr. Jide Idris, Dr. Yewande Adesina, Dr. Wale Ahmed, Dr. Kayode Oguntimehin who saw Ebola.
“They responded to the call from First Consultant Hospital. They spent 12 (Twelve) hours daily in the early days supervising the construction of Ebola containment facility when the epidemic broke.
“The Lagos State Infectious Disease Hospital which later became the epicenter of Ebola management used to house tuberculosis patients and patients with infectious diseases.
“Those patients vented their anger on these people when they had to be moved to create room for the Ebola centre. I know they spat at Dr. Adesina for doing her job.
“Dr. Abdul-Salam Nasidi of the National Disease Control Centre in Abuja saw and conquered Ebola. He helped in no small way to co-ordinate the containment.
“Dr. David Brett-Mayor of the World Health Organization saw and conquered Ebola. He single handedly started the Ebola isolation ward having cleared and cleaned the room. He admitted and cared for the patients before any Nigerian doctor joined him.
“Professor S. A. Omilabu, the dedicated virologist at LUTH, saw Ebola and conquered it. He coordinated the fault free testing for Ebola and managed all the samples professionally.
“Peter Adewuyi saw Ebola and conquered it. He led the contact tracing team of many dedicated officers for the first 2 (two) weeks.
“Mrs. Funmi Lagbokun, Mrs. Modupe Aiyedun Davies, Mrs. Basirat Adeoye, Ms F. O. Bamgboye, Mrs. K. O. Oshisanya, Mrs. Kazeem Abioye, Mrs. Abiola Lasaki and Mrs. K. Adeshina all saw and conquered Ebola.
“They were the dedicated team of nurses, nursing aid, care giver, health assistant and hygienist who commenced work voluntarily in the Ebola containment ward without any demand other than the sense of duty.
“Yemi Gbadegesin and Abdulsalam saw and conquered Ebola.
“They coordinated the de-contamination, removal and burial of the index case and other cases, and it is because of them that First Consultant can re-open for business.
“Dear Lagosians, these were the people who saw and defeated Ebola. Let no person tell you otherwise.
“These men and women, who showed courage, who risked their lives are our true champions and heroes.
“They showed the spirit of service, the spirit of Lagos and the spirit of our “good old days”.
“Nobody should take this credit away from them.
“They are not celebrating because they know that the work is not finished. They are already working with our people and planning to volunteer to go and give help in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
“Their reward for hard work will be more work and they tell me that they are ready,” Mr. Fashola added.
In what was his last Independence Day participation as the governor, Mr. Fashola urged Lagosians and Nigerians to return to those values that made Nigeria great in the past.
“How can you serve your country? I say, take the spirit of Lagos everywhere you go,” Mr. Fashola said.
“From Badagry to Bayelsa; from Shomolu to Sokoto; from Epe to Ebonyi; Alimosho to Adamawa; from Lekki to Lafia; From Ikeja to Ijebu-Ode, all of us, Nigerians all should serve our country by changing our thinking and striving to give our best for collective benefit.
“By making a conscious determination to changing the way we act. We can serve our country by doing something good and positive in our homes, in our schools and in our communities.
“It doesn’t matter how little it is. Together it makes a whole. We can serve our country by pledging in our hearts to restore, share and protect our communities, our States and our nation,” Mr. Fashola said.
“In the weeks and months ahead, we will begin to celebrate ordinary Nigerians doing extra-ordinary things. And on a dedicated day in the near future we will come together to celebrate and honour our heroes, and hold them up as shining examples.
Heroes recognised and chosen by you and I for the things they are doing for the benefit of others and the society at large without expectation of reward.
“Let the arm bands you are wearing be a constant reminder to change your thinking. We will distribute wrist bands all over Lagos and beyond. Wear them with pride but more importantly, let them remind you to act with integrity.
“As I have said before, I know that the temptation to focus on our failures and lament our national deficiencies is great. I know that the temptation to compare our achievements with our potentials and conclude that we could have done much better is perhaps inevitable. But I say to you the Nigerian youth, choose to take on a more positive attitude. It is a choice and that choice is yours,” he added. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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True leader, I respect u sir
ReplyDeleteFocus of Nigerian politicians have shifted from governance to undue criticism. We all including government at all levels defeated ebola. Let anyone that cares take credit for what he did right. The health workers did well. Funding was also a factor
ReplyDeleteI LIKE YOU GUY. ..BUT IS LIKE TOO MUCH OF THIS MY LIKENESS TO YOU IS TOUCHING YOUR BRAIN.......IF DONT NO WHAT TO SAY, JUST KEEP SILENT.
ReplyDeleteYou are simply fantastic Gov. Fash. Bam Bam.
ReplyDeleteThis goat shud go and sit down jor. U dey mad ni Fashola?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely GEJ brother. Always abuse .
DeleteNo not definitely Gej brother, Nigerian politicians have taken criticism to a very useless and meaningless level, how can an educated man like Fashola say only those he mentioned are the true heros of ebola? but as time he has confirmed to Nigerians that 200m was released to him by Gej to fight ebola! Fashola missed it this time. He's talking absolute rubbish and his comments sinks of envy.
DeleteWe should emulate the developed world where Leaders are encouraged and not finding faults in every statement from a leader.
DeleteOpposition to me means having alternative but what we have today in Nigeria is not any alternations but opportunist who could not find favour in PDP and joins APC.
No better offering from the states controlled by APC. Both APC and PDP are the same.
Can't a state government build a good hospital??. Today we have our political leaders go abroad for minor medical treatment. No value for money for the much borrowings from the states.
You journalist should stop publishing statements from purposeless leaders
How possible!! I doubt it! PDP cannot claim that, claiming that is stupidity anyway Nigeria political parties are capable of anything.
ReplyDeleteMark
Fashola it is very sad and a show of ingratitude for you to make this claim. You got up to N200 million from the FG and the minister of Health always update Nigerians on the latest development. The spiralling cases from Enugu and Rivers were never handled by you. Futhermore, had it been ebola was allowed to spread, that is the time you and Lai Mohammed will take to the Media and accuse GEJ of failure. Ebola is the same psychology with Boko Haram. If you feel FG should not take credit for Ebola, then don't blame FG for Boko Haram because both of them means DEATH. For once try and accept that your FG did well; afterall it does not weaken opposition. All those you mentioned could not have been mentioned if the virus went out of control. The entire picture you painted is very embarrasing and mostly uncharitable.
ReplyDeleteSure, d FG did send 200million bt what time was dat???? U guys have to be reasonable. EVD was curtailed thanks to God, d Lagos govt & FG as well. But if nt from d swift response from d state govt, what do u think would av happened by nw.
Deleteyour perspective is lame, when there's an outbreak of anything in a state, the state starts something and the FED supports which is exactly what GEJ did, I really don't see the basis of this criticism, its very pointless and disappointing! The Onyebuchi guy was always on top of the matter, EVD was also in Rivers and Enugu, was it Fashola and these people he mentioned that also handled it? fashola dey fall hand these days oh, talking like a woman wrapper, hope Lai Mohammed never infest Fashola with lie lie and talkative demon.
DeleteThis Fashola is one big joke and doesnt deserve any respect from Nigerians pushing for a United nation. Hating the president is not a sign post of performance. If he misses out the name of people like the Health Minister who was in Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt Ebola centers smacks of myopism and crass partisanship. He obviously doesnt see beyond Lagos & that much lowlifeness is permitted as long as he is not a public official. Kudos to all who sacrificed but saying the FG did not act on EBola is arrant nonsense, I am sure Lagos state govt shoul also get credit for all the airport checks and the masive awareness in all 36 state...yeye dey smell.
ReplyDeleteHABA FASH! BOKO KIDNAP 285 girls una blame JONA, people neglect their official duties and embrace CORRUPTION U guys CONDEMN JONA. U all agreed that as the GCFR ot the nations he is to blame.
ReplyDeleteNow that some NIGERIANS even pay the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE for EVD not to KILL even their FAMILY & FRIENDS U guys(APC) come say no be JONA do am.
DERE RIS GOD OOOOOO!
U can even say that feeding my family name Jona handiwork. Is it not right for Or Jona to prosecute corrupt officers under him or have you forgotten that all security agencies are under Jona to tackle BH.
DeletePeople will think political and partisan but I must say this man is sound he is truly inspirational finally I read a speech from a Nigerian politician that moved me and made me think. God give us more of such inspirational people and give them grace to walk the talk.
ReplyDeleteAre u sure you read his speech, because he was talking arrant nonsense!
DeleteYou were crying that FG has not released fund. The credit goes to FG and not Lagos state. If i must ask why is it that all bad things come from APC states? Boko haram APC Ebola APC. Shame on you. Did you see Ebola? Are you a doctor?
ReplyDeleteI hope U know the party that ruled those states when BH insurgency started. Speak on fact not sentiments. Do you also realise at what stage GEJ released fund for Lagos State govt. DobU also realise that Fashola did not give credit to himself or Lagos state govt; rather, he gave kudos to health workers & other administrators who render selfless service to curb d disease. Or you think #200m released lately by GEJ is all that is matter?
DeleteAll Nigerians should be praised for not letting Ebola spread. The efforts of both the federal and state government should be commended. I also noticed in this forum that you people are not reading the whole story. It seems to me that Fashola was not blaming GEJ for Ebola nor condemn him for not doing anything. All he said was that no political party should take credit for combating Ebola. You people from the South-South should not start to act like the North by blindly follow your leaders to the land of utopia. We want leaders from Nigeria, for Nigeria and of Nigeria. This tribalism need to stop. It seems some of you that supports GEJ can not see him do anything wrong. Shame on you for this kind of BIASED mind set.
ReplyDeleteThank you Alankua... they read with very biased mindset
DeleteIn the name of that which is holy & beautiful, I feel sad when I read a few comment here that bothers on pure hatred, tribalism & outright thoughtlessness.
ReplyDeleteDid Fashola speak the truth? Yes
Was he right to name & commend 'ordinary doctors, nurses, auxiliary nurses, cleaners , morticians & drivers? Yes
I work in Lagos State Hospital Board and I was privy to the information on when FG's N200m came in. The money was not release by Abuja untill we had only 2 patients in the isolation centre.
Please google is our friend ,lets not be too lazy and act as to ask it!
If Fashola's statement is not ok with some of us, i believe as humans, the onus is on us to advance superior argument instead of name calling @Winkie & Joseph Onuorah.
Thank you and God bless you.. these fools forget that if their hero GEJ had directed FAAN and the right agencies to secure the borders, ebola wouldn't have entered and we would have given him kudos. Fashola is honorable enough to mention these names. Contact these people and ask them who they appreciate more. Is it GEJ or Fashola?
DeleteAmerica has its first case now from a visitor who came to the US. I guess Americans should be insulting Obama now and every other person in his government.
DeleteGod bless these heroes you have mentioned.
ReplyDeleteit is really sad that gov fashola is playing partisian politics over ebola scorch which ravaged nigeria and has been contained bt all and sundry. one wonders if the president rules only members of pdp in nigeria or he rules over all nigerians citizens of lagos state and apc controlled states. pls he should keep his mouth shut and allow peace prevail in nigeria.
ReplyDeleteWas Ebola not in Rivers and Enugu states?,. Fashola has shown that he is not different from his other tribalistic Yoruba brothers and sisters. Was it his useless Lagos or those he mentioned that contained the Ebola in Rivers and Enugu states??. Stupid Fashola, stupid Yoruba man.
ReplyDelete