By Sheu Suleiman Kayode
Nigeria and the world at large will never forget the year 2020, the year of the novel Coronavirus. The deadly virus broke into virtually all lands unexpectedly. This year, indeed, is unforgettable.
For months now, Nigeria has been striving hard to wrestle against COVID-19 that has been claiming innocent souls and subjecting many to an unfriendly state of health. Several approaches to curtail the menace have been tried, and none is yet to put a smile on our faces. We hope to be eschewed out of this mess, soon.
While the government is searching for ways to show the exit door to the uninvited visitor that has come to visit us, the masses are battling for survivals, everything/everyone is affected. Nothing is left untouched by the blow of the virus: economy, education, health and all sectors feel the state of the land. Citizens are not left out of hardship. The rich, influential and the wealthy ones are losing their wealth to the hands of the pandemic. Should we talk of the less privileges? Life has been more horrible for them ever since the emergence of this pandemic. No one could live a blissful life for months now.
Recently, it could be recalled that the government eased the lockdown in the land to allow some activities be done to safe lives of the agitating masses who never cease to cry aloud for help because of the hardship the lockdown is inflicting on them. Organisations, firms and companies’ workers were seen wearing smiling faces as a result of the pronouncement made by the government to resume work, and their prolonged agitation was considerably attended to. Workers were already left with nothing of money to cater for family needs again.
Unlike other organisations that have the privilege to resume works, schools have no actual time to resume their activities. The lockdown is indefinite as officially uttered by the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, few days back in order to prevent the called futures of tomorrow of our land from contracting the deadly virus. Truly, the decision is for the safety of the indigents in respect of their pledge to the assignment entrusted with them – protection of lives and properties of citizens.
Bitterly speaking, the decision affects a part than the whole since schools as known are either owned by Government or Private individuals. Those who are opportune to work for the government in government-owned schools have no alarm to raise, why would they? They have their salary at the end of every month. The state of the country affects not their Salary. What comes of the fate of my people from the other tent – private schools staff?
Sadly, private schools staff are no doubt facing a traumatic hardship. It’s hell for them. Who will they cry to for help – Government or their proprietors or proprietresses? It’s a question seriously crying for an answer.
Will Government that battles the pandemic and at the same time striving to get her workers paid for the service not rendered due to the pandemic virus help private schools pay their staff too or leave them for their Proprietors who couldn’t generate any income right from when the news of the pandemic was released to cater for their staff? How possible and easy for them to pay off their staff? Indeed, no one is ready to help them in this trying time that even the rich who might have extended their generous hands to them are battling to rise back on their feet from their setbacks.
This moment is a moment for all the well-to-do in the state to come to their aid. It’s a time for the kindhearted minds to see to helping the helpless private schools’ staff conquer their hunger state. They are incapacitated to look for themselves no to talk more of their family. They are paralysed and subjected to the hardship of this menace, crying profusely for help from every angle, be of help to them, show them you’re concern, eschew them out of this problem that has come to claim their lives and put smiles on their faces with tittle you can afford.
This article aims at calling the attention of the generous ones in the state, the well-to-do personalities and those whose love for humanity is well noticed to hereby troop out in mass to lessen the hardship facing the private schools’ staff who are left unattended to by both the government and their principals as a result of the happenings in the land.
If one dies of COVID-19, he dies of a virus that no one has a cure for it yet, but if one dies of hunger in a place where there are people with something to share with them to safe their lives, then, it is a slap on humanity.
The world is beautiful, beautiful because we have beautiful people living beautifully in it. If you’re among the beautiful people, look around and check on that private school staff that live close to you or live in your community, bring him/her back to life with your help, reach out to them with anything in your reach. Life is not friendly with them, for indeed, it’s their trying time. Check on one today, help humanity!
Suleiman writes from Ilorin, Nigeria. Mail: [email protected] Phone Number:09034646477.
