Madagascar with herbs

What are our internal problems? This is where the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria has unassailable argument. The position of this column is not, therefore, to vitiate their valid criticisms of the government. It is rather to say you first drive away the fox before you blame the hen. When Mr. COVID-19 is driven away, we can begin to face ourselves. After all, Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who is heading the presidential committee on the Coronavirus pandemic, was himself shocked at the magnitude of the rot in our health system. He did not know it was this bad! Aisha Buhari drew our attention to it a long time ago, her outcry was lost on the authority. The pharmacists are right to be appalled that Nigeria has dragged herself low in the eyes of right-thinking people by jumping to receive offers from Madagascar while neglecting her own robust resources at home.

How does anyone justify this, as in the words of Mazi Sam Ohuabuwa, Nigeria has about 174 universities compared with Madagascar’s six. It is Nigeria with 43 Federal universities, 52 state universities and 79 private and 20Faculties of Pharmacy and about 69 Federal-funded research institutes that has Madagascar to thank in a way. The research institutes include National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, and the National Institute for medical Research while Madagascar has only one Faculty of Pharmacy and nine Research Centres.

The emergence of Coronavirus pandemic has many lessons to teach Nigeria. It has exposed us as a country that is big for nothing. Government functionaries would rather elect to live in opulence than worry about the general welfare of the citizens, what if they were not in government they would not be able to afford by themselves. But for the vigilance of the members of the Zamfara House of Assembly and the courage of the state governor, recall what the erstwhile governor, Abdulaziz Yari was going to be carting home as perks every month. Professor Itse Sagay alarmed the nation that a Senator is paid N30million a month. Nigerians thanked Shehu Sani who said it was N13million for his accustomed candour. Nigerians felt that with the information coming from Shehu, a beneficiary, we were getting somewhere. A humungous sum was voted for the renovation of the National Assembly in the current budget and a similarly scandalous amount to buy cars. They were unmoved by negative public opinion on the issues. Deaf ears are turned to research institutes complaining about underfunding. Up till today, the pay of our legislators is still wooly. And senior government functionaries live practically at no cost to them. Mitchell Obama, speaking to Oprah Winfrey on her book on her experiences as America’s First Lady, she said every nut she and her husband took was counted and at the end of the month, they received the bill from the kitchen.

Senate President Lawan himself was distressed when he visited the University of Abuja by the lack of readiness in terms of facility to receive those who may have tested positive to rampaging Coronavirus. These are our internal problems of callous irresponsibility the nation would have no choice but to face once we can see our way through the war on the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have Nigerian Natural medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) and the National Board for Technology Incubation which has centres called Bioresources Development Centres (BIODEC) and Technology Incubation Centres (TIC) in about 30 states in the country. The research institutes, in addition to charges of gross underfunding levied against the government, complain of sidelining. Many herbal companies and producers, according to Ohuabuwa, have announced specifically that they had herbal formulations that could do the same “invention” from Madagascar can do. He continued: “They have suggested that a portion of the nearly N25million donated/ allocated for the COVID-19 pandemic should be dedicated for local research and development. But our government has remained essentially silent, only waiting to participate in WHO sponsored or mandated trials. We have been told that Nigeria is participating in WHO solidarity trial, but nothing on trying our own inventions and formulations. Now we want to import COVID-19 Organics from Madagascar to try? Why are we like this?”

This column is persuaded that the expertise obtains in our country to tackle the pandemic. Every night we are regaled with the number of those who have been successfully treated and allowed home. Total discharged in Lagos as of Tuesday night was 502 persons, 41 in Sokoto, Ondo 5 and Ekiti 5. Nation-wide as of yesterday morning, the total number of those discharged after testing negative twice was 959 persons. This attests to the knowledge and ingenuity of our experts and doctors. If we go by the testimony of the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, the claim is further reinforced that we have the requisite expertise as local remedies were applied on him. The Governor of Bauchi State, former Minister of FCT, Bello Mohammed, spoke in the same vein. Prof. Maurice Iwu long said confidently that the expertise and remedy to tackle Coronavirus already existed in the country.

Nature is ever so perfect. What each community needs to heal their ailing bodies and for their wellbeing is always in abundance around them. Mrs. Elizabeth Kafaru, that great promoter of herbal remedies within and without the Nigerian shores, once said that when a plant begins to sprout around us, on our premises, it is an indication that an ailment is about to break out for which Nature ( by which is meant Elemental Beings in the service of the Most High) is already providing the remedy well in advance. We must therefore be on the alert at all times. Our people have the knowledge in and outside the ivory towers. The elemental Beings who are the keepers of the household of God talk to herbal practitioners who are open. They, it was who taught the early people seasons, what to plant and when to plant them. So is it that knowledge of herbal medicine is worldwide. The modern man is waiting on WHO for validation because he has closed himself to Nature. Little wonder a wise man once said: “God is not mute, it is man that is deaf!” We still have a few gifted herbal practitioners in our midst, no doubt. The government has not harnessed the assets.
So, what is the problem? Prof. Maurice Iwu has said he had sent what he has come up with. What clinical validation and proof of efficacy can we have than our people being successfully treated and discharged on a daily basis? Waiting for global validation by WHO? That is where Madagascar has proven wiser. Go ye to the ant, man, and be wise! President Andy Rajoelina has triumphantly and proudly opened wide his doors: “Come to Madagascar you who are sick; my country is ready to receive you with enthusiasm. Our own remedy is in yellow.”The appointment of Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari has put paid to all manner of speculations on who becomes the Chief of staff to President Buhari in succession to Abba Kyari snatched away by Mr COVID-19, alias Coronavirus. Babangana Kingibe was mentioned. The name of Adamu Adamu was thrown up, so was that of the Aviation Minister. The name of one-time Governor of Lagos State, Abubakar Marwa was on the cards. The emergence of Agboola Gambari was unexpected. Yes, he had been Buhari’s External affairs Minister between 1984 and 1985. No one looked in his direction. What would a citizen of the universe want to be chief of staff to the Nigerian President for?