Kunle Adelabu
The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, His Royal Majesty (Oba) Barr. Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, has urged privilege individuals in the society to be their brothers’ keepers by providing social aid, in form of food and other assistance, to those that cannot afford to fend for themselves and their families during the lockdown necessitated by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The monarch, while stating that government cannot share money, as being demanded by some people, to cushion the effects of the lockdown which has taken serious toll on the economic and social lives of people, called on the government to provide food items for the people in order to make them stay at home and make the lockdown have the desired result.
Oba Kasali spoke with THE IMPACT in his palace during the week.
“As much as I would want to agree to their prayer that government should provide social aid, I must, as a traditional ruler, advise that government alone cannot do it all. Aside the cost of having to put hospitals in proper shape, buying of necessary equipment and attending to other issues required to ward off Coronavirus, government has been spending a lot.
“I am aware that Lagos State government is distributing food ratio from house-to-house. That, in my opinion, may not go round everyone, but government must ensure that those that are in need are taken care of to keep them indoor.
“On that basis, I want to use this opportunity to appeal to well-meaning individuals within the communities, churches, mosques, traditional institutions and other places to try as much as possible to be their brothers’ keepers”, he pleaded.
“Let us all come out in whatever ways we can relief others by making food available”.
The royal father also charged residents to abide by the government directives on the precautionary measures stipulated to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.
“It is a worldwide phenomenon. Aside from the fact that we must ensure proper hygiene and take to all the precautionary measures, we are also made to understand that we should maintain social distance by avoiding close contact with our neighbors to be in a better position to limit the spread of the epidemic”, Adeboruwa advised.
“With the counsels here and there, I hope that our people will take to the precautionary measures and help government in eradicating the menace of Coronavirus.
“We should try as much as possible to listen to all advice, do the needful and assist ourselves and do everything to see to it that the pandemic is completely eradicated”.
Oba Kasali also urged the people to be thankful to God for the position they are in this part of the world considering the ravaging effects of the virus in other climes.
“This is a worldwide imposed curfew. It’s a general thing and if we look at what is happening in places that we belief have the wherewithal to ward off this epidemic, one should begin to think twice about existence and be thankful and give glory to God that in this part of the world , we are still in a better position”.
He also stated that the palace had before the lockdown gathered stakeholders in Igbogbo and asked them to help the country with prayers while also adding that the traditional institution in Igbogbo has also performed necessary rites to ward off the deadly virus.
“In this part of the division, we have taken a proactive approach by meeting with all the religious leaders, including traditional religion practitioners, and urged them to go all out and do the needful. The Muslim and Christian communities had organsied prayers while the traditional institutions are just rounding off theirs”, he said.
“Within the palace circle, we have also done the needful. In those days, when things like this happen, which our ancestors called ‘Ajakale arun’ (health pandemic), they have ways of tackling it. We have also done that within the limit of what is available to us, but the ultimate power belongs to God who we pray should accept our prayers”.
