Encomium
Following the continued scare about Ebola spread in Nigeria, there has been a rise in the demand for protective items such as hand sanitizers, hand gloves and nose masks. Checks by ENCOMIUM Weekly around Lagos Metropolis indicated that vendors are smilling to the bank because of high sales recorded in recent weeks. There has also been an increase in their prices.
An original hand sanitizer now sells for N750, the smaller size is N650. A pack of handgloves is now N1,000, while nose mask on the streets is N500.
In recent weeks, hand sanitizers have been installed in places like banks, eateries, churches, night clubs, government offices and other public places. This move is meant to contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
MORE TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR LATE ADADEVOH
On Tuesday, August 19, 2014, Nigerians recorded another death arising from the Ebola virus. Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh passed on at the Lagos Mainland Hospital, Lagos, after she was infected with the deadly virus. And since the news of her death hit town, tributes have been pouring in in torrents.
Her immediate family started the gale of tributes for her heroic deed by not allowing the virus spread around Lagos. Kwame Adadevoh, her cousin living in Atlanta, Georgia in the USA, wrote thus, “Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, you are a hero to a lot of people in Lagos, Nigeria, saving lives and caring for people was your passion.”
Ameyo’s brother, Kodjo, who also lives in the USA responded to the death of his sister by posting several family pictures of the late doctor showing her in different moods and activities.
Another relative, Belinda Yesutor Adadevoh who lives in Ghana said: “A sad moment for the Adadevohs home and abroad. May the priceless and beautiful soul of Dr Ameyo Adadevoh RIP.”
This post on the social media was followed by several condolence messages around the world, some of them are represented here.
“She was a true heroine. Her work wasn’t in vain and she conquered this evil scourge, because she was brave to defy it. God comfort you and your family.” Written by Ndidi Deedee Ejoh.
Susan Kofo Osei -Baidoo wrote, “Rest in Peace my darling Ameyo, till we meet to part no more. Thank you for putting yourself forward for Nigeria… We owe you our very lives! Love you, always will. Good night.”
“Rest in peace you heroine. May God comfort your family,” was the tribute from Kathleen Ndongmo.
Another sympathiser Jae Badd wrote thus, “No greater love than a woman lay down her life for her friends.”
Before her death, Dr Ameyo Adadevoh was the consultant in charge of cases relating to endocrinology. She was called to the hospital that fateful day to review the late Sawyer’s case before she got infected with the virus.
The late Dr. Adadevoh was the first grandchild of Mrs. Sarah Idowu Abigail Adadevoh nee Macaulay, making her a great granddaughter of the late nationalist, Herbert Macaulay. Her father was Prof. Babatunde Kwaku Adadevoh, who was a grandson of the grand old man of Nigerian anti-colonial politics. He was also a physician.
Sarah Abigail Idowu Macaulay is the daughter of Herbert Macaulay. She went on to marry Adadevoh and according to family tree, they have six children listed as follows – Kwame Adadevoh, Kwaku Adadevoh, Stella Shade Ameyo Adadevoh, Charity Ronke Awoyo Adadevoh, Kowu Adadevoh and Awushi Adadevoh.
‘NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR EBOLA SPREAD’ – Barrister Fred Agbaje
From a legal perspective, Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Fred Agbaje believes the late Patrick Sawyerr, who brought into the country Ebola virus wouldn’t have had an easy passage into the country if the Nigerian officials at the nation’s borders were up and doing, insisting their negligence on duty allowed Sawyer to come into the country. The lawyer petitioned the federal and Lagos state government, a copy of which was made available to ENCOMIUM Weekly.
“Only recently, an airline brought a heavily contaminated human cargo in the name of one Mr. Patrick Sawyerr from Liberia to Nigeria on a purely commercial/profit motive to our airport managed by NCAA/NAMA, and also having on ground all manner of security agents ranging from police, NDLEA, quarantine officers and NAFDAC. Before the said arrival of the Liberian, Patrick Sawyerr to Lagos State/ Nigeria, Nigeria has had an Ebola-free environment. Since the passage of the aforesaid “Contaminated human cargo (Patrick Sawyerr)” our health profile in Lagos State and Nigeria at large has nose-dived leading to the death of innocent workers of an hospital in Lagos State just because some Nigerian Security Officers at the Lagos airports, management of NAMA and NCAA chose to look elsewhere while the contaminated human cargo found its way into Lagos State and ultimately into Nigeria because our government agents are more interested in harassing innocent travellers at the airport (inward and outwards) for material gratification. These officials negligently or maliciously refused to do their work hence the present human casualty on our hand in the country.
“Constitutionally speaking, right to life of every Nigerian is not only fundamentally and constitutionally sacrosanct; that right, of all other rights protected by the constitution, is number one. This clearly shows the importance of right to life of every person in this country. To enjoy this inalienable right, Section 20 of Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (“CFRN 1999”) enjoins the Government to ensure the safety of the environment. Flowing from this constitutional provision, the Constitution behoves on the Government in Section 14 to ensure that security and welfare of lives of the citizens are given paramount priority by all arms of government. The security referred to in Section 14 of the CFRN 1999 is not a technical or whimsical phrase that can be circumscribed in scope hence that security must include good health and environmental security for the citizenry.
Security as used in the constitution is not limited to life and properties of the citizens but also extends to the security of the Nigerian Citizens’ Health and clinical environment/social security. Even though some people will argue that provisions of Chapter 2 of the CFRN 1999 are not justiciable, which argument to us begs the question in the face of Section 13 of same constitution which enjoins all arms of government in their functional responsibility to the nation, to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of said Chapter 2 of the constitution.
“Furthermore, if the said watery argument of non-justiciability still holds any constitutional relevance, which to us does not in view of mandatory provision of Section 13 of Constitution, what of the right to life which stands above all other right in the Constitution? Is the said right to life not also justiciable? The threshold on which democracy stands is about good governance which has as its adjunct the principles of the rule of law which enjoins everything to be done in accordance with the law.
The summary of our findings in respect of the death of innocent citizens in a hospital in Lagos, is purely attributable to the contaminated human cargo from Liberia called Patrick Sawyerr whose death would have been avoidable if there have been good governance which would have made the government (Lagos state and federal) more proactive and diligent in ensuring that the lives of law abiding and innocent Nigerians are protected from the likes of Patrick Sawyerr.
In other words, the airline, Lagos State Government and Federal Government’s agents at the ports are jointly and severally liable and criminally negligent for the untimely death of innocent citizens that came into contact with the said Patrick Sawyerr, the merchant of death. If the Lagos State Government and Federal Government had been alive to their Constitutional responsibility as earlier enumerated, there is no way the likes of Patrick Sawyerr (who had been quarantined even by the Liberian authorities) would escape the eagle-eyes of our security and health personnel at the airport since the so-called Patrick Sawyerr, the contaminated cargo from Liberia, came in a commercial flight (after paying the airline in question money as part of his contractual relationship with the airline and various security agents at the airport jointly helped in letting him loose on innocent Nigerians must be ready for the legal consequences of their action.”
“The principle in Ryland v. Fletcher (1868) L.R. 3 H.L. 330 is no longer limited to unnatural users of things but also cover situation as we have on our hands. Allowing a human cargo and highly risky person like the “contaminated” Sawyerr escape and “contaminate” the innocent and law abiding citizens of Lagos/Nigeria as a result of the Criminal Negligence of both the Lagos State Government officials and Federal Government agents amounts to (a) a violation of the Rights to Life of those deceased Lagosians/Nigerians who came in contact with Mr. Sawyer; (b) a crime under of our penal laws; (c) tortuous act in every material particular as decided in the time-tested judicial authority of Ryland v. Fletcher (Supra) from the airline that brought the heavily contaminated human cargo known as Sawyerr to Nigeria on purely commercial/profit motives to the Managers of our Airports (i.e. NCAA & NAMA); the bribe-taken-security-officers or the airports Managers must be called upon to account. REMEDY – To us, we are not convinced of the cosmetic measures hastily put in place by both LASG and FG in the fight against the menace of Ebola because such measures are not only cosmetic but mere afterthought.
Hence what permanent measures have LASG and FG put in place? None, both Lagos State Government and Federal Government are vicariously liable for the acts of their agents and must accept to pay substantial damages to the relatives of the deceased family as well as public apology to them.”
“This must be done within next five (5) working days upon receipt of this letter or else we shall be compelled to go to court for interpretation of relevant provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 vis-a-vis criminal negligence that has arisen in this case. If Supreme Court has held in Bello v. A.G. Oyo State (1986) 5 NWLR (Pt. 45) 828 that even a convicted criminal still has a right to life while his appeal is pending and went ahead to hold the Oyo State Government liable for wanton killing of the said accused persons, we wonder how it won’t apply to innocent citizens doing their legitimate daily work.
They must enjoy greater constitutional protection. If the Federal Government and Lagos State Government had been proactive and diligent enough in securing the lives of the law abiding and innocent Nigerians, those dead in Lagos due to their contact with Sawyerr would have been alive today.”
10 MOST UNEXPECTED EBOLA SOURCES TO BE WEARY ABOUT
1) The barbers apron.
2) Buttons of ATM machines.
3) Trying out clothes, watches, hats, glasses, shoes before buying should be avoided for now.
4) Make up kit. Women share both brushes, powder and pan-cake anyhow. No more collective bathroom trips.
5) Door handles / access to public places.
6) Toll gate staff. Before they give you much more than your change.
