TRANSCRIPT:Governor Seyi Makinde interview on air with Fresh Fm 📻
Transcript: Governor Seyi Makinde’s Phone Interview with Mayor Isaac Brown on Fresh FM 105.9 Ibadan (10 AM, April 27, 2020)
IB: Few days ago, you made some far-reaching decisions one of which is you asked workers in Oyo State, mostly senior cadre from level 13 upwards to resume work. While appreciating your efforts at ramping up testing in the state with the drive-through/walk-through initiative at Adamasingba, critics have said for a state of 7.6 Million people, that as we speak this morning, has tested only 610 of its populace, a state that has recorded two fatalities, one of which was actually recorded last night… we have eight active cases, twenty-one confirmed cases in all including just yesterday, three new cases. Critics have said your decision asking a cadre of workers to resume work today, Monday in the midst of all these is not only hasty but reckless and dangerous, your take sir?
SM: Well, Isaac, you know we have to strike a balance between two things; the physical health of the people of Oyo State and the economic health of the state. The Oyo State economy, for now, is highly dependent on the secretariat functioning. This is a civil servant state. So, that’s why we have asked just a few workers to resume to keep the secretariat functional. But we also put protocols in place is to ensure that they can work safely.
The normal population for the secretariat is 15-20,000 workers but now, we asked only 3,000 of them to resume and those 3,000 are the ones with separate offices.
I was reading in the Tribune this morning, comments by my very good friend, Professor Adeolu Akande saying maybe we shouldn’t open up the secretariat and that the senior cadre of workers may not be able to function without the junior ones. I have not spoken to him, I will, later on today but the bottom line is we paid staff salaries on the 24th, that is Friday. Those payments were processed by some people. So, they had gone to the office to ensure that the vouchers were prepared and approved on time.
So, you have to keep the economy going and also, strike a balance between the economic health and the physical health of the people, so I don’t think it is reckless. This is based on us engaging with the experts.
IB: Since you mentioned Professor Deolu Akande, I must also tell you that the point you raised now… it’s also been said that the senior cadre that you have asked to resume, most of them, some of them we are also getting… because you have directed they should be involved in virtual communication, moving forward. It’s been said that some of them are not even computer savvy and that some of them cannot even do the online communication that you are talking about without having junior workers with them. Your take on that, sir.
SM: Well, let me make a correction there. I did not say that the civil servants who will resume will conduct business online. No, I said meetings will be held online. The senior officers will have to manage without their junior colleagues. That is part of the sacrifices that we all need to make at this time.
IB: Can you also make a clarification. You just said now that those that you have asked to resume at the secretariat are senior staff of that cadre [SM cuts in - of level 13 and above] of level 13 and above. Can you make clarification, we are also getting reports that senior staff of Oyo State owned tertiary institutions have also asked their senior staff to resume? Despite the fact that schools in the state are still closed.
SM: Well, I will talk to the Commissioner for Education, they cannot resume right now because the students are at home. So, maybe, some of them may like to resume to have access to their running costs but we will deal with it, Isaac.
IB: We will still stick with the secretariat matter since you have expatiated on it. Critics have also said that enforcing movement is a herculean task and that instead, COVID-19 transmission due to mass movement in and out of the secretariat may be a possibility, your take on that, sir.
SM: Sorry, I missed that from you. You said how are we going to [IB cuts in – enforce movement in and out of the secretariat because people are saying that enforcing movement is a herculean task and that instead, COVID-19 transmission due to mass movement in and out of the secretariat may be a possibility. How do you enforce that? Knowing fully well what has played out in markets, what has played out during the partial lockdown that you ordered].
Well, we put certain protocols in place for workers coming into the secretariat. Only the main gate will be used for entrance and exit. The other gates will remain locked and because we are having very limited number of staff resuming, we don’t think it will be a herculean task.
IB: What about visitors? Sorry to butt in. What about visitors coming in to see them? Are you placing an embargo?
SM: Visitors will be allowed only where it is absolutely necessary. If you don’t have any serious thing to do at the secretariat, we don’t expect you to come and if you do, the protocol is that they will need to contact whoever you are going to see and it is only those people that can clear you.
IB: So, you are assuring us that you have put stringent measures when it comes to movement in and out of the secretariat this period that you have ordered workers to resume.
SM: Yes, Isaac, we are very confident about the measures we have out in place and we are sure that this will work. I received a text message this morning from the CAN President and I said we will discuss this issue much later today because some of the things we have put in place, people haven’t seen it but we will keep the enlightenment going so that we can all get aligned in the same direction.
IB: In the United States of America, one of the conditions that states wanting to resume business activities, one of them is the ability of such states to 1) scientifically ascertain that it has not only reached the peak of infections but also, a 14-day downward trajectory in new cases and symptoms. Even though, people are commending you based on the fact that you have a target of 10,000 tests as far as this state is concerned. But the question people are also asking is that will you say, sir this morning, that Oyo State has reached the peak of Oyo COVID-19 infections based on the fact that we just tested 610 people. Can we even be talking about a curve not to talk of a 14-day downward trajectory where hospitalisation/incubation cases must be coming down. The fact that you have asked people to go back to work this morning. Do you think that this condition I just mentioned has been met in the state?
SM: Well, I will leave the technical details to the experts, Isaac. But be assured that our decisions are based on expert advice. I mean, don’t forget that the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force is made of several professors – epidemiologists, virologists and people with background in public health. So, as I have often said, we have to find a local solution to our problems. We can’t keep saying making reference – this is United States of America… how about other parts of the world? We have to compare notes – what people have done right. America shouldn’t just be made the reference point because there are other places round the world that are doing far better than America right now. So, we should only borrow things that will work for us and that can come from any corner of the world. It can come from as near as Ghana. Ghana has just lifted their lockdown; they are moving on with their lives.
IB: Your Excellency, I think even without referring to the US, the idea that it is safer for you to begin to open up gradually when you are convinced that you have gotten to the peak of cases in your state or country seems logical. So, I am just saying, if we have only tested 610, have we gotten to the peak for us to take the decision we have just taken, asking workers to resume today? We are still testing. Your target is 10,000.
SM: Yes, we will keep on testing. This is not going to go away like yesterday and that is exactly what I have been telling a lot of people. Well, okay, you’ve given palliatives out and you are saying this is the direction that you want to go in a manner that is suggestive of flipping a switch off or on. No, it’s not going to go that way. I think we need to even look at this in terms of light dimmers where you can turn the knob and the light may be bright and you can turn the knob [IB cuts in and the light may dim]. Exactly. So, it is for the long haul and our approach mustn’t be like flipping a switch. Our approach must be that this is going to be with us for a while. And that is exactly what we are doing.
Cautiously, we are going out to say let this category of people resume. Let the markets resume with certain conditions. Let the farmers take advantage of this planting season. Once I am done now, I am going to Akufo to see what is being done at the farm settlement out there.
So, we all better know that this will be with us for some time.
IB: Can you confirm to us this morning, where we are when it comes to transmission of COVID-19 in our state. Are we still at the point where it is still all about folks with travel history, folks that have been exposed to those that have travelled? Or as is being touted, are we experiencing community transmission yet?
SM: Well, from discussions with the experts, virologists and I have to use this opportunity to thank the members of the Task Force because they are using their time to serve the people of Oyo State with no compensation at all up until this moment. So, what we are seeing is almost person to person transmission. Of course, we still have to do a lot more research. But even experts all over the world, what they are saying is… I mean this is novel. It has never happened before and it is an uncharted territory so we have to keep on feeling our way until we are able to get a total handle on this.
IB: Are you not worried, Your Excellency, if you look at the case of the fatality, the Kano individual. His case seems to have thrown a lot of questions and one of them is the idea of asking people to self-isolate once they are suspected of having COVID-19. And usually, the protocol here has always been stay home, samples are collected and tests conducted. Before the results come out, usually, we have seen that people don’t honour what they’ve been told to do. While they are supposed to isolate at home, they begin to move from one state to another, spreading this ailment. So, are you thinking that the protocol of asking suspected individuals, especially when they are still awaiting results of their tests to ask them to stay at home, are you not worried that people are not aligning, people are not obeying, adhering to those instructions and they are going about, going to private clinics. Do we need to change that protocol?
SM: Well, I don’t think we need to change that protocol. I think the way things are set up right now… When you are actually between the rock and the hard place, you have to move cautiously. We don’t have the resources to say look if you have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive patient, then we should take you and slam you in an isolation centre. For instance, I tested positive and all my close associates, the closest people to me, they were all tested. And out of the tests, only one came out positive. So, if we had taken all of them to some isolation place, are you not breeding cross infection?
And again, I read this on the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Lagos said well, we went in there and took hotels with individual rooms. You know for us in Oyo State, we don’t have those resources so we have to ensure that we properly plan our resources.
IB: So, does it mean calls that are being made for more isolation centres, more testing centres outside Ibadan. Even suggestion about the virology unit in LAUTECH College of Science being upgraded. Is it something you are looking at or is it something as we speak, our resources cannot accommodate?
SM: I got a message from I think maybe the Nigerian Medical Association, LAUTECH chapter. See, COVID-19 is not something that is tied to zones or geographical spread. When this whole thing first broke in Nigeria, the protocol was that anybody from anywhere in the South West should be taken to Lagos, right? Because that was the only place with an isolation centre at that time. But between then and now, several states have gotten their own isolation centres. They’ve also been able to put in place, diagnostic centres and things like that. So, you can’t just say because Ogbomoso is two hours from Ibadan… you can take samples out there and bring people to the Infectious Disease Centre at Ibadan.
We do have an isolation centre that they are working on now at Ogbomoso. We are going to have one at Saki and one at Igbo-Ora as well. You know but you are faced with a pandemic and you also have the economic challenge. So, you have to try and work in between such that the most efficient way to tackle the problem.
IB: Can you tell us this morning, I am sure you will also want to commend them, the health workers – doctors, nurses they are at the front-line day in day out. Trying to make me and you safe, sir. Will you say that the health workers are fully protected knowing fully well that we are getting a spike in infection of some of them. And are there plans by the Oyo State Government, as I speak, do you have improved condition of service for some of these health workers who are currently on the front line of the state?
SM: I will use this opportunity to really thank our front-line health workers, they are doing very well. We don’t have all the PPEs that they require. It’s just the fact. But the ones that we have, we are distributing them efficiently and we are also having discussions regarding how we can make these things locally. So, my Special Adviser on Health [Dr Funmi Salami] is doing a research right now. There are places around the world where they have these reusable PPEs and once, we get those details, we can get few of our people together to see how this can be manufactured locally.
This is going to be one of the benefits from this pandemic, you know, you need to look inward, try to develop your local capability and so, that is one of the things we are looking at as far as PPEs for our front-line health workers is concerned.
IB: In terms of the welfare, I’m sure that one is within your power.
SM: Yes, in terms of the welfare, I just approved a package for them; both the volunteers and people that are being seconded. We are not making it a hardship posting for them. We are [indistinct] within the resources available to us.
IB: The last we spoke, you raised something that… it appears me personally and the science community seems to align with basically. You said you were open to the possibility of walling off any community in Oyo State where there is noticeable consistent outbreak of new cases. If we look at where things stand now, it appears at number 21 that we have found ourselves in terms of cases of COVID-19. I am trying to break the data down. It appears majority of those cases are in Ibadan. Majority appears to be much more in Ibadan North and UCH. Is walling off Ibadan as a city on your table? Is it a possibility?
SM: Yes, it is a possibility. The three additional cases that came up and the fatality that was observed in the past 24 hours, all are from UCH. I discussed with the CMD of UCH. Yes, I felt that they have been a little bit defensive but they don’t manufacture those people. I mean UCH is a tertiary hospital so people will come from all sorts of places to come in there first.
The fact still remains that most of what… almost 50% now of the cases in Oyo State, can be directly linked to UCH. And we are looking at what are the actions we can take to address the issue. If we have to wall off Ibadan [IB cuts in – will you wall off Ibadan? We have 21 cases in Ibadan. Will you wall off Ibadan to prevent this spread into other towns in the state if this trend continues?].
If you can say 100% that look this community, let’s say Yemetu community or Adeoyo community or some other community like that. If we can see how they virus is behaving in that community and we have to wall off that community, we will then do it until we get control over what is going on with the virus in that community.
IB: You just mentioned the CMD UCH now. There is a lot of talk that there are misunderstandings between the state government and UCH. Where does things stand now with smoothening of edges?
SM: Our people will always say that you can’t be friends for 25 years without friction. The question is not whether there is friction but whether it is resolved. So, we have friction, we look at things from different angles and then from the [Federal] Ministry of Health, they have sent a letter to the medical arm of tertiary institutions to work with state governments in addressing this pandemic.
So, apart from us reaching out to UCH management, we are asking them to bring somebody that will represent the management in the COVID-19 Task Force in Oyo State. We are also asking them to work with our Commissioner for Health to set up an accreditation team towards the accreditation of isolation and treatment centres.
IB: So, the line of communication with UCH is fantastic now.
SM: Well, it may not be fantastic but at least, it is open and we are being brutally frank with ourselves.
IB: Let’s go straight away to your quarantine guidelines which you rolled out several weeks back. There seems to be laxity in enforcement. You could go to Ojoo or you could go to Bodija, Dugbe. As we speak, non-essential businesses are functioning. Folks selling clothes, shoes, phones are everywhere. When you look at the transport sector, your guideline, quarantine guideline was quite clear, no overloading. But we see here Keke NAPEP, Marwa, Okada folks are still carrying passengers more than the directive you gave. Even the curfew of 7 PM, in some couple of areas, you could still see non adherence. Are you not worried, sir that this nonchalant attitude towards your directive which may create public danger in terms of health, has to come with an enforcement in terms of compliance? What are you doing towards ensuring your quarantine guidelines are strictly adhered to, sir?
SM: Well, we noticed some of these things that you mentioned and our enlightenment has to be deepened. That is, you know, letting people know that we are asking them to do these things for themselves and others around them. We don’t want to keep losing people. We don’t want more lives to be lost here. So, we have to keep engaging the people.
When compliance is voluntary, then we are all actually better off and the only way compliance will become largely voluntary is when people are enlightened, when they are educated. When they know precisely what they are supposed to be doing to protect themselves, protect their families and protect the rest of us.
So, just saying get the police out there or get security agencies out there let them enforce it. We don’t even have enough. We don’t have enough hands within this security agencies to enforce compliance. So, what we have to do is to [IB cuts in – keep appealing to the people. Keep appealing to our people]. Exactly.
And then, we also want to use technology and said to our people to get to the telecom operators. Anyone that has been asked to self-isolate, they monitor their movement. Of course, there are legal challenges out there which have to be surmounted as well. And there has to be commercial discussion also, you know with the telecom operators to put it in place.
But we are exploring every avenue to ensure that our people are not put at risk.
IB: I am on the same page with you on that one because I know that there are some states out there in Europe and the fact that when people are told to self-isolate and they don’t. What they do, just like the police state, they seize their phones, go through their conversations, track their phone logs. Some even went to the extent of seizing credit card to know form of transactions they have actually made when people refuse to heed simple advice to stay at home.
Away from that, the fact that you are also a survivor from this virus, you have called for local approach at finding lasting solution for combating COVID-19 by looking inwards at natural remedies which are peculiar to us here. Could you tell us this morning, any progress? Because I know you are passionate about that. Any progress along that line?
SM: Yes, we have been making progress. A team at the University of Ibadan have written to us, I think we have had the first engagement meeting with them. Certain things we know has worked so far which is, try as much as possible to wash your hands as many times as possible. You don’t need anyone to push you to be able to do that.
So, the team from UI, all the team suggested you know the local [IB cuts in – natural remedies, right?] yes. Natural remedies, we had the discussion with them. And for me, I saw a lot of difference when I actually started taking those immune boosters like I mentioned, black seed oil. Black seed oil, when you take it, you can have that metallic taste in it. [IB cuts in – and the carrot you took and the vitamin C]. Well, I took carrots as well. I understand carrots also have carotene in it. And the black seed oil has zinc and I’ve been reading… Of course, when you are in this situation, everybody will turn to be a research scholar. So, we do a lot of research also and they said that zinc, if it goes into the cell, it actually prevents the virus from entering the cell.
So, there are all kinds of things out there but the experts, you know the professors of virology, the professors of epidemiology, they all put it together to make sense out of all the information we have out there.
IB: So, you are open to home-grown solution.
SM: What I can say really is that I don’t believe that if the solution doesn’t come from America or the West or the East, that we cannot have a solution. Yeah, it will take quite a bit to have it open, you know you take those things into the world medical journals, they have a process… maybe World Health Organisation. It’s quite a long process but it doesn’t mean that we cannot find a solution from this part of the world.
IB: You spoke about distribution of palliatives to the poorest of the poor and there has been talk of likely lockdown during… Can you be exact this morning? When will the distribution be done? And can you also confirm that during the distribution, there will be restriction of movement.
SM: Well, the distribution will commence this week. And the distribution will be done simultaneously in all local government areas in the state until all 120,000 households which we identified have received their palliative.
I personally, I was calling some of the people myself yesterday because I wanted to confirm if there is any kind of colouration to the data. I started from Saki East/ Saki West and Afijio Federal Constituency and then I moved to Olorunsogo/Irepo and Oorelope Federal Constituency. In terms of the 14 Federal Constituencies, I have been able to… at least, I have an idea of who those people are and quite frankly, there is a shocking revelation. About let’s say 40% of the people I spoke to were farmers. And they told me, yes, it’s good for you to send us these palliatives but the real palliatives that we want you to send us is to help us get to the farm. Assist us in clearing our land and then we are ready to go out there.
So, there will be a second set of palliatives designed and targeted towards the farmers and thus, boosting our economy. So, those palliatives will go out this week.
IB: You’ve not addressed whether there will be restrictions when the simultaneous distribution will be done. Will there be restrictions, sir?
SM: No, there will be not be any restrictions. Well, we discussed it because I knew where this came from. The Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties [Chief Bayo Lawal] I think, came on the radio. They had a discussion in their own committee, which is a committee to distribute palliatives and they felt to check hoodlums and all of that, they need to lockdown so that people are not able to move around and disrupt distribution. [IB cuts in – hijack the trucks] Yes. I really don’t buy into that. I believe that our people will be orderly and we will do it in such a way that the targeted people will receive their palliatives.
IB: I am happy to hear from you that you that you did a fact check on the names that were given to you and found out that majority you spoke with are real people, poor people. But there are also… people are saying since this lockdown began, people that were not poor, before are now poor, as I speak and maybe, they were not captured.
SM: Well, last week Friday, we paid N11 Billion as workers salary for state workers, local government workers, teachers... everybody. Will you consider them as poor? Will you consider those that have received their salary as the people needing palliatives?
IB: Absolutely not.
SM: Exactly. So, I wish the government could give everyone in need something but that is just not possible. What we did is we identified 90,000 households as the poorest of the poor and we added another 30,000 households as vulnerable. And of course, what we are doing by trying to open up the economy is for those who can earn a living to be able to go out in a safe manner to earn a living.
IB: Your government has been criticised for rejecting the Federal Government 1,800 bags of rice given to you by Customs. Will you make clarification on where things stand as regarding the rice?
SM: Well, you know, as I said earlier, we are distributing palliatives this week and our plan had been to include the rice which we received from the Federal Government through the Nigeria Customs Service as part of the palliatives to be distributed. Of course, we check everything we receive before distribution. An examination of the rice showed that it was infested with weevils and unfit for human consumption. I mean it was only logical that we report this to the people of Oyo State.
In fact, when we made this discovery, I called the Governor of Ekiti State, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, you know to find out if the problem exists in Ekiti or whether this was limited to our state and he confirmed to me that they had the same problem with the rice that they received. Even reading the papers this morning, I saw that the Ondo State government also stated that they had a similar problem and they will be returning theirs also.
So, since we are not distributing the rice, we have to return it to them. I won’t spend Oyo State money to get rid of rice given by Customs. So, they should find the means to destroy it by themselves. They seized it in the first instance.
So, I really don’t get the criticisms. Those criticising us, are they saying we should precipitate another problem in Oyo State by giving people rice that is not fit for consumption?
IB: Since the pandemic partial lockdown, I’m sure you must have gotten reports, as the Chief Security Officer of the state. There has been an upsurge in crime related incidents. Folks can barely sleep at night in most communities. Vigilantes everywhere, people burning tyres to protect themselves in their neighbourhood. Will you assure the people of Oyo State… what are you actually doing towards ensuring that this social tension occasioned by this ongoing pandemic, partial lockdown that your government will ensure that you put a stop to this seeming criminality in our communities.
SM: Well, Isaac, security is one of the four pillars of our administration and we have continuously dedicated resources to this sector. We continue to work closely with the security agencies in the state to ensure that our people enjoy relative peace.
One of the complaints we have received from the security agencies is false alarm regarding distress calls. I think, I mean, I really won’t want to point fingers but most calls placed through our dedicated emergency toll-free number, 615 turn out to be false alarms or frivolous. The danger is that the security people are then unable to reach those who really need their help.
For the past two days now, I have gone out at 12 midnight, 1 AM to see what is going on with the security architecture. I was at Iwo Road the other day and all the folks were out. From yesterday, we’ve been able to get a vehicle to patrol that area. So, the only appeal I want to ask from our people is, please only call 615 in an emergency so that the security agencies can be more effective in executing their duties.
If people… I mean they forwarded something to me, they said that right now, in front of my office on Iwo Road, there are robbers in there. Then the individual then said that he or she has moved from that place and relocated to somewhere along college crescent. And the individual also said he or she is a corper, So, you are now wondering how possible it is for a corper to leave Iwo Road because of armed robbers and he or she has now relocated to college crescent.
So, I want to beg the opposition, this is not how to play politics of opposition. We want an economy that investors will have confidence in. It’s not by spreading false information that will bring you out as playing opposition. They should state things the way they are. Governments will come and go. I will leave this position very soon and our state will remain. All efforts that we are making is to ensure that we have a state that is secure and prosperous.
IB: Will you still charge the security agencies to do more because incidents of crime especially at night during this period, genuinely in some areas seem to be on the rise, sir.
SM: Well, yes, [indistinct] we will keep pushing. And also, Amotekun will come on board. We are about getting the board to oversee Amotekun off the ground. So, once we are able to do that, they will also, complement the effort of the security agencies and when I go out at night and I go into those communities, part of the things I am looking at is how are going to get vigilantes and people in those communities to key into the overall strategies of Amotekun.
IB: That’s a good one. I’m happy you were able to raise this issue of Amotekun.
Many organisations just like Fresh FM too we are all groaning under this pandemic. We hardly get adverts, we hardly get commercial. And information is so key at fighting this pandemic, we must continually, like you have said, educate out people. Are you also looking as a government, where you could possibly partner and assist the media especially during this period that we have to work to ensure that we jointly with government, defeat corona in our state?
SM: Well, we as government cannot just think out everything. So, we are open to sitting down and with media organisations. You need to also put together your thoughts. You know, if you have a request and we are dealing with something on the table to say, you know, this is a request that has been tabled before us. I think that that is a better way to approach this.
I can’t just manufacture something. I don’t know where the shoe pinches, you know. So, please make your request to us. Not just as Fresh FM but as media organisations coming together and then we have that discussion.
IB: That is a good one that you are actually open to helping media organisations during this pandemic. Of course, like you have rightly requested, we will get across to you and let you know.
We will be drawing this conversation to a close on a lighter note. Our Muslim Faithful are listening to you now. Mà fẹ̀ kẹ ki wọ́n
Ramadan is here. You always go to homes of friends who are also Moslems to break fast with them… ṣe ẹ mà lọ sii ile Deputy Governor, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan to break your fast, to break fast with him?
SM: Well, mo n lo àsiko yii lati ki àwọn brothers àti sisters wà ti wọn jẹ musulumi, musulumi ododo ti wọn gbà àwẹ, mo kii yin pe ẹku oungbẹ. Mo si gba l'adura pe ẹmi a r'ẹyin oṣu.
Yes, I will be… as a matter of fact, yesterday I told my most distinguished sister, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu and I told her that I was coming to her house to join her to break the fast. I will also at some point before the fasting is over, visit also the Deputy Governor and some notable Muslim leaders in the state to break the fast with them. I have been to the house of Chief Adeojo to break fast before. I hope I am able to do it again.
IB: Finally, you have just two minutes to thank organisations, individuals, corporate bodies that have supported Oyo State in this fight through various donations and also use the platform to ask others to that have not done to do so.
SM: Well, as at our last meeting, we’ve received cash donations of over N300 Million now, maybe N330 Million. We have a Task Force meeting today at 4 PM today so I will be getting an update on that. We have cash donations of maybe N330 Million and gift donations of close to I think another N70-80 Million. I want to use this opportunity to thank the individuals and organisations that have come to the aid of Oyo State. I thank you very very much on behalf of the government and the people of the state.
I think you’ve taken all my time today. One whole hour [laughs]
IB: We must really thank you. I think the people of Oyo State are better off for it. When are we expecting the distribution of masks?
SM: Well, we’ve started at the secretariat today. I don’t have the numbers of the masks that have been given so far but as we get them, we will keep giving them out to the people.
IB: Your Excellency, I must really thank for speaking with us at Fresh FM COVID-19 Situation Room. We will keep in touch and we will continually join you in this fight to drive COVID-19 out of our dear state. Thanks so much for joining us this morning, sir.
SM: Well thank you so much, Isaac and I should use this opportunity also to thank our people and to let them know that success in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 depends largely on personal responsibility. Even when the government enforces all measures, we cannot go into people’s homes to ensure personal hygiene. So, I want to appeal to our people to take responsibility and follow the directives of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force so that together, we can defeat COVID-19 in Oyo State.
And I thank the management of Fresh FM for giving me the opportunity to reach out and also for the good work you are doing in enlightening and engaging our people. So, I thank you so much Isaac and give my regards to the Chairman.
IB: Few days ago, you made some far-reaching decisions one of which is you asked workers in Oyo State, mostly senior cadre from level 13 upwards to resume work. While appreciating your efforts at ramping up testing in the state with the drive-through/walk-through initiative at Adamasingba, critics have said for a state of 7.6 Million people, that as we speak this morning, has tested only 610 of its populace, a state that has recorded two fatalities, one of which was actually recorded last night… we have eight active cases, twenty-one confirmed cases in all including just yesterday, three new cases. Critics have said your decision asking a cadre of workers to resume work today, Monday in the midst of all these is not only hasty but reckless and dangerous, your take sir?
SM: Well, Isaac, you know we have to strike a balance between two things; the physical health of the people of Oyo State and the economic health of the state. The Oyo State economy, for now, is highly dependent on the secretariat functioning. This is a civil servant state. So, that’s why we have asked just a few workers to resume to keep the secretariat functional. But we also put protocols in place is to ensure that they can work safely.
The normal population for the secretariat is 15-20,000 workers but now, we asked only 3,000 of them to resume and those 3,000 are the ones with separate offices.
I was reading in the Tribune this morning, comments by my very good friend, Professor Adeolu Akande saying maybe we shouldn’t open up the secretariat and that the senior cadre of workers may not be able to function without the junior ones. I have not spoken to him, I will, later on today but the bottom line is we paid staff salaries on the 24th, that is Friday. Those payments were processed by some people. So, they had gone to the office to ensure that the vouchers were prepared and approved on time.
So, you have to keep the economy going and also, strike a balance between the economic health and the physical health of the people, so I don’t think it is reckless. This is based on us engaging with the experts.
IB: Since you mentioned Professor Deolu Akande, I must also tell you that the point you raised now… it’s also been said that the senior cadre that you have asked to resume, most of them, some of them we are also getting… because you have directed they should be involved in virtual communication, moving forward. It’s been said that some of them are not even computer savvy and that some of them cannot even do the online communication that you are talking about without having junior workers with them. Your take on that, sir.
SM: Well, let me make a correction there. I did not say that the civil servants who will resume will conduct business online. No, I said meetings will be held online. The senior officers will have to manage without their junior colleagues. That is part of the sacrifices that we all need to make at this time.
IB: Can you also make a clarification. You just said now that those that you have asked to resume at the secretariat are senior staff of that cadre [SM cuts in - of level 13 and above] of level 13 and above. Can you make clarification, we are also getting reports that senior staff of Oyo State owned tertiary institutions have also asked their senior staff to resume? Despite the fact that schools in the state are still closed.
SM: Well, I will talk to the Commissioner for Education, they cannot resume right now because the students are at home. So, maybe, some of them may like to resume to have access to their running costs but we will deal with it, Isaac.
IB: We will still stick with the secretariat matter since you have expatiated on it. Critics have also said that enforcing movement is a herculean task and that instead, COVID-19 transmission due to mass movement in and out of the secretariat may be a possibility, your take on that, sir.
SM: Sorry, I missed that from you. You said how are we going to [IB cuts in – enforce movement in and out of the secretariat because people are saying that enforcing movement is a herculean task and that instead, COVID-19 transmission due to mass movement in and out of the secretariat may be a possibility. How do you enforce that? Knowing fully well what has played out in markets, what has played out during the partial lockdown that you ordered].
Well, we put certain protocols in place for workers coming into the secretariat. Only the main gate will be used for entrance and exit. The other gates will remain locked and because we are having very limited number of staff resuming, we don’t think it will be a herculean task.
IB: What about visitors? Sorry to butt in. What about visitors coming in to see them? Are you placing an embargo?
SM: Visitors will be allowed only where it is absolutely necessary. If you don’t have any serious thing to do at the secretariat, we don’t expect you to come and if you do, the protocol is that they will need to contact whoever you are going to see and it is only those people that can clear you.
IB: So, you are assuring us that you have put stringent measures when it comes to movement in and out of the secretariat this period that you have ordered workers to resume.
SM: Yes, Isaac, we are very confident about the measures we have out in place and we are sure that this will work. I received a text message this morning from the CAN President and I said we will discuss this issue much later today because some of the things we have put in place, people haven’t seen it but we will keep the enlightenment going so that we can all get aligned in the same direction.
IB: In the United States of America, one of the conditions that states wanting to resume business activities, one of them is the ability of such states to 1) scientifically ascertain that it has not only reached the peak of infections but also, a 14-day downward trajectory in new cases and symptoms. Even though, people are commending you based on the fact that you have a target of 10,000 tests as far as this state is concerned. But the question people are also asking is that will you say, sir this morning, that Oyo State has reached the peak of Oyo COVID-19 infections based on the fact that we just tested 610 people. Can we even be talking about a curve not to talk of a 14-day downward trajectory where hospitalisation/incubation cases must be coming down. The fact that you have asked people to go back to work this morning. Do you think that this condition I just mentioned has been met in the state?
SM: Well, I will leave the technical details to the experts, Isaac. But be assured that our decisions are based on expert advice. I mean, don’t forget that the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force is made of several professors – epidemiologists, virologists and people with background in public health. So, as I have often said, we have to find a local solution to our problems. We can’t keep saying making reference – this is United States of America… how about other parts of the world? We have to compare notes – what people have done right. America shouldn’t just be made the reference point because there are other places round the world that are doing far better than America right now. So, we should only borrow things that will work for us and that can come from any corner of the world. It can come from as near as Ghana. Ghana has just lifted their lockdown; they are moving on with their lives.
IB: Your Excellency, I think even without referring to the US, the idea that it is safer for you to begin to open up gradually when you are convinced that you have gotten to the peak of cases in your state or country seems logical. So, I am just saying, if we have only tested 610, have we gotten to the peak for us to take the decision we have just taken, asking workers to resume today? We are still testing. Your target is 10,000.
SM: Yes, we will keep on testing. This is not going to go away like yesterday and that is exactly what I have been telling a lot of people. Well, okay, you’ve given palliatives out and you are saying this is the direction that you want to go in a manner that is suggestive of flipping a switch off or on. No, it’s not going to go that way. I think we need to even look at this in terms of light dimmers where you can turn the knob and the light may be bright and you can turn the knob [IB cuts in and the light may dim]. Exactly. So, it is for the long haul and our approach mustn’t be like flipping a switch. Our approach must be that this is going to be with us for a while. And that is exactly what we are doing.
Cautiously, we are going out to say let this category of people resume. Let the markets resume with certain conditions. Let the farmers take advantage of this planting season. Once I am done now, I am going to Akufo to see what is being done at the farm settlement out there.
So, we all better know that this will be with us for some time.
IB: Can you confirm to us this morning, where we are when it comes to transmission of COVID-19 in our state. Are we still at the point where it is still all about folks with travel history, folks that have been exposed to those that have travelled? Or as is being touted, are we experiencing community transmission yet?
SM: Well, from discussions with the experts, virologists and I have to use this opportunity to thank the members of the Task Force because they are using their time to serve the people of Oyo State with no compensation at all up until this moment. So, what we are seeing is almost person to person transmission. Of course, we still have to do a lot more research. But even experts all over the world, what they are saying is… I mean this is novel. It has never happened before and it is an uncharted territory so we have to keep on feeling our way until we are able to get a total handle on this.
IB: Are you not worried, Your Excellency, if you look at the case of the fatality, the Kano individual. His case seems to have thrown a lot of questions and one of them is the idea of asking people to self-isolate once they are suspected of having COVID-19. And usually, the protocol here has always been stay home, samples are collected and tests conducted. Before the results come out, usually, we have seen that people don’t honour what they’ve been told to do. While they are supposed to isolate at home, they begin to move from one state to another, spreading this ailment. So, are you thinking that the protocol of asking suspected individuals, especially when they are still awaiting results of their tests to ask them to stay at home, are you not worried that people are not aligning, people are not obeying, adhering to those instructions and they are going about, going to private clinics. Do we need to change that protocol?
SM: Well, I don’t think we need to change that protocol. I think the way things are set up right now… When you are actually between the rock and the hard place, you have to move cautiously. We don’t have the resources to say look if you have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive patient, then we should take you and slam you in an isolation centre. For instance, I tested positive and all my close associates, the closest people to me, they were all tested. And out of the tests, only one came out positive. So, if we had taken all of them to some isolation place, are you not breeding cross infection?
And again, I read this on the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Lagos said well, we went in there and took hotels with individual rooms. You know for us in Oyo State, we don’t have those resources so we have to ensure that we properly plan our resources.
IB: So, does it mean calls that are being made for more isolation centres, more testing centres outside Ibadan. Even suggestion about the virology unit in LAUTECH College of Science being upgraded. Is it something you are looking at or is it something as we speak, our resources cannot accommodate?
SM: I got a message from I think maybe the Nigerian Medical Association, LAUTECH chapter. See, COVID-19 is not something that is tied to zones or geographical spread. When this whole thing first broke in Nigeria, the protocol was that anybody from anywhere in the South West should be taken to Lagos, right? Because that was the only place with an isolation centre at that time. But between then and now, several states have gotten their own isolation centres. They’ve also been able to put in place, diagnostic centres and things like that. So, you can’t just say because Ogbomoso is two hours from Ibadan… you can take samples out there and bring people to the Infectious Disease Centre at Ibadan.
We do have an isolation centre that they are working on now at Ogbomoso. We are going to have one at Saki and one at Igbo-Ora as well. You know but you are faced with a pandemic and you also have the economic challenge. So, you have to try and work in between such that the most efficient way to tackle the problem.
IB: Can you tell us this morning, I am sure you will also want to commend them, the health workers – doctors, nurses they are at the front-line day in day out. Trying to make me and you safe, sir. Will you say that the health workers are fully protected knowing fully well that we are getting a spike in infection of some of them. And are there plans by the Oyo State Government, as I speak, do you have improved condition of service for some of these health workers who are currently on the front line of the state?
SM: I will use this opportunity to really thank our front-line health workers, they are doing very well. We don’t have all the PPEs that they require. It’s just the fact. But the ones that we have, we are distributing them efficiently and we are also having discussions regarding how we can make these things locally. So, my Special Adviser on Health [Dr Funmi Salami] is doing a research right now. There are places around the world where they have these reusable PPEs and once, we get those details, we can get few of our people together to see how this can be manufactured locally.
This is going to be one of the benefits from this pandemic, you know, you need to look inward, try to develop your local capability and so, that is one of the things we are looking at as far as PPEs for our front-line health workers is concerned.
IB: In terms of the welfare, I’m sure that one is within your power.
SM: Yes, in terms of the welfare, I just approved a package for them; both the volunteers and people that are being seconded. We are not making it a hardship posting for them. We are [indistinct] within the resources available to us.
IB: The last we spoke, you raised something that… it appears me personally and the science community seems to align with basically. You said you were open to the possibility of walling off any community in Oyo State where there is noticeable consistent outbreak of new cases. If we look at where things stand now, it appears at number 21 that we have found ourselves in terms of cases of COVID-19. I am trying to break the data down. It appears majority of those cases are in Ibadan. Majority appears to be much more in Ibadan North and UCH. Is walling off Ibadan as a city on your table? Is it a possibility?
SM: Yes, it is a possibility. The three additional cases that came up and the fatality that was observed in the past 24 hours, all are from UCH. I discussed with the CMD of UCH. Yes, I felt that they have been a little bit defensive but they don’t manufacture those people. I mean UCH is a tertiary hospital so people will come from all sorts of places to come in there first.
The fact still remains that most of what… almost 50% now of the cases in Oyo State, can be directly linked to UCH. And we are looking at what are the actions we can take to address the issue. If we have to wall off Ibadan [IB cuts in – will you wall off Ibadan? We have 21 cases in Ibadan. Will you wall off Ibadan to prevent this spread into other towns in the state if this trend continues?].
If you can say 100% that look this community, let’s say Yemetu community or Adeoyo community or some other community like that. If we can see how they virus is behaving in that community and we have to wall off that community, we will then do it until we get control over what is going on with the virus in that community.
IB: You just mentioned the CMD UCH now. There is a lot of talk that there are misunderstandings between the state government and UCH. Where does things stand now with smoothening of edges?
SM: Our people will always say that you can’t be friends for 25 years without friction. The question is not whether there is friction but whether it is resolved. So, we have friction, we look at things from different angles and then from the [Federal] Ministry of Health, they have sent a letter to the medical arm of tertiary institutions to work with state governments in addressing this pandemic.
So, apart from us reaching out to UCH management, we are asking them to bring somebody that will represent the management in the COVID-19 Task Force in Oyo State. We are also asking them to work with our Commissioner for Health to set up an accreditation team towards the accreditation of isolation and treatment centres.
IB: So, the line of communication with UCH is fantastic now.
SM: Well, it may not be fantastic but at least, it is open and we are being brutally frank with ourselves.
IB: Let’s go straight away to your quarantine guidelines which you rolled out several weeks back. There seems to be laxity in enforcement. You could go to Ojoo or you could go to Bodija, Dugbe. As we speak, non-essential businesses are functioning. Folks selling clothes, shoes, phones are everywhere. When you look at the transport sector, your guideline, quarantine guideline was quite clear, no overloading. But we see here Keke NAPEP, Marwa, Okada folks are still carrying passengers more than the directive you gave. Even the curfew of 7 PM, in some couple of areas, you could still see non adherence. Are you not worried, sir that this nonchalant attitude towards your directive which may create public danger in terms of health, has to come with an enforcement in terms of compliance? What are you doing towards ensuring your quarantine guidelines are strictly adhered to, sir?
SM: Well, we noticed some of these things that you mentioned and our enlightenment has to be deepened. That is, you know, letting people know that we are asking them to do these things for themselves and others around them. We don’t want to keep losing people. We don’t want more lives to be lost here. So, we have to keep engaging the people.
When compliance is voluntary, then we are all actually better off and the only way compliance will become largely voluntary is when people are enlightened, when they are educated. When they know precisely what they are supposed to be doing to protect themselves, protect their families and protect the rest of us.
So, just saying get the police out there or get security agencies out there let them enforce it. We don’t even have enough. We don’t have enough hands within this security agencies to enforce compliance. So, what we have to do is to [IB cuts in – keep appealing to the people. Keep appealing to our people]. Exactly.
And then, we also want to use technology and said to our people to get to the telecom operators. Anyone that has been asked to self-isolate, they monitor their movement. Of course, there are legal challenges out there which have to be surmounted as well. And there has to be commercial discussion also, you know with the telecom operators to put it in place.
But we are exploring every avenue to ensure that our people are not put at risk.
IB: I am on the same page with you on that one because I know that there are some states out there in Europe and the fact that when people are told to self-isolate and they don’t. What they do, just like the police state, they seize their phones, go through their conversations, track their phone logs. Some even went to the extent of seizing credit card to know form of transactions they have actually made when people refuse to heed simple advice to stay at home.
Away from that, the fact that you are also a survivor from this virus, you have called for local approach at finding lasting solution for combating COVID-19 by looking inwards at natural remedies which are peculiar to us here. Could you tell us this morning, any progress? Because I know you are passionate about that. Any progress along that line?
SM: Yes, we have been making progress. A team at the University of Ibadan have written to us, I think we have had the first engagement meeting with them. Certain things we know has worked so far which is, try as much as possible to wash your hands as many times as possible. You don’t need anyone to push you to be able to do that.
So, the team from UI, all the team suggested you know the local [IB cuts in – natural remedies, right?] yes. Natural remedies, we had the discussion with them. And for me, I saw a lot of difference when I actually started taking those immune boosters like I mentioned, black seed oil. Black seed oil, when you take it, you can have that metallic taste in it. [IB cuts in – and the carrot you took and the vitamin C]. Well, I took carrots as well. I understand carrots also have carotene in it. And the black seed oil has zinc and I’ve been reading… Of course, when you are in this situation, everybody will turn to be a research scholar. So, we do a lot of research also and they said that zinc, if it goes into the cell, it actually prevents the virus from entering the cell.
So, there are all kinds of things out there but the experts, you know the professors of virology, the professors of epidemiology, they all put it together to make sense out of all the information we have out there.
IB: So, you are open to home-grown solution.
SM: What I can say really is that I don’t believe that if the solution doesn’t come from America or the West or the East, that we cannot have a solution. Yeah, it will take quite a bit to have it open, you know you take those things into the world medical journals, they have a process… maybe World Health Organisation. It’s quite a long process but it doesn’t mean that we cannot find a solution from this part of the world.
IB: You spoke about distribution of palliatives to the poorest of the poor and there has been talk of likely lockdown during… Can you be exact this morning? When will the distribution be done? And can you also confirm that during the distribution, there will be restriction of movement.
SM: Well, the distribution will commence this week. And the distribution will be done simultaneously in all local government areas in the state until all 120,000 households which we identified have received their palliative.
I personally, I was calling some of the people myself yesterday because I wanted to confirm if there is any kind of colouration to the data. I started from Saki East/ Saki West and Afijio Federal Constituency and then I moved to Olorunsogo/Irepo and Oorelope Federal Constituency. In terms of the 14 Federal Constituencies, I have been able to… at least, I have an idea of who those people are and quite frankly, there is a shocking revelation. About let’s say 40% of the people I spoke to were farmers. And they told me, yes, it’s good for you to send us these palliatives but the real palliatives that we want you to send us is to help us get to the farm. Assist us in clearing our land and then we are ready to go out there.
So, there will be a second set of palliatives designed and targeted towards the farmers and thus, boosting our economy. So, those palliatives will go out this week.
IB: You’ve not addressed whether there will be restrictions when the simultaneous distribution will be done. Will there be restrictions, sir?
SM: No, there will be not be any restrictions. Well, we discussed it because I knew where this came from. The Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties [Chief Bayo Lawal] I think, came on the radio. They had a discussion in their own committee, which is a committee to distribute palliatives and they felt to check hoodlums and all of that, they need to lockdown so that people are not able to move around and disrupt distribution. [IB cuts in – hijack the trucks] Yes. I really don’t buy into that. I believe that our people will be orderly and we will do it in such a way that the targeted people will receive their palliatives.
IB: I am happy to hear from you that you that you did a fact check on the names that were given to you and found out that majority you spoke with are real people, poor people. But there are also… people are saying since this lockdown began, people that were not poor, before are now poor, as I speak and maybe, they were not captured.
SM: Well, last week Friday, we paid N11 Billion as workers salary for state workers, local government workers, teachers... everybody. Will you consider them as poor? Will you consider those that have received their salary as the people needing palliatives?
IB: Absolutely not.
SM: Exactly. So, I wish the government could give everyone in need something but that is just not possible. What we did is we identified 90,000 households as the poorest of the poor and we added another 30,000 households as vulnerable. And of course, what we are doing by trying to open up the economy is for those who can earn a living to be able to go out in a safe manner to earn a living.
IB: Your government has been criticised for rejecting the Federal Government 1,800 bags of rice given to you by Customs. Will you make clarification on where things stand as regarding the rice?
SM: Well, you know, as I said earlier, we are distributing palliatives this week and our plan had been to include the rice which we received from the Federal Government through the Nigeria Customs Service as part of the palliatives to be distributed. Of course, we check everything we receive before distribution. An examination of the rice showed that it was infested with weevils and unfit for human consumption. I mean it was only logical that we report this to the people of Oyo State.
In fact, when we made this discovery, I called the Governor of Ekiti State, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, you know to find out if the problem exists in Ekiti or whether this was limited to our state and he confirmed to me that they had the same problem with the rice that they received. Even reading the papers this morning, I saw that the Ondo State government also stated that they had a similar problem and they will be returning theirs also.
So, since we are not distributing the rice, we have to return it to them. I won’t spend Oyo State money to get rid of rice given by Customs. So, they should find the means to destroy it by themselves. They seized it in the first instance.
So, I really don’t get the criticisms. Those criticising us, are they saying we should precipitate another problem in Oyo State by giving people rice that is not fit for consumption?
IB: Since the pandemic partial lockdown, I’m sure you must have gotten reports, as the Chief Security Officer of the state. There has been an upsurge in crime related incidents. Folks can barely sleep at night in most communities. Vigilantes everywhere, people burning tyres to protect themselves in their neighbourhood. Will you assure the people of Oyo State… what are you actually doing towards ensuring that this social tension occasioned by this ongoing pandemic, partial lockdown that your government will ensure that you put a stop to this seeming criminality in our communities.
SM: Well, Isaac, security is one of the four pillars of our administration and we have continuously dedicated resources to this sector. We continue to work closely with the security agencies in the state to ensure that our people enjoy relative peace.
One of the complaints we have received from the security agencies is false alarm regarding distress calls. I think, I mean, I really won’t want to point fingers but most calls placed through our dedicated emergency toll-free number, 615 turn out to be false alarms or frivolous. The danger is that the security people are then unable to reach those who really need their help.
For the past two days now, I have gone out at 12 midnight, 1 AM to see what is going on with the security architecture. I was at Iwo Road the other day and all the folks were out. From yesterday, we’ve been able to get a vehicle to patrol that area. So, the only appeal I want to ask from our people is, please only call 615 in an emergency so that the security agencies can be more effective in executing their duties.
If people… I mean they forwarded something to me, they said that right now, in front of my office on Iwo Road, there are robbers in there. Then the individual then said that he or she has moved from that place and relocated to somewhere along college crescent. And the individual also said he or she is a corper, So, you are now wondering how possible it is for a corper to leave Iwo Road because of armed robbers and he or she has now relocated to college crescent.
So, I want to beg the opposition, this is not how to play politics of opposition. We want an economy that investors will have confidence in. It’s not by spreading false information that will bring you out as playing opposition. They should state things the way they are. Governments will come and go. I will leave this position very soon and our state will remain. All efforts that we are making is to ensure that we have a state that is secure and prosperous.
IB: Will you still charge the security agencies to do more because incidents of crime especially at night during this period, genuinely in some areas seem to be on the rise, sir.
SM: Well, yes, [indistinct] we will keep pushing. And also, Amotekun will come on board. We are about getting the board to oversee Amotekun off the ground. So, once we are able to do that, they will also, complement the effort of the security agencies and when I go out at night and I go into those communities, part of the things I am looking at is how are going to get vigilantes and people in those communities to key into the overall strategies of Amotekun.
IB: That’s a good one. I’m happy you were able to raise this issue of Amotekun.
Many organisations just like Fresh FM too we are all groaning under this pandemic. We hardly get adverts, we hardly get commercial. And information is so key at fighting this pandemic, we must continually, like you have said, educate out people. Are you also looking as a government, where you could possibly partner and assist the media especially during this period that we have to work to ensure that we jointly with government, defeat corona in our state?
SM: Well, we as government cannot just think out everything. So, we are open to sitting down and with media organisations. You need to also put together your thoughts. You know, if you have a request and we are dealing with something on the table to say, you know, this is a request that has been tabled before us. I think that that is a better way to approach this.
I can’t just manufacture something. I don’t know where the shoe pinches, you know. So, please make your request to us. Not just as Fresh FM but as media organisations coming together and then we have that discussion.
IB: That is a good one that you are actually open to helping media organisations during this pandemic. Of course, like you have rightly requested, we will get across to you and let you know.
We will be drawing this conversation to a close on a lighter note. Our Muslim Faithful are listening to you now. Mà fẹ̀ kẹ ki wọ́n
Ramadan is here. You always go to homes of friends who are also Moslems to break fast with them… ṣe ẹ mà lọ sii ile Deputy Governor, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan to break your fast, to break fast with him?
SM: Well, mo n lo àsiko yii lati ki àwọn brothers àti sisters wà ti wọn jẹ musulumi, musulumi ododo ti wọn gbà àwẹ, mo kii yin pe ẹku oungbẹ. Mo si gba l'adura pe ẹmi a r'ẹyin oṣu.
Yes, I will be… as a matter of fact, yesterday I told my most distinguished sister, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu and I told her that I was coming to her house to join her to break the fast. I will also at some point before the fasting is over, visit also the Deputy Governor and some notable Muslim leaders in the state to break the fast with them. I have been to the house of Chief Adeojo to break fast before. I hope I am able to do it again.
IB: Finally, you have just two minutes to thank organisations, individuals, corporate bodies that have supported Oyo State in this fight through various donations and also use the platform to ask others to that have not done to do so.
SM: Well, as at our last meeting, we’ve received cash donations of over N300 Million now, maybe N330 Million. We have a Task Force meeting today at 4 PM today so I will be getting an update on that. We have cash donations of maybe N330 Million and gift donations of close to I think another N70-80 Million. I want to use this opportunity to thank the individuals and organisations that have come to the aid of Oyo State. I thank you very very much on behalf of the government and the people of the state.
I think you’ve taken all my time today. One whole hour [laughs]
IB: We must really thank you. I think the people of Oyo State are better off for it. When are we expecting the distribution of masks?
SM: Well, we’ve started at the secretariat today. I don’t have the numbers of the masks that have been given so far but as we get them, we will keep giving them out to the people.
IB: Your Excellency, I must really thank for speaking with us at Fresh FM COVID-19 Situation Room. We will keep in touch and we will continually join you in this fight to drive COVID-19 out of our dear state. Thanks so much for joining us this morning, sir.
SM: Well thank you so much, Isaac and I should use this opportunity also to thank our people and to let them know that success in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 depends largely on personal responsibility. Even when the government enforces all measures, we cannot go into people’s homes to ensure personal hygiene. So, I want to appeal to our people to take responsibility and follow the directives of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force so that together, we can defeat COVID-19 in Oyo State.
And I thank the management of Fresh FM for giving me the opportunity to reach out and also for the good work you are doing in enlightening and engaging our people. So, I thank you so much Isaac and give my regards to the Chairman.
