Nwa Ngene is a small stream that ran through Fegge, Onitsha. My mother always tells of how they used to go there as small children to kill small fishes, wash their clothes, bathe, swim and do other playful things children do in that kind of stream. She said the stream was always dirty because, apart from being a “playground” for children, people walk through it when they want to take the short cut from Fegge to Ose Market. So Nwa Ngene is not where people fetch drinking water, officially, but those children bathing and swimming in the water still drink it, and people living around fetch from it for domestic use; but it is not considered hygienic anyway. However, my mother is always quick to remind me that they never drank Nwa Ngene. But then, Anambra people have this adage that says, “A gbarusia Nwa Ngene, e kulu Nwa Ngene nwuo”, which literally means that “you will still drink from Nwa Ngene even after you polluted it”. This is a way of saying that the system one destroyed will be needed by one later.

The “Nwa Ngene” irony brings our mind to what is happening in Nigeria today – the destroyed system is now giving solace to those that destroyed it.

Everyone knows that Nigeria is battling with a lot of challenges – the education system is substandard; the medical sector is in a sad state; finance is a mess; judiciary is a joke; power sector is epileptic; everything is crumbling. In fact, Nigeria has been stripped of her dignity and left bare to be mocked by other nations; thanks to our past and present leaders and some public office holders.

Education in Nigeria is considered, or is rather known to be of low standard. This is not to say that Nigerians are not intelligent, because that will be a fallacy. The problem is that our education sector has been short-funded and is therefore not as effective as it is supposed to be. It is not considered important enough to be given utmost priority in the national budget. Even the little funds earmarked for it are stolen by public officers, who wouldn’t mind seeing half-baked graduates released by our schools because their own children are studying in the best universities in the world (and their tuition and expensive lifestyles sponsored by stolen public funds). Today, our education system is going down the drain, instead of improving.

Graduates of Nigerian higher institutions are not considered good enough by many countries of the world. For instance, a medical doctor that studied and practiced in Nigeria cannot practice medicine when he finds himself in Canada. He will have to subject himself to further training, examinations and so on, before he is considered qualified to touch any Canadian citizen. This is because, over there, they believe that Nigerian medical schools are not of good standard. But today, those doctors considered unqualified by the Global North are the ones battling COVID-19 in Nigeria (and they’re doing great jobs at that).

Placing COVID-19, Nigerian education system and the medical sector side by side will give you a clear and valid instance of the irony of Nwa Ngene adage. If you have followed the NCDC reports on confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, you will realise that the majority of the victims are “returning travellers”, some of whom are our top public office holders (past and present) and some of their relatives. There are still some unconfirmed tested cases and some yet to submit themselves to be tested even after exposing themselves to the virus.

But then, the irony here is that these top public officers had the chance of putting our educational and medical sectors in order, but they didn’t. Right now, those sectors they ignored are going to give them solace in their time of need. The doctors that will manage their cases are the ones trained in unfunded sub-standard Nigerian schools, which the officers said were not good enough for their children; and the hospitals they were taken to were the unequipped ones they abandoned for overseas medical attention. What a life!

As we wish our office holders quick recovery, we pray for them to use this period to note down what needs to be done to set our systems working properly. We pray to them to remember that in their time of need, outsiders were not there to help them. We pray that as they leave their sick beds, they should go back to the deliberation table and plan properly on how to move Nigeria forward. They should remember that there’s no place like home.

NB: NCDC also needs to check on returnees and public officers in other parts of the country before this virus spreads beyond control.

As needs emanating from the devastating impact of coronavirus continue to increase, people of goodwill have been expressing cheerfulness by giving in support of the fight against the pandemic. From businessmen to music stars to athletes, material and financial donations have gone off to places of need, especially countries with a high number of confirmed cases and vulnerable people.

In Spain, Argentine and Barcelona astro, Lionel Messi has given €1 million ($1.1 million) to the city of Barcelona as Spain intensifies its battle to contain COVID-19.

“Leo Messi makes a donation for the fight against COVID-19 at the clinic. Many thanks for your commitment and your support,” Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic said on Twitter.

Spain has been heavily hit by the pandemic with over 47,610 confirmed cases and 3,434 deaths, the second highest rate in the world after Italy. It is one of the most affected European countries beside Italy, Germany and France. The alarming rate coronavirus is spreading in the continent has necessitated the suspension of football activities until further notice, as everyone is being urged to stay at home.

Messi has been notably vocal in his campaign against the virus, urging people to stay at home and prevent the spread of the disease.

“These are tough times for everyone. We’re all worried about what’s happening and want to help by putting ourselves in the position of those who are having the worst time of it, either because they themselves are directly affected or their family and friends are or because they’re working on the front line in hospitals and health centers to battle against it. I want to send all of them lots of strength.

“Our health must always come first. This is an exceptional time and we must follow the instructions of both the health organizations and public authorities. That’s the only way we’ll be able to fight against this effectively,” Messi wrote on a Facebook post.

With this donation, the sixth time Ballon D’or winner appears to be working the talk, a gesture that has been applauded as it is seen as inspiration for others to give.

Juventus and Portuguese playmaker, Cristiano Ronaldo has followed the same step, jointly pledging €1 million ($1.1 million) with his agent, Jorge Mendes, to fund three intensive care units in Portugal. The donation will cover two ICUs in Santa Maria hospital in Lisbon and one at the Santo Antonio hospital in Porto.

“We were contacted by Jorge Mendes, who volunteered with Cristiano Ronaldo to fund two intensive care units for critically ill patients with COVID-19. There are fans, monitors, infusion pumps, beds, all the equipment that makes up an intensive care unit equipped to provide assistance to a patient infected with COVID-19,” said Santa Maria president Daniel Ferro.

Portugal has recorded over 2,300 coronavirus cases that resulted in over 33 deaths, prompting the government to shut down all non-essential businesses in the country. Hospitals in the country have been running short of ICUs especially in cities like Porto.

“This unit will allow the opening of 15 intensive care beds, fully equipped with fans, monitors and other equipment,” said Paulo Barbosa, president of the board of Centro Hospitalar Universitario do Porto. “The Hospital thanks Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Mendes for this very useful initiative, at a time when the country needs everyone so much.”

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has also joined the 1 million euro pledge campaign. The Catalan coach made the donation through the Col.legi Metges de Barcelona (Barcelona Medical College) and the Fundaçio Àngel Soler Daniel.

“Pep Guardiola participates in the donation campaign of the Col.legi de Metges de Barcelona and the Fundaçio Àngel Soler Daniel with a financial contribution of one million euros for the acquisition of sanitary material during the COVID-19 emergency,” a statement from the College said.

The humanitarian efforts of the College were struggling with about 33, 000 euros before Guardiola made his contribution. However, the foundation said the donation will go a long way to help it fulfill its campaign objectives of medical supplies and general material and sanitary equipment for hospitals.

In Switzerland, tennis star Roger Federer and his wife Mirka, said they will be donating 1 million Swiss Francs ($1.02 million) to help the most vulnerable families in the country, as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc around the world.

“These are challenging times for everyone and nobody should be left behind,” Federer wrote on Instagram. “Mirka and I have personally decided to donate one million Swiss Francs for the most vulnerable families in Switzerland.

“Our contribution is just a start. We hope that others might join in supporting more families in need. Together we can overcome this crisis.”