4 reasons why many Nigerians don't believe coronavirus is real
It is no longer news that some Nigerians don't believe in the existence of the ravaging coronavirus. To them, people have not been dropping dead on the streets and their friends, colleagues and families have not been diagnosed with it.
In this report, Legit.ng takes a look at the reasons why many Nigerians don't believe in COVID-19's existence.
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1. Federal government's body language.
Despite the federal government's messages that coronavirus is real, it has done little to earn the trust of Nigerians. The government is showing a double standard nature by being selective in its restrictions. For example, it allowed some elections to go ahead. Recently it mandated Nigerians to enrol for the National Identity Number, despite the fact that there is a deadlier and more virulent second wave of the pandemic.
Also, the government even refused to ban flights from the UK, the US and South Africa where we have the emergence of a new mutated strain of the virus.
Source: Twitter
All these are making Nigerians skeptical about the existence of the virus. People believe that if coronavirus is truly real, the government would not have allowed these activities given the fact that such gathering will be a super spreader, Punch reports.
2. Actions of some government officials, political leaders, influential people and celebrities
Influential people like government officials, political leaders and celebrities have not helped in this situation. They are always at events without observing social distancing or even wearing masks. Many of them even hosted or attended weddings, funerals, chieftaincy ceremonies, etc.
All these are helping fuel speculation that coronavirus is not real.
3. Religious leaders attitude towards the virus
Another set of people who are helping to fuel this attitude towards the existence of coronavirus are some religious leaders who practically dismissed the existence of COVID-19. With their actions, they misled millions of Nigerians who are their followers.
4. Conspiracy Theory Industry!
Many Nigerians are dismissing the existence of coronavirus because of these people. The conspiracy theory people are deliberately and creatively manufacturing misleading literature and videos which are virally circulated.
Even, a Nigerian pastor is one of those dishing out these conspiracies and falsehoods, which many people, unfortunately, believe.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the federal government declared that it would review the January 18 earlier date fixed for resumption of schools across the country.
The government on Monday, January 11, attributed the decision to the second wave of COVID-19 currently ravaging the country.
Legit.ng gathered that the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this while answering questions during a press briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja.
Coronavirus: Are Nigerians really afraid of COVID-19? New survey reveals more | - on Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
