Why Edo State protests against forced COVID-19

By allcitynews.ng

Wondering what is the benefit of taking COVID-19 vaccine when patients who are suffering from other diseases, are being neglected, Edo State people embarked on peaceful protest against planned forced vaccination.

Since the people have fundamental human right to accept or reject the vaccines, they alleged that the governor might have ulterior motive for chasing shadow when the real substance is neglected.

Some of the protesters demanded to know why Governor Godwin Obaseki is insisting on enslaving people by saying people without vaccination will not be allowed to attend markets even places of worship.

According to one of the health professional, “In the past 4 months or more, 70 to 80 per cent deaths recorded were from heart diseases.”

The Medical Doctor irked by the plan to enforce vaccination by the Obaseki-led administration said, people suffering
from diseases have been lying helplessly in hospitals while the governor is only looking at COVID-19 vaccination.

The Medical professional said, “Mr Governor, at least if you compare four to 500, then four deaths would be insignificant. Major causes of deaths in Edo State like hypertension, diabetes, cancers, severe malaria, more infectious diseases than COVID-19 (like TB, hepatitis, other diseases), malnutrition and starvation, have been neglected hitherto. So, COVID-19 is not a major threat. If truly the COVID-19 vaccines are really effective in curtailing the spread and eradication of COVID-19, they will definitely speak for themselves.

“If Almighty God is not forcing salvation of souls on mankind, Mr Governor, you have no right to enslave Edo people by your own opinion. We voted for you to lead us alright and not to enslave us.”

You may wish to recall that some members of the civil society organisations in Benin-city, the Edo State capital, on Monday protested against plan by the state government to make it compulsory for residents of the state to take anti-COVID-19 vaccine before accessing churches, mosques, banks, markets, wedding, or burial receptions.

The protesters, who marched through the streets of Benin-city with placards with various inscription such as ‘Obaseki Can’t Force Us to Take COVID-19 vaccines’; ‘I Have the Right to Go to church’; ‘We Have Right to Decide’, among others, said the plan by the government is tantamount to trampling on the fundamental rights of the citizens.

The protesters under the aegis of Equity Initiatives, while addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Benin-city, asked the governor to face infrastructural decay and insecurity in the state.

Convener and spokesperson for the groups, Chris Iyama, said: “We are here to express our displeasure over the government move to force Edo people to take COVID-19 vaccines. This is against our fundamental human right.

“You cannot force someone to eat what he or she doesn’t want. Are we in banana republic? We own the state not the government.”

Also, the interim state chairman, Edo Civil Society, Bishop Osadolor Anthony Ochei, said it is the right of the citizens to decide whether to be vaccinated or not.

According to him, “If the state government has failed, we cannot fail ourselves. The government has the right to make policies but this policy is not law.”