Nobel prize winner criticises Nigeria’s virus response

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has criticised the Nigerian government and religious leaders over their response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Prof Soyinka condemned the actions of some preachers in Nigeria, who ignored government directives on social distancing and held Sunday services for thousands of congregants.

“They have been treated with kid gloves for too long…I think there is too much political correctness going on…”, he said.

“What the government should do in such instances is to take note of these contraveners of common-sense and ensure that they are punished after this crisis is over or at some point or the other”. 

The Nigerian author went on to fault the government for failing to have enough isolation centres, well-stocked pharmacies and research centres to deal with the crisis. 

Prof Soyinka recently returned form the United States and has been in self-isolation for nine days. 

From Thursday, shops and open markets in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos will be forced to close for seven days, except for those which sell food and other essentials. 

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