The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and member of Covid 19 Containment Committee, Bishop Dani Mamza who has just been discharged from isolation challenged infected public figures to disclose their status.
Addressing journalists in Yola on Saturday, Bishop Mama said he decided to make his status public in order to sensitise Nigerians that the virus was real, saying he did not care about stigmatisation.
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Soon after testing positive two weeks ago, the bishop issued a press release notifying the public about the development and urging Nigerians to observe preventive measures.
The Christian leader noted that public figures who tested positive for Covid-19 should be honest enough to inform the public about their health status.
Mamza believed its effect had been exaggerated, thereby creating unnecessary fear among the people, saying some of the victims died of fear rather than the ailment which is curable.
According him he used his ample time in isolation to pray and read, saying he had time to respond to thousands of text messages from friends and sympathisers.
“Yes, it is real but I personally feel that the effect of coronavirus has been over exaggerated. The fear instilled in people is too much. It is not a death sentence. And it is not probably as bad as people are saying. If you get it you will get well”, he said.
He believes God had intervened for Nigeria and Africa despite the poor health facilities looking at how the virus killed more people in developed countries.
“Covid 19 exposed our weakness. Our bad sides have been seen. So we have to learn. God has been helping us. Nobody expected this thing will be as mild as it is in Nigeria and in Africa in general having heard what happened in Italy, Brazil and America and even India despite the fact that we don’t have the health facilities. God decided to protect us in his own way,” Mamza stated.