The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has urged the Federal Government to give the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 the power to prosecute protocols’ violators, saying the virus is real and hitting harder.
The monarch, in a statement on Tuesday by his media aide, Alli Ibrahim, also asked the government to mandate the use of facemask and other precautionary measures, saying the newly reported cases of the virus in the world called for vigilance.
Oluwo, who said visitors to his palace must wear facemasks, vowed to sack any of his staff seen either in the palace or any public place without wearing a facemask.
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He stated: “Saddened with the new recorded deaths row of COVID-19 in some developed countries, I want to specially appeal and task the federal government of Nigeria to reintroduce enforcement of precautionary measures such as the use of facemask, keeping of social distance, regular watching of hands and others.
“I fear the influx of people into Nigeria. We can’t close borders. For some moments, we need to learn to live with COVID-19. As such, a patriotic Nigerian must always wear facemask, keep social distance, watch hand and avoid gatherings of many people.
“Just yesterday, I read of the demise of Olu of Warri. This should tell us the 2nd phase of COVID-19 is still real. The best way to protect our country is to be vigilance in protecting ourselves against the virus. The federal government should further empower the covid 19 taskforce on power of prosecuting of its precautionary measures violators.
“The regular palace visitors such as the princes, chiefs and members of staff are strongly instructed to wear their facemask as condition to access the palace. Relationship with the palace are respected but should be maintained with strict observance of Covid-19 Precautionary Measures. Any member of staff coming to the palace without facemask is risking his or her job. We enjoin Nigerians to abide the global precautionary measures of Covid-19”.
