The dreaded Ebola Virus, currently ravaging parts of West Africa, landed within the shores of Nigeria evoking palpable fear while threatening the kernel of our public health system. The trepidation was understandable; with a massive population of over 170 million people, a major outbreak of EVD in Nigeria would have been grave. Thankfully, the brave efforts of late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh as well as Lagos State and Federal Government’s swift actions resulted in the containment of EVD in Nigeria. The country had a total of 20 confirmed cases (12 survivors and 8 deaths) and as at today, no new case has been recorded.

Nigeria has received global acclaim for the prompt and decisive measures it took to contain the spread of Ebola but what is more salient is the all-important lesson in collective responsibility we can glean from the situation. It was the American author, Helen Keller, who said: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”. This much has been demonstrated in the manner we responded to the Ebola scourge as a nation. For the first time in a very long while, Nigerians came together to fight a common enemy in the Ebola virus, irrespective of creed, tribe, and political affiliation. Everyone was involved – Federal Government, state governments, organised private sector, religious bodies, civil society, labour unions, the Nigerian Medical Association, the media, etc. – and together we prevailed.

Tragedies may occur, unplanned situations may arise; what matters at the end is how well we respond to them. On this occasion, we did well as a people and we should be proud of ourselves. More importantly, however, we need to pursue our quest for greatness with the same sense of purpose, patriotism, commitment and collective will to create the Nigeria of our dreams. History has consistently shown that whenever people with a common aspiration collaborate and work conscientiously, they succeed.

For too long we have allowed nepotism, tribalism, bigotry, religious fanaticism and unnecessary politicking to stall our development to the detriment of one and all. But now is the time to retrace our steps; now is the time to harness the power of staying together to overcome other hurdles we are faced with as a nation so we can forge ahead with hope for a brighter tomorrow. Societies thrive on shared vision and the complementary efforts of individuals. Theodore Roosevelt stated it clearly, when he said: “…but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognise that the State, the community, the citizens acting together, can do a number of things better than if they were left to individual action.”

The entry of Ebola virus into Nigeria was met with concerted resistance; we must however not rest on our oars. We must continue to raise the standards and increase awareness on personal hygiene. Federal and state governments must work together to improve our public health system; we must articulate policies that will encourage private sector participation in health care provision; we must review and update our border security procedures and put in place other preventive measures to avoid future entry of Ebola virus into the country.

Other critical sectors of the economy – security, power, education, agriculture, and manufacturing – must also be addressed with a similar sense of purpose and collective responsibility. For instance, working together, we can revamp and improve our education system and provide skills, innovation and entrepreneurship training to our teeming youth to promote employment and curb restiveness.

As we celebrate our 54th Independence Anniversary, we must be thankful for how far we have come. We must also remember that freedom comes with responsibility; both as citizens and as leaders. In the collective desire for a better Nigeria of equal opportunity for everyone we all must play our part and we must do so spiritedly. Let us jettison ethnic, religious and political myopia for the common good. We must be ready to take responsibility for the future we all desire.

LET US PRAY

Dear God, we thank You for mercy and love bestowed on our nation. Our hope and trust is in You and we implore You to continually be our Shield and Guiding Light. As we strive to make our nation great, we ask for grace to live as one and wisdom to fully maximise our potentials.