COVID-19 vaccine and the people’s distrust

The wise among the politicians and public office holders always do as they can to win the hearts of their people by being nice to them in the period of crisis and hardship. But in our world of today, the reality is very nauseating. And it’s an irrefutable fact that losing trust is akin to losing popular support in politics.

As it’s obvious the world has witnessed a gloomy time where a pandemic is ravaging everywhere , so now it’s a better time as we take a big step towards curtailing the virus through the use of the anti-Covid vaccine. But sadly people are taking their sight somewhere else. Why?

Truth is that It’s the Nigeria political system and the nature of our outdated democracy that nurture politicians to be pathological liars, fake status quo changes, and promise breakers all the time. The more people shower their unwavering allegiance to a certain politician the more they would be disappointed because he/she must be convinced by the system to appear as wild as the rest. Don’t solely blame the players but blame the system too.

Therefore, as time keeps going on, nothing passed without leaving a lesson behind, it’s a universal fact. Then Its such reeks and insipid scenarios that keep taking place from time to time instill the mentality of ” No respect ” and ” No Trust ‘ in the hearts of the masses when it comes to political matters.

So whatever people tend to do or believe now, the mother the spot a politician or power holder into it, they will start swinging in between, that’s to say they would seemingly slop into the cave of uncertainty and confusion. Don’t blame them too, rather the Elites.

Furthermore, as we now reach a critical point where our leaders are highly committed to coaxing masses to believe in what they believe and to receive what they have received as the Covid-19 vaccine is out. Although people believe it’s a deadly disease that deserves better treatment to salvage the world from sinking to the nasty hand of pandemics but yet they choose not to agree with them despite seeing them receiving the vaccine.

Huh! This is the negative side of perfidy and treachery in the realm of politics because politics encompasses all social institutions, more especially when it comes to the area of policy and decision making. However, some people will still believe in the government philosophy in extirpating this deadly virus by accepting the vaccine but they are few and can’t change the narrative as all Nigerians should cooperate with the government to achieve this milestone in chasing out coronavirus.

Moreover, had the president not disappointed his beloved people with mischievous policies and excuses, the people would have registered for Covid-19 vaccine en masse but since it’s otherwise no one is paying attention to the vaccine not even having the whims to register it in due time.

Sadly, some people who might fall into this category are making it fun, we all vested our energy in making a satirical and humorous post with the bandwagon Covid vaccine business. And sadly many are subscribing to our shabby ideology by making the pandemic a mere jocular issue.

Perhaps, we are right to some extent and we can also deserve to be blamed for our negligence regarding a sensitive issue as this. But think of this please, most Nigerians are suffering from Malaria, typhoid, ulcer, diabetes, and other deadly diseases yet government failed to pay any attention to them.

That’s what has been making our people giving the vaccine a second thought because we view this as a misplacement of priority. We are getting killed day by day by the open enemies we are accustomed to, and your mode does and demand to silver them but yet you are massively preparing to deliver us from the odd enemy we popularly fail to believe. I think you are hitting the wrong direction.

For government to get this matter clear, it should first have a deep thought on how to convince its people to start holding their decision in high regards and they can only achieve this through building a cordial relationship in its affairs with the people.

May we all be safe! But truth is that with or without money people won’t take the vaccine in peace.

Esther Adamu Malgwi,

Department of Mass Communication,

University of Maiduguri

Leave a Reply