By Kassim Omomia, Beatrice Gondyi, Nimake Earland Golok Namwa
Olutayo Poopola, job seeker
‘’What caused this panic that the government is thinking of forcing people to take the vaccine if they refuse is poverty. And, I can say that the government has not done enough to encourage the masses.
It is quite a pity that we found ourselves in this sort of terrible situation. Covid-19 is quite alright. And the vaccine they brought is not up to a year now. We have been asking for it.
Now that it is available, I will suggest that Nigerians should make themselves available, including myself, to take it. Everybody should be compelled to be part of the process. We can only be safe together once we encourage ourselves. When there is a solution to the problem, like the virus is allowing us to have access to the vaccine, I will appeal that everybody should endeavour to take it.
The challenge of not accepting the vaccine, therefore the government needs to compel people to be persuaded arises from the fact that people in the rural areas need to be aware of this. Those in the urban centrers are just on the fringe.
More awareness should be extended to people who are at the lower rung of society. People who lack education because they don’t have access to basic things that ordinarily ought to make life good. Most people are in the rural areas. Some are not even aware of the vaccines.
How will they be able to know that it is meant for their health? So, I will say that more awareness should be extended to them such that there won’t be a need to force or compel anyone to do the right thing. The government should go to the level of the people, instead of forcing them to take the vaccines by all means. It is a choice.
Mary Eshovo Gadimoh, Primary health care activist
They should, because Covid-19 is highly infectious. It spreads rapidly, especially on those that are vunerable, that is, the elderly, people living with HIV, cancer patients and those who are suffering from various forms of chronic illnesses e.g diabetes and those who have undergone any form of an organ transplant. Furthermore, those that are immunocompromised.
Basically in Nigeria, the stated precautionary measures are not adhered to due to this Nigerian non-challant mentality, including religious and ethics belief, that God is the ultimate protector.
Forgetting that you will have to play your own part, before God will do His.
Medically, there is a term called ‘herd immunity’ whereby when 80-90 per cent of the population of a community is being vaccinated, it is believed that everyone is immuned already due to the high percentage of the populace that is immunized.
In a nutshell, in other to reduce the spread of the pandemic, the Government of Nigeria should compel her citizens to partake in the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination to ensure a Covid-free nation. Only then can we successfully say that the nation is free of Covid-19 virus. You know if adequate care is not taken, we might be putting lots of lives under terrible risk. And if we can endeavoru to take it, then we will be sure that we are on the right path. Let keep getting it right by encouraging the efforts of the government.
Mohammed Kawu, Pensioner
Government should not compel Nigerians to take the Covid-19 vaccine because right from the initial state when the minister received the vaccine consignment, he told Nigerians that taking it was optional. So, in this context, government should not turn otherwise to say that it would compel Nigerians to take the vaccines.
Ogaiku Paul Gomina, a Portugal-based Nigerian
“It is because of lack of trust in the system. Here in Europe, people are jostling to take the vaccine.You need to book ahead and when it is your turn they will call you. I likened the vaccine to that of BCG vaccine at birth. Just that in Nigeria people are afraid of the government as they have had in the past bad experiences.
The government has to ensure that those vaccines are readily available in all health centres across the municipalities.
They should also ensure that awareness is created through the media and SNS website. Through the SNS you can register for the vaccination and your date is allocated automatically. They have full trust on the government since health is their number one priority. Their government is accountable to the people.
They are seeing where their tax remittances are going. They don’t need the government to compel anyone before doing their work. Here, things work perfectly. It is even crazy and strange that over here government will meed to force or compel anyone to take the vaccine. Rather, the government will choose to focus on other areas that is of concern than thinking of weird things like we see in Nigeria.
Musa Kamaldeen, Teacher
It would be very wrong for the Federal Government to compel anybody to take Covid-19 vaccine. It should be completely free.
I wonder even if anybody needs to be coached on such a sensitive issue. You may be free to choose to become a living dead because of fear of the unknown.
Even with the current controversy going on over the administration of the vaccine, we know that it is better to be vaccinated than never at all.
Stephen Serki Musa, Politician, Plateau State
The issue of health should be of paramount importance to any government. Based on this, government should make some policy statements that will safeguard its citizens by educating them on the importance of taking the vaccine.
However, given our attitude and as a difficult set of people, those who wish to opt out should be allowed to do so but at their own perils.
Stephen Serki Musa, Politician, Plateau State
The issue of health should be of paramount importance to any government. Based on this, government should make some policy statements that will safeguard its citizens by educating them on the importance of taking the vaccine.
However, given our attitude, and as a difficult set of people, those who wish to opt out should be allowed to do so, but to their own peril.
Rev. Fr Raphael Agbata, Catholic Priest
No, I don’t think the Federal Government should compel the citizens to accept the vaccines. There are some controversies about the authenticity of the vaccines and people are still not sure of the vaccine.
And from some theories and what you see on the social media, which might be true or false, because people are having fears about the vaccine.
If people are having fears, then there is no need compelling people. What the Federal Government should do is to re-sensitise people on the need to take this vaccine, and to assure people that this vaccine is for their well-being.
Without that, compelling people is like trying to force people to go against their own wish. For me, that is what I think they should do more; sensitisation about the vaccine before anything.
Shegun Fatai, a Biochemist
In this kind of situation, like in the past, what accounts for this shortcoming, except ignorance? If there is sufficient awareness, is there any need to compel anyone to come and take the vaccine?
The first step is to allow room for sensitization. The government should reassure the people and citizens that the vaccines won’t cause any form of harm. The people should rest their confidence in the trust of the government. Once the federal government makes the people believe in them, there won’t be a need to compel anyone anymore. They must win the heart of the people with everything humanly possible.
The government should work with those who are also very enlightened in society. They should go to the churches, mosques, and other avenues that can enable them to reach out to a large number of people. Because with their direct link, they can help to convince those not willing before to have a change of mind.
Once that step is taken, be informed that the government will not have to start forcing or deploying force measures to compel people to take the vaccines. You know Nigerians have always reposed their confidence in the government, until they started acting beyond their promises.
Gabriel Ochechei, Public Affairs Commentator
The Federal Government doesn’t need to force anybody to take the vaccine. It is like when looking for medication to cure a defect in the body. There is a way they can talk to people about it without showing force. If we don’t take the vaccine, we are all under a challenge. People are scared too because of what had happened in the past. The government has different channels of communication.
They have to speak to the people in a good mood. The Nigerian masses are faced with mass hunger. Deploying a way to communicate with them so that they will see the benefits of taking the vaccine should be encouraged. We all need one another to survive. The virus is a common enemy that requires collective efforts to fight. We must join hands together to stand firmly against it.
Also, Nigerians want to be sure that they are not being misled by the government too. That is why you are seeing resistance of such nature. It is not easy, but lots of people want to be certain of the efficacy of the vaccine. Nigerians are a very tough and rugged set of people. The experience with vaccines people have taken in their formative years is still affecting some people.
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So, convincing them to take another might not be easy, but you have to use language that can prepare their minds. We all want a better Nigeria where everything will be good for everybody. That is why the government needs to join hands with the people, especially the elites and stakeholders on the need to assuage the fears that the people might have or nurse about the vaccine. That there is every need to calm them that the vaccine is not a death sentence but rather a solution to the virus that threatens life.
‘Niyi Olusola, an Accountant
‘’The vaccine is important to everybody in the whole world. And if President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibanjo can subject themselves to the vaccines for their safety, and also demonstrate an example of their belief in the workability of the vaccine, I see no reason why anybody should refuse not to take the vaccine.
It is just that we at times make things difficult for ourselves in this country. Why should anyone even refuse to take it? Why are Nigerians making things difficult for themselves?
I am aware that other citizens of other countries are eager to take the vaccine. Why should Nigerians not be willing to take it, instead of even waiting to be compelled to take it? This is a time to show our patriotism to the nation.
A healthy nation is a wealthy one. We all need each other to survive. Why is the authority fighting for us to stay alive? And this is not happening in Nigeria alone. It is a global exercise that every other country is participating in.
There should be no reason or excuse from anybody to say he or she will not partake in the vaccination exercise in the country. And, more so, the vaccine is not even from Nigeria. Other countries have helped by shipping it to Nigeria free of charge. How do we want them to see us if we refuse to take it? There should not be any reason for saying we are not taking it.
We are under a government. Nobody is on his own. If any individual refuses to partake, the government knows the next step to take. Before now, if you have not carried out the covid-19 test, you are not allowed to enter a plane and go outside the country.
So, other ways can be used to ensure compliance with the vaccine. Like before you get to my office or my house, then you must show evidence of your vaccination before you can be allowed entrance. If I have taken and you have not, then we cannot work together for safety.
Faith Idahosa, Market woman
It is better to trust the authorities and get vaccinated. Our children are not safe without vaccination.
We can’t just sit down and fold our arms and pretend that everything is well in the face of this pandemic.
But the authorities need to be sincere, because that is really where the problem lies.
They should not call black white or, white black. Let them be transparent in the their duty.
