The traditional ruler of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, weekend donated two modular fumigators to Ebonyi state government to help in curbing the spread of coronavirus.
Oba Adeyeye presenting the gift to the state said he was moved when he saw many state of country complaining of not being able to get suitable fumigating machine where other countries of the world were busy disinfecting their environment.
Speaking in Abakaliki during the donation, the Ooni of Ife represented by Oba Awosole Ade Tokumbo, the legacy of Ife kingdom, noted that the locally made machine would help the country combat the spread of the pandemic.
The oba accompanied by princess of Egba land, Fadekemi Fadojutimi and other members of covid 19 taskforce team from the the Ooni’s palace, emphasized that the modular fumigator is being shared two each to the 36 states of the federation to support the efforts of federal government in fighting the pandemic.
He said, “we are here to donate fumigating machine towards fighting of COVID-19 pandemic. We have been going to other states and have 4 states more to cover, we just decided let us come to Ebonyi state first before going to the other states.
“The imperial majesty has asked us to deliver this machines for your use so as to combat the pandemic.”
Responding on behalf of the state Governor, David Umahi, the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Francis Nwifuru, said the state government has achieved so much in the fight against COVID-19 due to the unity in the state.
He used the occasion to clear the air on rumour by other state governors that the federal government dolled out fund to Ebonyi state to equip it for the fight against the pandemic especially as it has to do with the Covid 19 testing machine acquired by the governor.
“Ebonyi is very unique, we are united people, very organised all because of our dear leader the governor. I know without the kind of leader we have today in the state, today we are counting 80, we could have been counting thousands, but because of the pandemic, His Excellency at the very first time around 13th January 2020, we heard of this pandemic called coronavirus spreading in China, he said no ,this disease will one day get to Ebonyi, we must prepare for it.
“That is why you see some people saying that federal government gave us money. I want to make it very clear because I am the chairman welfare and fund raising, and if there is any fund from anywhere I will be the first to know,I am the signatory to the account,I think the sole signatory to the account, so there is nothing that happens that I can say I don’t know.
“He did not stop there but he started building holding centers in all our border areas, so that if you are coming to Ebonyi you will be checked and screened before you enter.”
Earlier, a member of the Ooni’s taskforce team, Mr Adoyemi Osunleye, speaking on the mechanism of the fumigator said it was sourced locally from the palace of Ooni of Ife with the help of a Professor in the University of Ife who is also a member of World Health Organization (WHO).
He said the content of the modular fumigator is friendly with human body and that it can be used for agriculture
“I want you to know sir,that every single part of what you see in this fumigator was sourced from here and locally made in the palace of his imperial majesty Ooni of Ife, even him participated in it which he immediately declared his intention to give it to the 36 states of Nigeria.”
