Page 76 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 6

AFRIKAN ARTS

CORONA VIRUS CRISIS:

ANY GOOD FOR AFRIKA?

Samuel Phillips

omehow every event in good thing. Death caused by concerning our collective Afri-
our world no matter how diseases that were created by kanism, I think corona virus has
Snegative or even positive men is nothing but mass murder come to show us that we can no
it may be always has several and cannot be called good be- longer dismiss the importance
sides to it. Some people gain out cause some managed to make of trade and movement between
of it and some lose in it. It’s just more gains from it. The world Afrikans in Afrika. For if corona
the way it is. Corona virus and should be able to live in peace virus won't let you go to Europe
the devastation it’s unleashing and unity without some form of or import goods from Asia, you
on the earth also takes the same engineered disease coming to have a continent of fifty five na-
pattern. Some victims have show us how to be our brother’s tions to do that in. Quite simple.
died, some came out of it cured, keepers. So it is a different tale And might I add, there is no
some relationships have been for different folks. disease whose cure cannot be
changed because of the global found in the forests of Afrika. We
shutdown, many business sec- However, in my opinion, as an just need to remove our heads
tors have closed shop in order Afrikan living in Afrika, I think the from the sand and tell ourselves
to contain the spread. It's just outbreak of corona virus gives the truth that the very indige-
one big storm that is raging, the nations of Afrika the much nous medicine that we allowed
which will either make or break needed opportunity to rethink foreign pharmaceutical com-
us. I prefer we learn how to use their stand on the dependency panies to demonize will be the
this crisis to create a new reality in some sectors of the economy, only saving grace in the coming
for ourselves. For as the world while also giving us the oppor- days. We have all we need in
governments put their heads tunity to rethink what it means Afrika and we now have the op-
together to curtail this crisis, to strengthen our collective Af- portunity and the power to make
some businesses are making rikanism. For instance, there is changes.
their biggest sales ever during panic in Nigeria due to falling oil
this period, especially those prices caused by the 'outbreak' The will to make changes
selling toiletries: toilet papers, which in turn is affecting the Someone said change is the
disinfectants, hand washes and economy. There is panic in Ken- most constant thing in our world.
even the sellers of face masks ya due to failing tourism caused However, how we respond to
are not left out in this big busi- by the 'outbreak'. The question change and how we prepare to
ness boom. It is just the way it is, why is there dependency on make the necessary changes is
is, especially for those who can a single sector of the economy up to us and what we can see
see the silver lining. But wheth- when there are other sectors as the silver lining. This is Afri-
er there is a negative or positive that can be given much-need- ka's best time for change. Let's
side of the corona virus, I won’t ed strength? Is it lack of vision do this.
necessarily call the disease a or just sheer foolishness? And

76 | heal . restore . rebirth . Afrika