Lockdowns are part of comprehensive emergency preparedness adopted to protect and secure the people from a threat.
They are considered best practices in response to saving lives.
With the extension of lockdown on Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, what are the social economic and psychological impact on the citizens, as well as the way out?
Residents in lbadan expressed mixed feelings, some said the lockdown extension by President Muhammadu Buhari on the 13th of April 2020, was expected, others believed that there should be adequate palliative measures in place.
Similarly, two residents of Lagos, Mr Babatunde Odanye and Mrs Eve Okiemute who described the situation as unpalatable said they had to bear the discomfort than to be infected with Covid-19.
Mrs Okiemute who described the situation as tiring, also lamented the incessant threats and attacks by men of the underworld in her area, saying many of them have not been able to sleep for the past couple of days.
An Abeokuta resident, Pastor Seye Idowu, who acknowledged that the lockdown was for a specific purpose, expressed disappointment that people still found ways to move around, this he said could jeopardize its whole essence.
Different strokes for different folks, an Abuja resident who craved anonymity said the lockdown extension had given her the opportunity to pursue other projects online thereby opening up another source of income for her.
“There is this thing called disruption, whether you like it or not by the end of COVID-19 there is going to be a lot of changes and people need to use this opportunity to learn and relearn.”
Speaking on the psychological impact of lockdown on the people, a professor of Psychology at the University of Ibadan, Benjamin Olley said without adequate measures in place to cushion its effect, there could be psychological trauma, fear, anxiety, hopelessness and uncertainty.
“People will begin to loose hope in the future, they will loose confidence in the system and begin to react psychologically, social issues give rise to economic issues and in turn to political issues and that is how it starts”.
As a way out, Professor Olley urged people to be less greedy and for the rich to be more humanistic.
In the words of Pope Francis, “love is the essence of life”, it is only when people realize and imbibe this that the world could be a better place for all in spite of COVID-19.
Anthonia Akanji
