When news that Nigeria’s president had approved Madagascar’s so called ‘miracle cure’ for COVID19 was reported, many Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief. While some felt the president had done the right thing giving the rise in the cases of COVID19 in the country, others expressed reservation as the potion from Madagascar called COVID Organics had not been approved by the World Health Organization WHO.
The presidency itself had issued a statement that President Buhari did not place any order and neither did he approve the Madagascar remedy.
Madagascar is now reportedly demanding €170,000 for what Nigeria did not order, bargain nor solicited for.
What actually played out is looking like the biggest international trickery of the century.
Madagascar did not tell Nigeria they were sending anything. Nigeria did not request for anything.
President Buhari was reportedly told that an appointment had been scheduled with the President of Guinea Bissau who was passing by on a visit on his way from Madagascar, where he claimed he went to see the President of Madagascar.
And when he arrived in Abuja, as he was coming down from the plane, he allegedly told them that he had things that were given to him by the President of Madagascar as gift for Buhari. What do you do? Tell him to take it back to Madagascar?
That was how they unloaded it according to reports. Nobody in Nigeria was waiting for the gift. Buhari then consulted his officials, and they said, well, the AU said in a general statement that they asked Madagascar to donate some of their miracle findings to fellow African countries. Maybe this gift was sent as a gesture, in respect of that AU statement.
Now, if these Madagascans had nothing sinister, Nigeria has an embassy in Antananarivo, the Madagascan capital, why did the country’s officials not open discussions with Nigeria through her official representative there, if actually they wanted to sell anything?
If Nigeria wants to buy anything or communicate with the government there, it is through the Ambassador.
That is the official and normal channel, not this sly and sinister move the president Andry Rajoelina just made.
Note that it was after Buhari had insisted the unsolicited ‘gift’ must go through clinical tests before being administered, which must have been seen as a slight nod of approval for their COVID Organics, that the Madagascan president dropped the bombshell asking for €170,000.
Buhari had insisted that anything not certified by WHO and normal institutions that issue international certifications in such transaction, must be cleared by Nigeria’s Standard Organisation of Nigeria and the Food and Drug Agency (NAFDAC), before they can be allowed to be distributed nationally.
From what we have read in the news so far, it is not proven that the Nigerian Ambassador in Antananarivo advised on the importation of the drug.
Suprisingly, Madagascar now says the consignment is not really a gift. They placed a price on it.
Nigeria should not fall for such petty blackmail.
The Madagascan COVID Organics should be returned back to President Rajoelina through the route which he brought it to Nigeria and our government must henceforth look inwards and support its own pharmaceuticals and trado medical industry. What does Madagascar have that Nigeria hasn’t?
This act has shown that the country lacks integrity and even the claims of a cure should be viewed with suspicion.
Via OperaNews