Enengedi explores the claims of some prominent Nigerians who say they may have found a cure to COVID-19.
Since the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus, the world has known no peace, as world leaders, religious leaders, scientists, doctors and health workers explore ways to find either a cure or a vaccine to the disease.
In recent times, a few people have come out to claim to have found a cure to the disease. Some of them have been given a listening ear while some have been dismissed. Here in Nigeria, amongst the many that have claimed to possess cure, five of them are prominent people in the society. They are; Professor Maurice Iwu, Professor Maduike Ezeibe, Primate Elijah Ayodele, Ooni of Ife, Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Mrs Flora Ilonzo Even though their claims have not been verified, it has indeed gotten the attention of Nigerians who are indeed anxious for a solution to the deadly virus ravaging the world.
Professor Maurice Iwu
Dr Maurice Iwu is a professor of Pharmacognosy from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bioresources Development Group (BDG). The professor claims Coronavirus is among the neglected tropical emergent diseases and belongs to a class of viruses that are very common and includes the flu virus, SARS, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), whose treatment can be done in almost the same way, but for a little adjustment. Iwu, a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) added that the United States of America is currently conducting a clinical test on his invention.
Professor Maduike Ezeibe
Professor Maduike Ezeibe, a Professor of Virology at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) in Abia State, claims his therapy which he invented for the treatment of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) called MSAMS, is also a cure for COVID-19 and Lassa fever. Ezeibe said that in the process, Aluminum-Magnesium (AMS) normalises immunity and as a stabilising agent it enhances the efficacy of antimicrobials to achieve effective treatment of secondary infections. Effective treatment of secondary infections would cure any viral /abnormal cell diseases including Covid-19 and Lassa fever.
Primate Elijah Ayodele
Taking a religious dimension to his claim, Popular man of God, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele postulated holy water and anointing oil as the cure to Coronavirus. The General Overseer of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, who has in the past correctly predicted future events said God had told him of the pandemic since last year and asked that Christians prayed against the disaster. He said that the only way to defeat the virus was to go spiritual. He, therefore, declared that his free holy-water and anointing oil were the only remedies to curing the disease.
Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi
Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), the renowned Ooni of Ife Kingdom recently announced that he had spiritually identified the possible cure of the disease. The influential traditional ruler claimed that since June 6, 2019, he had had the divine proclamation foretelling the Coronavirus pandemic. On his official Instagram page, the Ooni posted a long list of herbs to be used for cure, even though he did not specify the dosage or quantity to be used. He also claimed that the herbal remedy has been tested on chronic Coronavirus patients who have achieved 100 per cent recovery and can testify to the efficacy of the herbs.
Mrs Flora Ilonze
A female herbalist in Anambra State, one Mrs Flora Ilonze has also claimed to possess a cure for the disease. Ilonze, who also claims to have 375 species of plants in her garden with different medicinal values, said that the Coronavirus isn’t new, as it had killed many in the past. Ilonze who owns the Centre for Psychic and Healing Administration in Awka, said her grandparents who were also herbalist had cured several Coronavirus patients in the past using the plants in her garden. She, however, challenged the government and researchers to come and authenticate the efficacy of her plants.
As the search for a cure persists, the World Health Organization has not endorsed a confirmed and approved a cure or vaccine, but notes that clinical trials were on-going. Treatments are however based on the kind of care that is given to patients of influenza and other respiratory illnesses. These treatments essentially treat the symptoms, which often in the case of COVID-19 involve fever, cough and shortness of breath.
In Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) approved the production of chloroquine, one of the oldest and best-known anti-malarial drugs, for possible treatment of the virus. This follows the claim by the US President, Donald Trump that the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) had approved chloroquine for use in treating the Coronavirus.
In the absence of clinically proven remedy to cure the virus, it is best to adhere to preventive measures, as the virus has infected over 800,000 people and killed over 40, 000 since its outbreak in December 2019. In Nigeria, data provided by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) suggests that there are currently 276 confirmed cases with the unfortunate death of five persons.
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Written by Victor Enengedi,
Lagos
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