By Rotimi Fasan
THE last time I checked which was about ten hours before I started writing this on the night of Thursday September 11, the news out there was that the Federal Government had decided to stick to its decision to move the resumption date of schools forward.

That is from October 13 to September 22. As I write this at the Casablanca Airport in Morocco waiting for a connecting flight back to Lagos, I have no internet access to enable me see if there has been any change in the situation.

It would in fact have no material effect on what I have to say now on the matter should it turn out that Abuja decided to maintain the status quo ante by upholding the October 13 date before it got swayed, yet again, in the fashion of Shakespeare’s Roman mob, in the direction of those who had criticized its plan to go back on its earlier decision to keep our schools shut until October.

That is until it can assure Nigerians that the decision, prompted by the urgency to contain the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease among school pupils, was well thought through rather than a panicky, knee-jerk, reaction of a confused administration. I say it would not matter what government does should it uphold the October date because by even contemplating a date change it has shown itself no less unprincipled than it is irresponsible.

The matter bears reminding. At the height of the Ebola virus outbreak in the country, government extended the resumption date of all primary and secondary schools in the country while ordering the immediate closure of all summer schools in order to stem the tide of the Ebola virus. But shortly after this announcement, private school owners went to town criticizing the decision and calling for it to be rescinded.

The criticism stemmed mainly from economic consideration more than anything else. It was an understandable reaction for nobody would be happy to see their means of livelihood put in danger. But there was the greater danger of opening the schools and risking the spread of Ebola among the very vulnerable demographic of children who could not be trusted to maintain the same high level of hygiene or precaution as adults would in these Ebola circumstances .

This much one would expect of anyone still able to remember their name after a long sleep, not least of all the officials who had of their own accord announced the extension in resumption date in the first place.

After the initial confusion finding out the extent and spread of the EVD in the wake of Patrick Sawyer’s entry into the country, Abuja had rallied into action, mobilizing health and material resources to respond to the emergency. Its effort, including its sincerity, would in the few weeks following this be recognised and praised. It was as part of measures to consolidate on the modest achievement made in creating awareness among the public,  tracking and quarantining infected persons in special centres, that the government went ahead to announce the extension of school resumption date.

But as I said earlier on, this did not enjoy the support of private school owners. They mounted media campaign and soon it was being mooted around that government was about doing what the school proprietors wanted- go back on its earlier decision to keep schools under lock. I had reflected on this in this space last week, hoping the government would be a little more far-sighted in its handling of the matter.

What started as mere rumour was lent strong credence last week when Onyebuchi Chukwu, the Health Minister, unleashed verbal ammunition in the direction of critics of government’s decision to move school resumption date forwards.

Onyebuchi could not see the reason why Nigerians should worry that school resumption date would be brought forward. He called opponents of Abuja’s latest move people worried by ‘irrational fear’. Well, we have to thank the Health Minister, for suddenly finding his tongue now that the disease that seemed to be walking insidiously on all fours leaving many in the health sector, including care givers, literally taking to their heals on encountering patients who displayed symptoms of EVD.

It is not difficult to see that |Prof. Chukwu is wallowing in self-adulation and congratulations. He does not have to rub his hand together while he dances to songs of his victory over Ebola before we know this. His action says it all.

He certainly feels this is his time in the sun and he is determined to bring the house down in celebration. What he seems to be forgetting, however, is that he risks sudden reversal of what he sees as a major accomplishment. With Nigerians still being huddled aside at foreign airports while quick tests are run on them to determine their Ebola virus status, I wonder what there is for this government to celebrate yet.

That Nigerians are allowed into foreign countries in line with WHO advice that international borders be kept open- that we have not been turned into international pariahs overnight is one reason we should be thankful. It is however foolish for anyone or ministry to go about feeding greedily on the praises heaped in the direction of the Health Ministry and the government generally or to attempt backhanded  declaration of victory in a medical war in which the enemy is yet to be identified and annihilated.

It may be convenient for the government to start talking in false self-confidence all because it wants to do the bidding of private business people whose stake in the rest of the country may not extend beyond their investment. It indeed speaks to the irresponsibility of our public officials that they would quickly give up what should be principled pursuit of goals for very sentimental reasons.

Now that Prof. Chukwu can afford to talk down at the rest of Nigerians, including his professional colleagues in the Nigerian Medical Association who have advised against the planned reopening of schools- now the Minister can talk at everybody else in the spirit of rational irresponsibility, official dereliction and capitulation as opposed to irrational fear, he may wish to tell us why he never thought a change in the resumption date necessary until school owners raised it.

By putting commerce and pecuniary motives over and above the safety of Nigerians our political office holders, many of whom are themselves proprietors of schools, are no doubt acting in character. They are once more protecting their turf and interest at the expense of the people. But let them remember just how carelessly they are right now sowing the wind. They must not complain when the time comes for them to reap the whirlwind. Let those who have ears listen.