I’ve no COVID-19 symptom, says Osoba

Former governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba, has denied having symptoms of the deadly Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), despite that he recently returned from the United Kingdom (UK).

He explained that he decided to self-isolate in obedience to the directives of the Lagos State governor.

In a telephone chat with The Guardian yesterday, Osoba expressed displeasure over the reports that those who attended the 80th birthday party of Nigerian High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, Justice George Oguntade, on March 10, 2020, had gone into isolation to curb the spread of the dreaded COVID-19.

Osoba said tying the disease to Oguntade’s birthday bash was not only unfair, but a deliberate attempt to blackmail the respected legal icon and a disservice to Nigeria.

The former governor hinged his reaction on the reports in several newspapers and online publications that two yet-to-be identified persons had died of COVID-10 after attending the lavish party.

The report also claimed that apart from the two guests alleged to have died of the virus after attending the party, one other attendee was said to be on ventilator at a hospital in London.

In his reaction, Osoba lamented the blackmail and false alarm on the internet that one Rotimi Adigun had died of the virus, and as such others who attended the party must submit for test.

Osoba said: “I want to clear the air that I, after attending the party, have not developed any sign of illness or symptoms of the pandemic.”

He noted that nobody had told Nigerians that Adigun died of Coronavirus, as there was no autopsy to prove such claim.

“I only decided to put myself in self-isolation in obedience to the directives of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu that whosoever returned from overseas should stay isolated for 14 days. It was not that I developed any symptom. I have contacted almost all those personalities who attended the party, including Justice Oguntade, and none of them have reported any symptom of the disease.

I don’t know from where such malicious news emanated.”

Osoba warned those trying to use the report to tarnish Oguntade’s reputation to desist.

In similar vein, a retired Deputy Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Reuben Olorunfunmi, has dismissed the reports as unfair, malicious and an ungrateful gesture to the service rendered by Oguntade to the nation.