The Olofa of Offa, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi, has said that the community was unaware of the health status of Kwara’s coronavirus (COVID-19) index case before his burial in the community recently.
The monarch said this on Thursday in Offa while briefing newsmen on the state government’s total lockdown directive on the community.
Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Kayode Alabi, had on Tuesday announced the commencement of a 14-day total lockdown of the community from 6 pm on Wednesday.
Mr Alabi, who is also the chairman of the State Technical Committee on COVID-19, said the directive followed the death of the state’s index case, Muideen Obanimomo, who hailed from Offa.
The wife of the index case, who had also tested positive for the virus, had been isolated at the Sobi Specialist Hospital in Ilorin where government had opened an isolation centre.
Gbadamosi, however, said Obanimomo was until his death a highly respected and illustrious son of Offa community.
“We were not aware or informed of the cause of his death and since he was loved and respected, many people attended his burial when his corpse was brought in.
“Since his corpse was coming from such a hospital like the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, we had no cause to suspect anything or doubt his health status,” he said.
The monarch, who reiterated the community’s readiness to fully comply with the government’s total lockdown order, said some people who had contact with the index case had been identified and isolated.
“I had a meeting with the Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, yesterday (Wednesday) where I pledged our commitment and readiness to comply with the new government’s directive to curb COVID-19 spread.
“Some of the people that had contact with the index case had been cooperating with the authorities, some even showed up on their own.
“To the best of my knowledge, I think about 78 people are already isolated as regard their contact with the index case,” he said.
Gbadamosi said the community had also mapped out series of palliatives and sensitisation measures to deal with the difficulties and stigmatisation arising from the total lockdown.
