‘I could’ve died if not for doctors’ — El-Rufai recounts COVID-19 recovery
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on Nigerians to take fight against the coronavirus pandemic seriously, noting that the novel disease has no respect for personality.
The Governor stated this during a radio Hausa programme on Wednesday while recounting his COVID-19 recovery experience.
According to him, he would have lost the battle to the deadly virus if not for the concerted efforts of the doctors and medical team that attended to him.
His words: “Despite the security paraphernalia around me, I got the virus. This goes to show that the virus does not recognize any personality.
“I could’ve died if not for my doctors….I followed their instructions strictly and took my medications……My wives collaborated with Dr Hadiza, the Deputy Governor and seized my phones while in isolation. I was only left with an iPad, the device I used to read and go online.
“I can’t exactly say how I contracted the coronavirus……But I was in Abuja and had interacted with many people ,some from overseas …….I was assigned to chair committees by the government…..I believe it was from these interactions that I got the virus.
“It’s a good coincidence that we have Dr Hadiza as our Deputy Governor and Dr Baloni who was with UNICEF for over 20 years and knows much about public health……We are glad and lucky to have them, especially during this pandemic.”
The governor also enjoined residents of the state to ensure compliance with the various directives introduced by his administration to combat spread of the disease.
He added: “We’ve instructed the soldiers, the security agencies to deal with any troublemaker, no matter the status in society, wallahi. I survived it, someone else may not. That is why we are very serious about the disease…. I went through trauma… even when I spoke on line from isolation, I was battling with a debilitating headache…..I won’t like even my enemy to suffer from coronavirus.”
He went on to disclose how his mother kicked against him keeping beards after recovering from the virus.
“I’m truly aging. I’m a few steps above 60 and this disease is not kind to the old. I’m old. That is the danger. If one is above 50, one should be very careful not to contract the virus. To an aged person with other health complications like diabetes, hypertension, coronavirus will be very deadly.
“When I came out from isolation, I intended to leave my beard because it was the tradition of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be with him. But as I visited my mother to greet her, she was against my new look. She asked me to shave. According to her, my father was not bearded during his lifetime. I had no option but to shave my beard because I want to live peacefully with my mother.”
