By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 20, 2021

It was a solemn gathering in New York, United States of America (US) as the Consulate-General of Nigeria on Saturday held a remembrance ceremony to honour the memory of Nigerians who died from COVID-19 within it’s jurisdiction.

The event drew Nigerians from all walks of life including United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador (Prof.) Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, other Nigerian envoys, community leaders, and families, friends and associates of some of the victims.

Some Nigerians, who converged on Nigeria House venue of the event and those who joined virtually all thanked the Consulate for the initiative.

They also encouraged Nigerians who have not been vaccinated to do so and to raise their voices to encourage others to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of the virus.

UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, in her keynote address, urged people to raise their voices against COVID-19, noting that vaccination is the surest way to be protected.

Mohammed said that the remembrance ceremony was in line with the tradition and culture of honouring the memories of the departed.

She said it was surprising that high fatality of COVID-19 had been recorded in some parts of the world, more than in Nigeria and some parts of Africa.

“For us, it is not about the virus itself, although, it took so many lives. It is also about the socio-economic impact; even those who have lost loved ones are also suffering from the socio-economic impact.

“We are grateful to God that those fatalities, even I will say, one life lost is one too many, but it is not as bad as we expected.

“You remember there was projection from voices in the world that the fatality rate in Africa will be more, but we thank God, it is not so.

“We must commend our government and local leaders who really stepped up to protect as many as they could from the virus; although we lost so many,’’ she said.

Similarly, Amb. Muhammad-Bande, thanked the Consulate for honouring the memory of the deceased, saying it is a long tradition in Nigeria to remember the departed loved ones.

He said it was also a sense of community that necessitated the gathering to condole with the families and friends of the COVID-19 victims.

“We can continue to reflect about life and death but we should learn the lesson of life that death is inevitable and so we must learn to live healthy.’’

The envoy also commended the Nigerian Government for evacuating back to the country some of her nationals who were stranded during the lockdown.

In his remarks, the Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, Amb. Lot Egopija, said the COVID-19 pandemic led to so many deaths and suspension of socio-economic activities globally.

Egopija said the purpose of the remembrance ceremony was to identify with Nigerians who lost their loved ones to the pandemic, in line with the tradition of honouring the dead.

He encouraged Nigerians yet to be vaccinated to do so, saying, “the New York City authority had provided a mobile vaccination van outside the Nigeria House to vaccinate interested Nigerians.

“They have also offered to provide safe services to various Nigerian communities on mutually agreed days,’’ he said.

Egopija commended the efforts of the New York State, which was the epicentre of the pandemic, saying the state celebrated the attainment of the milestone of vaccinating 70 per cent of its population a few days ago.

The Nigerian envoy said businesses had been permitted to resume operations in line with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines in the state.

“It is evidence that the host country is gradually returning to the pre-COVID-19 days.’’

Also speaking, Mr Bobby Olisa, President, Nigerians in the Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), New York emphasised the importance of being vaccinated, wearing face mask and observing physical distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Olisa recalled his experience of testing positive for COVID-19 and spoke against stigmatising COVID-19 patients.

For Dr Iwuozo Obilo, representative of Medical Doctors, there is the need for Nigerians to be vaccinated, warning that “the pandemic is not over, we still have some variants.

“We cannot be complacent; the vaccines are safe, please take it and encourage your loves ones to do so,’’ he said.

Iwuozor, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Health Foundation paid tributes to the frontline workers who lost their lives to the pandemic.

Responding on behalf of representatives of the deceased families, Ms Joyce Adewumi, younger sister of one the victims, Mr Jonathan Adewumi, thanked the Consul-General for the remembrance ceremony to honour their departed loved ones.

Adewumi said the event was comforting and consoling to the families, friends and associates of the COVID-19 victims.

“It has been a very difficult period for us but this event today has helped us ease the pain; it is greatly comforting to us,’’ she said.

The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque by the Deputy Secretary-General and the Consul-General, while Muslim and Christian prayers were offered for the souls of the departed.

Others who spoke at the event include Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Dr. (Mrs) Uzoma Emenike, represented by Nigeria’s Charge D’ Affairs in shington, Dr. (Mrs.) Jane Abanulo, the Permanent Observer of the African Union (AU) to the United Nations, Ambassador Fatima Kyari Mohammed and Dr. Kazeem Bello, President, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), New Jersey chapter.