Last week, at a forum tagged, ‘An Afternoon With Obj’ organized by a group to celebrate the contribution of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to national development, he spoke on the need for economic unity of Africa and why African governments ought to form a common front in fighting the Ebola Virus Disease, among others issues. Excerpts:

The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been a challenge of sort to a number of West African nations. Do you think the various governments have handled the containment of the disease in the best ways possible?

   I had in the past expressed the view that there should be an ECOWAS summit on this dreadful and dreaded disease. It should not be regarded or left as individual country’s duty, responsibility or concern. There should be a West African co-ordination so that whatever action would be taken, whatever fears will be expressed, whatever measures and approaches that would be used, would be co-ordinated. 

  At that time, the President of Ghana said he was thinking it should be the Ministers of Health holding a meeting. But I suggested that the Ebola challenge was more than just the Ministers of Health, and that it should be a summit. This is because whatever the Ministers of Health do or fail to do, the summit, which is the apex meeting of all governments in West Africa would take it seriously. Beyond that, I believe that the countries that are affected will also be economically affected, not just in terms of those who will be dead or those who will be ill. And that has started. How do we then reduce the economic impact of Ebola on our countries, sub-region, communities and individuals that are affected? 

   Now, again, at the national level, sub-regional level of West Africa and regional level of Africa, we need to formulate a common policy; a policy that will make the international community realize that this is not the burden of West Africa alone, that it is an international burden. 

  I also suggested, and I believe this is important, that the major pharmaceutical companies in the world should be encouraged to carry out the necessary research and bring up a cure or a vaccination, whatever it is, to this disease. 

  When HIV started many years back, we started by keeping it quiet, not talking about it. But this time, the approach is different; everyone is talking about Ebola. And not too long ago, I commended Lagos state government and federal government for the immediate action that was taken to stop the spread of the disease. What that means is that when immediate action is taken on anything, we can get the right solution.   

  Meanwhile, while we are still trying to fully contain the disease in our country, everybody should take precautionary measures, sanitise our hands before and after any public contact and appearance, and report any neighbour with very unique symptoms. I understand it takes about 21 days to incubate and it is after then that it becomes a problem. We should not wait until someone has got it incubated like it happened to the Liberian, Sawyer who brought it to us here in Nigeria.