OF BITTER KOLA, SALT BATH AND OTHER EXPLOITATIONS OF OUR "COLLECTIVE" VULNERABILITY.

So this morning, a very respected relative woke me up with a call to my mobile phone, asking me to take what she is saying go to tell me very seriously. I accepted and listened with rapt attention so that I do not miss any part of the "important" instruction. And what was her directive?
She said to me:

"Borono, WHEN YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR BATH TODAY, ENSURE THAT YOU ADD A SIZEABLE AMOUNT OF SALT TO THE WATER YOU INTEND USING TO HAVE YOUR BATH"

I was thrown off balance!! First, because what she asked me to do looked like some TRADITIONAL CONCOCTION, and I have always been wary of taking traditional concoctions. Second, BECAUSE OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE COME TO HAVE RESPECT FOR WOMEN INSTINCTS. This is because, each time my mum (GOD PRESERVES HER SOUL) follows her instincts to warn you about something, if you are not careful, that very issue she warned you of, might come to pass. Armed with this realization, I have been giving other than a passing attention to women instincts and intuitions. So you understand why the message from the female relative shook me a little bit. But then, in between the seed of fear that was just trying to sprout in my mind, and the nudge to immediately do as she has directed, I mustered the courage to ask what ADDING SALT TO MY BATH WATER WILL DO FOR ME. And I heaved a big sigh of relief on hearing that the directive was meant to act as a cushion against my contracting the dreaded Ebola virus.

Immediately after her call, I came online only to be greeted by a flurry of updates on the "NEW EBOLA PREVENTIVE MEASURE". And I was shocked to discover that it had gone viral within that short period.

Few days ago, we woke up to the rumour that BITTER KOLA had the medicinal power to cure the dreaded ebola disease. This origin of this touted cure was later traced to the former INEC Chairman, who was credited to have said that he has been working on a possible cure for ebola and that bitter kola is the major ingredient of the drug. This singular claim apparently got him a slot in the newly constituted Federal Government fact finding and advisory committee on Ebola.

My grouse with these unfounded claims is that it has the propensity to wreck more havoc in our society than we could ever imagine. I remember how a young woman lost her sight due to the misleading claim that applying petrol to her eyes could heal her of the conjuctivities (THE INFECTION WE POPULARLY REFER TO AS APOLLO) she was suffering from. And gbam! She did it and became blind afterwards. Do you know that even in the remotest part of Ibiono where I come from, up to Mushin in Lagos state, to Wuse in Abuja, scores of people have already had their bath, with salt added to their bath water.

I must say that the fact that a salt water bath is usually recommended to some people as a therapy for some health conditions, should not close our eyes to the danger that might come with this new "EBOLA CURE"

So the question is: For those of us who take our bath at least twice a day, WHAT IS THE RIGHT QUANTITY OF SALT WE SHOULD ADD TO EACH BUCKET OF WATER? OR SHOULD IT BE AS THE SPIRIT DIRECTS?

We should come to understand that ours is a nation populated by a good number of people who do not pause to ask questions. Even the educational system that we passed through had moulded us to ACCEPT ANSWERS WITHOUT RATIONALIZATION. Therefore, spreading rumours, especially the ones that have to with health is not a good idea. For in the end, it might leave us with more than we bargained for.

And to even think that some pastors might also want to cash in on this Ebola outbreak by enriching themselves from the sale of "SPIRITUAL ANNOINTING OIL" makes the issue more depressing.

Unduly exploiting our ignorance and vulnerability as a people is a form of terrorism and should be condemned.

Good morning people.