Igwe Elochukwu Mbanefo, the traditional ruler of Orsumoghu Kingdom, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra, has commended President Mohammadu Buhari for directing the supply Madagascar’s COVID-19 syrup to Nigeria.
Mbanefo, an industrialist and pharmacist, gave the commendation during a ceremony to confer chieftaincy titles on some members of Orsumoghu community on Thursday in Orsumoghu.
The president had directed the supply of Madagascar’s COVID-19 syrup for the treatment of patients of the pandemic in Nigeria.
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However, Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said the drug would be subjected to test before administering it on patients in Nigeria.
The monarch described president Buhari’s move as a welcome development.
“When there is a problem that involves human lives, you don’t mind where the solution comes from.
“What is happening in the world has never happened before; COVID-19 is an emergency and it needs to be taken care of urgently to save lives,” the monarch said.
However, Mbanefo urged the Federal Government to see the development from COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to further look inwards, especially in the area of supporting local pharmaceutical industries.
According to him, there are many pharmaceutical industries that require government’s funding, both for research in new drugs and growth of the sector in general.
The monarch explained that those conferred with the title would assist in ensuring peace, unity and development of the town.
Earlier, the President-General of the community, Chief Chika Muomaife, explained that 35 persons including five zonal heads and 27 kindred heads would be conferred with various traditional titles.
Muomaife said that the duty of the chieftaincy title recipients included settling disputes and making decisions for the progress of the town.
Also, Chief Emeka Okoye, who was conferred the Ikenga (strength) of Orsumoghu, said that the ceremony bestowed to the recipient’s official roles of the daily running of the traditional council of Orsumoghu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mbanefo was elected as the Ozuruoha II of Orsumoghu Kingdom a week ago, after 35 years of the demise of the previous traditional ruler.