A world after Covid-19

So on the 14^th of April, 2020 the Group Managing Director of Nigeria’s biggest e-business solutions company; Courteville Business Solutions Plc Dr. Adebola Akindele gathered his people for a staff meeting, which is now the norm (weekly) since the pandemic forced a work from home routine for us. He had always talked about being prepared for things like this and touched on the Corona Virus subject as always keeping us abreast of situations and how it could affect us. He hammered on the point that he did not believe China’s report on fatality was less than 3500 and also mentioned the claims of defective kits distributed by China to other nations. He also asked that we empowered ourselves for what is to be the new norm in terms of career paths and preparedness with regard to life.

Not long after the meeting one of my friends from my NYSC days, Kaizer Omoniyi posted his thoughts on a world post Covid-19. I was really interested and we engaged in a short conversation with him doing most of the talking. It was his opinion and I needed to listen.

He opined that the world should expect a global recession that would probably last till mid-2021 at the earliest, depending on when ‘normalcy’ returns. He stressed that, the biggest loser in this pandemic will be CHINA. He went on to say, virtually all developed nations are now discussing ways of moving the production of essential products back home and as global corporates move production back home buoyed by tax breaks, government subsidies and a nationalistic fever, China’s GDP will drop.

The Kaizer quipped that another major casualty of the pandemic will be statistics from China, adding that the reported fatality of less than 3500 is miles apart from what the real figure was and that China’s official stats would be questioned going forward which was also part of what Dr. Akindele also mentioned to his people earlier. It was agreed that everything from reported GDP figures to military strength to literacy numbers will be taken with a pinch of salt for years to come.

During the course of the discussion the issue of nations like The Netherlands and Czech Republic returning test equipment and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to China with claims of them being defective was touched upon. We trust these nations to find a way to reduce official trade with China going forward. Mr. Omoniyi stated that the recent treatment meted out to Africa by China has undone all the PR points they might have gained with their donation of test kits and equipment to the AU which was also a point made by Dr. Akindele. The Kaizer added that China could have done better having Africa as an ally going forward because when the United Nations starts to seat again, even the blind knows the Western World will come with major questions.

Will there be mass emigration for Nigerian Medical Professionals, Scientists and Engineers post Covid-19? There definitely will be massive investments in the health care sector in the USA, UK, European Union and the Middle East. Go get your papers and certifications ready, the world is about to enter a new arms race similar to post World War 2 and similar to 1945. English speaking skilled workers are the major commodity.

The Kaizer concluded by saying if Covid-19 was designed by China as some biological weapon, then this pandemic is a study of how not to conduct biological warfare.

China didn’t shoot themselves in the foot, no it is much bigger than that. They buried a Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) under their beds and lit the fuse singing Shambala, drinking Chai tea and feasting on bat meat (or whatever hapless endangered creature they could lay their hands upon).

I was glad this day happened and to have been able to listen to these two intellectuals speak and couldn’t agree more with their assertions.

Thank you Dr. Akindele and Kaizer Omoniyi.