This write up is a series that will explore the experiences, risks, truths and gains of the one man, the only Nigerian who has dared the Antarctica in search of a cure for humanity and to put an end to the scourge of malaria in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large, Hon. Prince Ned NWOKO. This great son of ANIOMA is the same man who is building the first and only sports university in Africa, the STARS UNIVERSITY.
Early in 2020, there was a buzz on social and mainstream media and it circulated that Hon. Prince Ned NWOKO had gone to the white desert, Antarctica, on an expedition for a search for the cure of malaria, to develop a malaria vaccine and to devise strategies to fumigate Nigeria against malaria.
Naturally, one would wonder if he needed to go that far to develop the vaccine for Malaria. But that exploration made him the first Nigerian to visit the Antarctica and he hoisted the Nigerian flag on that continent, making his country proud, and for me, that was symbolic, historic, selfless and beneficial for Nigeria and Africa at large. How you may ask. I will come to this later but for now let us look at the purpose for his trip, his experiences while there, what the trip means to Nigeria and Africa and then we can discuss how beneficial it is and will be for humans generally.
Today, we have vaccines for polio, hepatitis, meningitis, typhoid, and a whole lot of other diseases mild or severe but have we ever bothered to ask how these vaccines were developed and who researched and developed them?
Malaria is one of the top killer diseases plaguing Africa and some developed nations, yet no vaccine for it has been found and those who ought to have found a vaccine for it aren’t doing so because to them it’s an African disease that kills Africans and should be a problem for Africans to solve for themselves, supposedly. How will they develop a vaccine for malaria when the malaria drug business which treats only symptoms of malaria is booming in a multi billion naira industry for India and other nations who dump their malaria drugs for us to buy everyday while they smile their way to the bank and keep our people continually impoverished.
Just think of this, an average Nigerian family treats malaria monthly because it is nearly impossible for a member of a Nigerian family not to have a cause to treat malaria or malaria related symptoms like headache and muscle pain. Now imagine how much each family spends on these malaria drugs irrespective of class, then multiply it for all Nigerian families yearly and add other African nations to it. That means that the treatment of malaria alone costs billions of dollars yearly across the African continent and as the pendulum swings unjustly for us in this regard, we could have put all that money into developing our country and the African continent.
Think of others who die from malaria who could not afford the drugs, most of them are children who could have grown up to become great engineers, medical doctors and lawyers to move our nation forward but whose lives were cut short by malaria. Now a Nigerian man is saying enough is enough. I will put my hard earned billions into developing a malaria vaccine to stop all of these from happening. Will it not be great and appropriate then for an Africa, a Nigerian and a big hearted philanthropist as Prince Ned Nwoko to have embarked on that extremely dangerous, highly risky and very challenging expedition of the Antarctica to develop a vaccine that can save millions of children, women and the elderly from dying everyday from malaria?
I know what malaria does to pregnant women and you don’t want to feel or experience that if you are a man whose wife, sister or relative is pregnant because of the heartaches and risks that comes with it. So many women have had to suffer, experience and endure this at different times. it is horrible but do you know that a great percentage of women suffer from malaria during pregnancy at different stages of their pregnancy until they put to bed? But with a vaccine for malaria, all of this can be prevented or stopped and pregnancy can be less stressful for Nigerian and African women. Yes, this is what Prince Ned NWOKO wants, to put an end to the misery pregnant women experience from malaria and to save the lives of our women and children and those dying from malaria.
Shouldn’t we support this lofty dream of Prince Ned NWOKO.
Karifest Duchess Onyekaah Rita Esq.
(Iyanga Anioma).
Founder/CEO Karifest Group.
About The Writer
Onyekaah is an advocate for positive change, a humanitarian, entrepreneur, writer and communications strategist with a passion for communication crises management in governance, political advocacy, personality reputation management and brand development, whose advocacy and passion for social change can be seen in a number of her written works, seminars and conferences she has anchored and participated in.
She is an ardent student of Communication & Strategy in one of the world’s best institutions as she continues to enrich her knowledge of communication.
Onyekaah is often referred to by her colleagues, fans, followers and many as the “queen of social media” where she wedges a great influence with her writings and advocacy works fearlessly.
Her work has earned her the name “stenographer” from her university days for her unique style of writing.
Onyekaah has a voice and believes that Africa is the future of the world if, and only when Africans become more discerning as to recognize, accept, appreciate, develop and harness its naturally endowed resources in human capacity and mineral resources.
Onyekaah can be reached on email via: karifestduchess@gmail.com.
Some of her writings are available on her blog www.karifestblog.com and you can follow her on social media @KarifestDuchess.
Copyright, Karifest Communications,