In its efforts to help in curtailing the spread of the deadly coronavirus in Nigeria, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from MacArthur Foundation in partnership with International Institute of Education (IEE) trained 100 Youth in Kano state. The Training which was tagged as Youth Leadership Training on Covi19 was conducted online via Zoom Platform from the 17^th of July to 28^th of July 2020. The objectives of the training were:

1. To enhance the understanding of the participants of COVID-19 and how it can be curtailed
2. To provide tools with which participants will support community efforts in their community to prevent spread of the virus
3. To enable youth provide leadership in situation of emergency in their community
4. To encourage the participants, carry out sensitization efforts in their community using social media

 

The participants of the program who were selected from different communities based on the criteria set up by CITAD, after receiving many applications from interested candidates. The trained youth are expected to carry out awareness activities on Covid19 in their respective communities.

 

However, the program carefully selected participants who have visibility on social media; Twitter, Facebooks, Instagram etc. so that issues around covid19 in their communities will be escalated on such platforms to attract the attention of the appropriate authorities and members of their communities. During the training emphasis were made on the area of behavior change which will help in changing the negative perspective many people have on the virus in the state. On the first session of the training Dr. (Pharmacist) Khalid Garba Muhammad of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Bayero University, Kano took the participants: Understanding COVID-19, Key Symptoms and Asymptomatic Infection, Mode of Transmission and Severity and Interventions to stop COVID-19 spread on the first day of the training. While on the second day he continued with Individual Measures to keep safe and Limit Transmission; COVID-19 Care and Management and concluded with Psychological and Mental Health Impact and Strategies to Manage them.

The second module of the training was facilitated by Kabiru Danladi Lawanti of the Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The focused of his presentations in the first day were on Meaning and Types of Social Media, Use of Social Media to pass Message. In the second day of his session, Mr. Kabiru taught the participants how to create groups on Social Media and how to moderate such Groups. On the final day of his sessions, Mr. Lawanti focused on Monitoring and getting feedback. The third component of the course which commenced on the seventh day of the program, was on community mobilization. This was taken by Mukhtar Halilu Modibbo, Community Engagement Officer at Connected development (CODE) who discussed on Community Mobilization and Identifying and Implementing Community Mobilization Activities in the first day. The objective was on how to mobilize, persuade and spread their messages in their respective communities. On the second day of his session, he discussed on the concept of Community and Influencer, and Identifying Community Influencer. Maryam Ado Haruna who is the head of JobberMan Partnership Program at CITAD discussed with the participants how to write a good CV/Resume, cover Letter, how to attend an Interview and what to avoid in writing CV/Resume. This addition stemmed from the observation that many of the participants did not know how to prepare their CV as analyzed during the selection process.

On the final day of the training, Malam Y.Z Ya’u, the Executive Director of CITAD conducted a session on proposal writing as well how the participants could Pitch their proposals since CITAD had informed them that those who pitch very good proposal would be given micro grant. He took the participants on how to write a good proposal. However not all are to get the micro grant as they are limited and would be awarded on competitive basis. He also discussed guidelines and rules for the competition.

At the end of every class, exercises were given to the participants to test the level of their understanding, commitment and focus during the training. Also, during the training, attendance was made part of the requirements before a participant is issued a certificate. An evaluation questionnaire was served to get feedback from them.

SUCCESS STORIES

Narrating their experiences after the training, one of the participants, Hussaini Yunusa said before this training he and his friends didn’t believe Covid19 is real but with the training he came to realized that indeed covid19 is real and it exists. This made him to inform his friends about the Youth Leadership Training on Covid19 which is aim to train young people that will go back and sensitize their communities and what is being discussed at the training, Malam Husain said in the course of the conversation he was able to convince a handful number of people at the spot about the reality of the virus and it existence and he promise to continue enlightening his community members about the disease, WhatsApp Group, YLTCOVID19@CITAD, 22^nd July, 2020. Another participant, Amina Alhassan narrated that with knowledge she acquired from the training she was able to change the perception of some women on covid19 she met on Adaidaita Sahu, according to her one of the women was discussing on how government is using the disease to get money from foreign countries while the other woman was saying that she has never seen a picture of a person that is infected by the virus or knows someone that seen the picture. According to them it is only government that is manufacturing the numbers in order to scare people and get money. Amina Alhassan seized the opportunity and used the knowledge she gets from the training and lectured the women on why the disease is real, she started by telling them that many have actually contracted the virus as against what people are saying and in many instances people can have the virus especially youth without showing any sign but they can infect others. She went further to discussed with them the importance of wearing face marks, washing hands regularly and maintaining social distancing, WhatsApp Group, YLTCOVID19@CITAD, 22^nd July, 2020.

On her part, Amina Sani, another participant of the training narrated that she actually didn’t believe in wearing the face marks neither observing social distancing and she didn’t see any importance of doing that, but when she attended the training her perception is totally changed and now she wears it wherever she goes and avoided crowd places, she continued to state that she was at an ATM machine with her face mark and observing social distancing but the people there were laughing at her, telling her that COVID19 is a hoax but that didn’t discourage her and promise to spread the knowledge she gets, WhatsApp Group, YLTCOVID19@CITAD, 22^nd July, 2020. On her part, Amina Musa declared that before the training she thought the coronavirus pandemic was over despite she being part of the most vulnerable ones to the virus, Amina continued to state that she for long not in the habit of wearing face marks or observing social distancing, but after participating at the training she fully understood the importance of wearing and observing social distancing YLTCOVID19@CITAD, 22^nd July, 2020.

 

Sadik Abdurrahman believed that if there were organizations like CITAD who are sensitizing public and enlightening them about the dangers of Covid19 and how real it was just like the way HIV and Hepatitis are being discussed, the disease will easily be controlled in the society, WhatsApp Group, YLTCOVID19@CITAD, 27^th July, 2020. Also, participants like Abubakar Salisu YLTCOVID19@CITAD, 23^rd July, 2020, and Abdullahi Abdurrahman have already started designing fliers containing messages on how to prevent the spread of Covid19, what covid19 is all about and started sharing them on social media, this they pledge to continue doing in order to enlighten the general public and help in kicking out the virus from Kano state (https://web.facebook.com/abdullahi.abdurrahman.5/posts/1732868613519105.

 

Moreover, some participants like Abdurrahman Iguda (https://twitter.com/AIguda/status/1288547082421317639 https://twitter.com/AIguda/status/1286781030540685313) and Abubakar Muhammad Usman (https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3108487392534026&id=100001183888918  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3084335118282587&id=100001183888918

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3083789558337143&id=100001183888918) on their part promised to focus their postings on social media like Facebook and twitter on the dangers of covid19, how it is being transmitted and what people need to do to protect themselves from contracting the virus. On his part, Ismail Auwal, said with the knowledge he acquired during the training he will go back to his community and sensitize his people especially Islamiyya schools on the dangers of the virus and how it would be curtailed, Zoom Meeting, 28^th July, 2020. While Adamu Umar said the sessions of Creating Groups on Social Media, Monitoring and Getting Feedback had helped him to sensitize his community members on Covid19 Pandemic, YLTCOVID19@CITAD WhatsApp Group, 22^nd July, 2020.

 

 

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), held its 30th Twitter chat in the 21st of July 2020. The guest was Dr. Chris Kwaja Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State. He discussed on The Responding to COVID 19 in the context of conflict and social fragility.

He started by talking about the entrenched trust deficit between citizens and states which he said it was easy for communities to accept all manner of conspiracy theories regarding COVID19, especially through religious and traditional leaders. According to him, lockdown is one of the major challenges that posed to conflict management and Civil Society Activities were also hampered due to restrictions of movement. He went further to discuss about transparency and accountability in the way palliatives were distributed which has deepened trust deficit between government and its citizen. Kwaja said the Pandemic has also unraveled some underlying factors such as poverty, sexual and gender base violence and inequality which has dislocated people from their sources of livelihoods. He urge peace building actors to adapt new ways of community engagement in respond to the physical distancing guideline.

He emphasized on the need for conflict to design conflict programming and gender intervention which takes into consideration community level specifications. The use of excessive force by security agencies in enforcing lockdown also show conflict dynamics and how it affects the relationship between security agencies and citizens.

 

So far, the achievement is minimal in the area of community level intervention that are specific to conflict which is due to the pandemic, restriction of movement and fear of transmission has hindered the achievements. He further said that there is need to adopt a holistic approach in designing intervention and putting human aspects in perspective.

 

In conclusion, he said community outreach is an important tool for engendering community action and for donors to adopt flexible funding approaching ways that will enable local peace builders to adapt to new realities such as the Pandemic.

 

 

 

ENGAGEMENT:

 

1. Good afternoon everyone & welcome to another episode of @ICTAdvocates’s twitter chat with Dr. @c_kwaja, Researcher & Senior Lecturer, Centre for Peace & Security Studies, MAUTECH, Yola who will be speaking Responding to Covid19 in the Context of Conflict & Social Fragility @YZYau
2. Welcome on board Dr. @c_kwaja! We look forward to tapping from your wealth of experience.
3. The pandemic also exacerbated a trust deficit that has been on ground between citizens and the Nigerian state.
4. Today in @ICTAdvocates’s Series of Twitter Chat on Covid19 Dr. @c_kwaja,Senior Lecturer & Researcher, Centre for Peace & Security Studies,MAUTECH, Yola, Adamawa will discuss on Responding to COVID19 in the Context of Conflict & Social Fragility. Responding to COVID-19 in the context of conflict and fragility…what opportunities exist? In the context of conflict end fragility in a Nigeria, COVID – 19 emerged amidst an already strained relations among & between communities faced with conflicts and violence linked to insurgency, farmer / herder tensions and organized crimes.
5. @c_kwaja what are the critical principles that can help guide country-level response efforts in those conflict challenging settings? Total readiness for emergency represents the first principles. We because we did not plan, we were all caught unaware and unprepared.
6. Due to an already entrenched trust deficit between citizens and state, it was easy for communities to accept all manner of conspiracy theories regarding the pandemic. Particular from religious leaders and the media.
7. Are there challenges that response to #COVID19 posed to conflict mitigation and social fragility sir? The lockdown was one major challenge that Covid-19 posed to conflict management. The activities of civil society actors were also hampered due to restriction in movements.
8. Sir, in most States, COVID19 palliatives are given to party-men instead of persons affected by the pandemic… Can we rightly say, response to COVID19 has further expose structural violence in Nigeria? The lack of transparency and accountability that defined the way and manner the covid-19 palliatives were distributed further deepened the trust deficit between citizens and the Nigerian state.
9. Peacebuilding actors had to adapt to a new normal of community engagement in ways that responded to the new reality of keeping social distancing while building peace.
10. From a conflict sensitivity perspective, what are the concerns about COVID-19 interventions in conflict-affected contexts and the solutions to the aforementioned issues?
11. Covid -19 also exacerbated other underlying stressors such as poverty and inequality due to the lockdown that further dislocated people from their sources of livelihoods.
12. Violent conflict often exacerbates the spread of infectious diseases, as seen in the recent resurgence of polio in Syria, cholera outbreaks in the conflict zones in Yemen?  How can you explain this in relations to Covid-19 and Nigeria?
13. The covid-19 also witnessed a drastic rise in cases of sexual and gender based violence became key source of tensions within families and communities.
14. Despite the fragility that defines the capacity of state institutions to respond to covid-19, communities there were real stories of coordinated action by communities, leveraging on their social networks and capitals.
15. Across communities in Nigeria, social distancing was a new normal with huge implications for person to person interactions, which was a major agency for community harmony.
16. With the current pandemic and the guidelines being enforced, the success of existing community-based social cohesion programmes may be greatly threatened. How can we achieve this in conflict areas? Conflict programming and interventions that takes into consideration the community level specificities should be designed. Social cohesion is threatened when the communities are not involved in the design of interventions that affects them.
17. @c_kwaja coronavirus and terrorism are both disastrous security threats. How can we manage the two professionally as a nation? Terrorism and covid -19 are two threats that requires different handling or response approaches – both kinetic and non-kinetic.
18. The use of excessive force by security agents in enforcing the lockdown also exacerbated conflict dynamics, particularly as it affects relations between citizens and security agencies. Cases of torture, deaths and other rights violations.
19. So far, not much has been achieved in the area of community level interventions that are specific to conflict. This is due to the pandemic, restrictions on movements and fear of transmissions.
20. Sir @c_kwaja, based on available figures, can we say Nigerian government is doing enough in responding to #COVID19 especially in vulnerable regions? In assessing effectiveness and impact of response, contexts becomes important. Hence, the need to adopt a holistic approach to designing interventions, in ways that capture all aspects of human life.
21. @c_kwaja how will COVID-19 pandemic affect the teeming population of youths in the North east/conflict areas? Covid-19 came with huge shock for the youths, under an environment of already shrinking opportunity / space for social mobility. It further heightened this tension.
22. Monies meant for developed were channeled towards the fight against covid-29, which meant that developed related interventions were stalled. Here the youths are the worst hit since they constitute the productive age of the country.
23. Going forward, it is evident that community outreach programming is an important tool for engendering community action. The use of key mediums such as town criers and community radios are key.
24. for donors, there is a need to design and adopt a flexible funding approach in ways that will allow local peacebuilders redirect adapt to new realities such as the Covud-19.
25. Community radio now constitute key areas that should be explored and investments made by both state and non-state actors. This is one sure way of keeping the communities informed in order to checkmate fake news and mid-information.
26. Here we come to the end of today’s twitter chat, on behalf of @ICTAdvocates’s E.D, @YZYau I will like to use this opportunity to thank u for being with us at this hour to discuss & enlighten us on this important topic. Have a wonderful evening, sir @c_kwaja @macfound @IIEglobal
27. Thank you Sir @c_kwaja for sharing your time just to be with us. We found this session very educative and we are indeed grateful for the gesture.

 

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) held its 29th Edition of Twitter Chat on 15th July 2020 with Dr. Umar Muhammad Sani as the discussant. Dr. Umar Muhammad Sani is the Casualty Officer and Coordinator of COVID-19 A&E Triage and Screening Team of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi and he spoke extensively on the Realistic Approach to Living with COVID-19 in Nigeria.

 

Dr. Umar began the chat by giving a background of the COVID-19 cases and impact in the world. He said the pandemic had exerted a toll on the healthcare systems, economies and many activities have come to a standstill. He said with cases rising globally, there are estimates that show that the pandemic will extend to 2021. Dr. Umar was of the belief that with figures rising daily, there is no way the virus can be defeated living normal lives and plans to resume activities does not equal the defeat of the virus but a step towards reviving the struggling economy.

 

One of the impacts of the pandemic to pupils being out of classes and he reported that an estimate puts 46 million pupils out of classes in Nigeria while globally the estimate is 1.4 billion pupils. During the chat, Dr. Umar stated that though the lockdown is a good way to slow the spread of COVID-19, it might not be sustainable but using masks, hand washing and physical distancing are among the many ways people can protect themselves and others and at the same time curb the spread of the virus. He urged the need for everyone to know the true facts of the COVID-19 because misinformation is deadly. The increase in mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, substance abuse and weight gain by those under lockdown are some of the challenges brought upon by the pandemic. Some of the challenges noted by the discussant include poor health systems, the challenge of effective physical distancing because of overcrowded schools, markets and work places as well as the 43% jobs which have been lost by the Nigerian population. Dr. Umar suggested individuals protecting themselves and others by following set guidelines and protocols and getting news only from verified sources as approaches to living with COVID 19 in Nigeria.

 

ENGAGEMENT:

 

1.     Dr. Do you think people can still continue with their normal lives and at the same time defeat Covid19?

 

Not so fast. As you can see the figures keep rising, there is no way we can defeat the virus living our normal lives. Plans to resume activities does not equal the virus is defeated. It’s a step to revive the struggling economy. Let look at some facts already

 

2.     Does that means economy is place above people’s lives, sir?

Never. Worldwide, plans are being put in place to learn how to live with the virus. And we cannot be any different. From earlier statistics and estimates, the virus is here to stay. The sad reality is that while lockdown is a good way to slow spread, it might not be sustainable

An estimate puts 46 million pupils out of classes in Nigeria. That’s huge and globally its 1.4 billion with another 40 million girls not able to return to classes for many reasons. Before resuming, there are realities we have to deal with first

 

3.     Dr. @umsani05, we have seen in many instances where law enforcement agents stop individuals and groups from getting into hospitals and other public places for not wearing masks and let only those with masks in.
4.     I think the #coronavirusdisease is more sinister than we think, and our calling it a mere respiratory disease doesn’t do us any good. I also think we Nigerians need to get to take this disease more seriously as figures continue to escalate by the day. Not so fast. As you can see the figures keep rising, there is no way we can defeat the virus living our normal lives. Plans to resume activities does not equal the virus is defeated. It’s a step to revive the struggling economy. Let look at some facts already

 

5.     Sir, In Comparing country responses to Covid-19 pandemic, how can you rate Nigeria?

Well, we have seen various responses by governments and authorities.

Some have been heavily criticized. Sometimes politicized and some have made really remarkable efforts worth emulating. We are a struggling economy battling with recessions already. It’s a tough call

 

6.     Dr. @umsani05. In your comment to @a_sabo12 Question u said before resuming, there are realities we have to deal with first. What are they?  @ICTAdvocates

Replying to @mukhtars_s@a_sabo12 and @ICTAdvocates hurriedly 1. Our health systems are weak pre covid 19, what are plans in place to revive the most vital sector 2. Physical distancing will be difficult in our already overcrowded schools, markets, work places. 3. Jobs have been lost on an already poor population (abt43%)

 

7.     Is there any vaccine at hand that can take care of the virus or any effort put in place to Producing a vaccine and what need to be done in this regard?

Yes there are many trials and some of them promising. Some are already in the 1st phase. But experts say that a fast track vaccine devt process could speed a successful candidate vaccine in 12 to 18 months assuming all goes smooth

 

8.     Dr. @umsani05, we have seen in many instances where law enforcement agents stop individuals and groups from getting into hospitals and other public places for not wearing masks and let only those with masks in.

 

9.     Sir, can you educate us on the ways to live with this deadly virus since it is inevitable living with it?

 

3. We are also having an increase in mental health problems, like anxiety and depression. Also is substance abuse. 4. People staying at home are gaining weight. We need physical activities to curb the epidemic of obesity

 

10.    But what confuses me is, majority of the people with the masks have it only on their neck. Leaving the mouth and the neck open. Does that means the law enforcement agent don’t know what the mask is meant for?

That’s a very wrong practice and poses a health risk to the wearer. It gets contaminated and that could compromise safety. Even those enforcing at times use it wrongly. We need increased awareness to educate the public on proper mask usage

Using masks and physical distancing are among the many ways we can protect ourselves and others from the spread of the virus. Other means are washing hands. We have to play our part as responsible citizens to contribute our part in containing the pandemic

11.    Sir, can you educate us on the ways to live with this deadly virus since it is inevitable living with it?
12. We are also having an increase in mental health problems, like anxiety and depression. Also is substance abuse. 4. People staying at home are gaining weight. We need physical activities to curb the epidemic of obesity

 

12.    Dr. @umsani05, we have seen in many instances where law enforcement agents stop individuals and groups from getting into hospitals and other public places for not wearing masks and let only those with masks in.

 

13.    Is there any vaccine at hand that can take care of the virus or any effort put in place to Producing a vaccine and what need to be done in this regard?

Yes there are many trials and some of them promising. Some are already in the 1st phase. But experts say that a fast track vaccine devt process could speed a successful candidate vaccine in 12 to 18 months assuming all goes smooth

 

14.    But what confuses me is, majority of the people with the masks have it only on their neck. Leaving the mouth and the neck open. Does that means the law enforcement agent don’t know what the mask is meant for?

That’s a very wrong practice and poses a health risk to the wearer. It gets contaminated and that could compromise safety. Even those enforcing at times use it wrongly. We need increased awareness to educate the public on proper mask usage

Using masks and physical distancing are among the many ways we can protect ourselves and others from the spread of the virus. Other means are washing hands. We have to play our part as responsible citizens to contribute our part in containing the pandemic.