Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II on Tuesday April 21, 2020 fumigated the ancient city of Ile-Ife and its environs against the pandemic Coronavirus disease with newly invented locally made fumigators and drones.
Oba Ogunwusi pointed out that one of the major ways to curtail the spread of the deadly viris as well as to kill it is to fumigate the entire city.
He added that the fumigation exercise is in addition to his efforts to assist the government and people in combating the pandemic, stressing that that since the lockdown order, he has been sharing food and sanitising items daily for the people especially the less privileged.
Speaking further on the fumigating exercise, Ooni Ogunwusi described the current moment across the world as one necessitating the deployment of creativity especially those deposited in the youths, saying the innovation is to think outside the box like the days of 2nd world war for Volkswagen and also Morris minor cars inventions.
“The art of being creative is the motivation behind the creation of these fumigators. Volkswagen which is currently being used across the world was discovered by the Germans during the Second World War and look at what it is today. This motorised fumigator is equally a product of necessity which could serve other purposes like agricultural and industrial sectors after this challenging period of Covid-19 pandemic. Right now, we need abundant fumigation and that is why we have partnered with drones’ suppliers as to widen our coverage”, he said.
While explaining advantages of the specially made fumigator over other lookalikes, the Ooni explained that the fumigator is decently designed with equal fumigation capacity as industrial fumigation trucks used in China, Pakistan and some Western countries with wide fumigation coverage of about 20 to 30fts radius.
He said, “It is decently designed with equal fumigation capacity as industrial fumigation trucks used in China, Pakistan and some Western countries with wide fumigation coverage of about 20 to 30fts radius. It is also effective during dry seasons as anti-dust suppressing machines because it generates only foggy substance converted from liquid (nobody has the technology for fumigation like this in Nigeria currently). Aside from its cost effectiveness, it is easy to assemble and dissemble on any locomotive engine for mobility. We have test run the fabricated equipment very well, we have seen its workability and we need to roll out these products for public use”.
He promised to donate two of the fumigators to each of the states of the federation as his way of supporting state and Federal Governments.
In her speech, a consultant with World Head Organization (WHO), Professor of Olapeju Esimai who is also the current Head of Department, Public Health, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife lauded the Ooni for his creativity and proactive step to combat the novel Covid-19.
She urged the citizens to accept the reality of Covid-19 and maintain precautionary measures like the social distancing, personal hygiene, nose and mouth covering as well as staying at home order.
