Nigeria: The Return Of Kwashiorkor

 By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu 

The deadly kwashiorkor disease that was so much associated with the Biafra war has made a return to peacetime Nigeria. It was not a pretty sight seeing malnourished children with distended stomachs, nylon-like skins and dopey eyes during that evil war.

The belief was that kwashiorkor had gone for good with Biafra. My shock knew no bounds when I read in the Nigerian Tribune of Saturday, October 26, 2024 that kwashiorkor is back in town.

The revelation emanated from Dr. Foluso Balogun, a paediatrician at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan that “for the first time in many years, children with kwashiorkor are seen in this part of the country.” 

According to the report, “Kwashiorkor is a severe form of protein malnutrition. Children who eat diets low in caloric and protein are most likely to suffer from kwashiorkor. Infants and children are typically affected, usually from the time of weaning until age five. The illness is prevalent in areas of the world that are impoverished and have extremely high rates of starvation.”

Just as I was wailing about the return of kwashiorkor, the news broke of the arraignment in open court of dozens of malnourished children detained for three months for protesting against the hunger regime of the government. Four of the kid detainees fainted in court to the astonishment of the whole wide world.

Members of the Hallelujah Chorus of the incumbent government croaked that the fainting kids were only play-acting! Nigeria’s image was damaged all over the world for detaining and charging hungry children with treason. The internet and social media went into overdrive to put Nigeria to global shame and odium.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could not but order the immediate release of the detained minors and the stoppage of their trial. But the harm had been done, and the Nigerian regime must perforce suffer the adverse consequences therefrom. 

There is a connection between children suffering from kwashiorkor and detained malnourished minors being charged with treason. It all boils down to man’s inhumanity in the dispensation of totalitarian power in the name of democracy. All the concern of the powers-that-be is devoted to keeping power instead of fighting issues like hunger and starvation. The starving ones are left with the only option of protests to gain any attention from the uncaring government. 

Given that the unpopular regime is on edge all the time, any form of protest is deemed as high treason. It is ever so benumbing seeing agents of the government making believe that all is well with a country that is in disarray and completely broken. Families are so broke and can no longer feed, yet the politicians are talking of winning elections and re-elections. 

The politicians have hopelessly divided Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines such that they can get away with murder. And the return of kwashiorkor spells murder, an apt metaphor for the Nigeria of the here and now. The disease knows no ethnic group as it malevolently launches its ferocious attack across all the geo-political zones.

Just as the parochial politicians are claiming “it is my turn”, kwashiorkor is countering with its own charge of “it’s my turn”. The poor folks suffering from malnutrition and kwashiorkor are doomed to die sad, painful deaths before the uncaring eyes of gluttonous politicians.

A short history of the coming of kwashiorkor can be traced back to when the then opposition politicians marched on the streets against then President Goodluck Jonathan for removing petrol subsidy. The opposition gained power through General Muhammadu Buhari thereafter, and literally everything went downhill for the country. Even the sidekick opposition star Bola Ahmed Tinubu who took over power from Buhari made bold to stress that he inherited a bankrupt country from the Katsina man from Daura. 

The first statement out of the mouth of Tinubu as president was: “Petrol subsidy is gone.” 

It’s cool by me to recall that Tinubu had protested when then President Jonathan put the price of petrol at N140, but now under his watch petrol is a princely N1400! 

Even so, the Bulaba Hallelujah Chorus cannot stop praising their president for being strong in taking a bold step! It’s just like the title character Rip Van Winkle in the short story by Washington Irving who woke up after 20 years of sleep!       

You would expect a president who claimed to have inherited bankruptcy from his predecessor to be frugal in his dealings. It was spellbinding when ideas emanated about buying a presidential yacht – and a new presidential jet landed on the presidential tarmac. The lodgings of the vice-president gulped all of N21 billion, and he is now calling for a new vice-presidential jet too. There was a climate change conference in super-duper Dubai where Nigeria sent a contingent of 500-odd dignitaries.

A tear for a broke native land! 

A colossal coastal road contract had to be awarded in a jiffy to a buddy without any adherence to bidding or even environmental checks. The judiciary has been cast in the lapdog jacket of “go to court” while the legislature is under the thumb of power.

The clannish press is dancing Ajasco music while the erstwhile activists are speaking in the common vernacular of power worship. The religious angle was covered with a hefty N90 billion Hajj subsidy.

Corruption is now the rule rather than the exception, just as the old party chairman advised: “Join the ruling party and all your sins will be forgiven!” Unfortunately the one sin that cannot be forgiven is the kwashiorkor ravaging the Nigerian streets today. Let’s raise a toast to the return of kwashiorkor to Nigeria! 

*Uzoatu is a commentator on public issues