Imo monarch advises Nigerians to take COVID-19 vaccines

The chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze (Dr) Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, has advised Nigerians to take the ongoing vaccines against COVID-19 pandemic, saying it is safe. Ohiri, who is also the traditional ruler of Obi Orodo in Mbaitoli Local Government, in an interview with our correspondent in his palace in Obi […]

The chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze (Dr) Samuel Agunwa Ohiri, has advised Nigerians to take the ongoing vaccines against COVID-19 pandemic, saying it is safe.

Ohiri, who is also the traditional ruler of Obi Orodo in Mbaitoli Local Government, in an interview with our correspondent in his palace in Obi Orodo, said that for the country to have immunity against the virus, 75 to 80 per cent of the population would need to be vaccinated.

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According to him, the federal government and all the agencies involved in getting the vaccine to Nigeria have done well and it is expected of Nigerians to complement that effort by ensuring that they are vaccinated against the virus.

He said countries that did not allow their citizens to take the vaccines may be barred from visiting other places so as to avoid being re-infected.

“Of course, I will take it; and I think everybody should take that vaccine. If we are going to have anything like herd immunity in this country, that means we must vaccinate 75 to 80 per cent of our population.

“I have heard so many conspiracy theories and people making all sorts of insinuations, but I want to tell you, not only as a traditional ruler, but so also as a medical scientist, that the vaccines are very safe,” he said.

Eze Ohiri said he was mobilising members of his community through the churches to ensure that they take the vaccine.