There is nothing like Ebola in Nigeria -Bush meat sellers

Omagwa Bush Meat Centre, Omagwa, is a very popular market in Rivers State and beyond. It is a classless mar­ket where the high and low, poor, rich, educated, uneducated, doctors, engi­neers, lawyers, oil company workers, bankers, civil servants, people who drive exotic cars, and those who also drive rickety ones, are united by bush meat.The rich ones among them sometimes buy the complete game, take same home for preparation and consumption, while those who can’t afford it, settle for roasted or cooked ones (barbecue), prepared either, by retailers who sell at the market or nearby restaurants/bars.

Bush meat business is a thriving one in the state as it is the mainstay of the dealers.

Investigations revealed that Omagwa Bush market, which has existed for many years, serves as a depot for hunters from neighbouring towns like Elele, Ubima, Etche, Awara, even Umuagwo and Egbema in Imo State.

But suddenly, an American-Liberian, Sawyer Patrick, flew into the country and brought along with him a deadly virus called Ebola, which has killed some Nigerians, including the senior female consultant physician, who treated him.

Unfortunately, among the prescribed preventive measures by doctors is abstinence from the consumption and contact with animals like monkeys, bats and other bush animals. The reason, according to them, is the likelihood of contracting the deadly virus through consumption or contact with them.

As wise and important as the medical advice seemed, there are some groups of persons who are aggrieved over the preventive measure. They are the hunters and bush meat sellers at Omagwa. According to them, the age-long business has crashed as result of the medical advice.

Indeed, they are said to be warming up to sue the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Federal Government over what they regarded as, ‘misinformation about Ebola virus’. This was confirmed to this reporter by the chairman of the association and others.

As far as the hunters and bush meat sellers are concerned, there is nothing like Ebola virus in Nigeria. And they told the reporter that if it exists, eating or touching bush meat, which they have enjoyed over the years, without problems, should not be held responsible. Rather, they advised the doctors and the Federal Government to look elsewhere, perhaps, the white man they accused of having intimate relationship with animals, including having sexual intercourse with some of them like dogs, horses, chimpanzees