1.Femi Rufus Tinuola, 2. Adetayo Olorunlana, 3. Samuel Ojima Adejoh, 4. Franca Attoh
1. Professor of Population Health and Demography, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State Nigeria
2. Associate Professor of Medical Sociology, Department of Criminology, Security, Peace, and Conflicts Studies, Caleb University, Imota-Lagos, Nigeria
3. Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work, University of Lagos, Lagos
4. Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Abstract
Measures taken to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 virus in Nigeria were very stringent. The lockdown, among others, affected businesses and households, as individuals found ways to cope with the measures. This study used the qualitative method to collect data from 30 participants in Lagos and Ibadan, and purposive sampling was used among consenting participants. The in-depth interview guide was used in data collection. The data were analyzed using NVivo 12 plus. Findings show the effect of lockdown order on daily life, family, and income flow. Compliance with Covid-19 protocol was differentiated, as most of the participants comply with the lockdown order but had difficulties with facemasks and physical/social distances order. We recommend that to halt other waves of Covid-19, the preventive protocol should be adhered to.
Keywords: Covid-19, Lockdown, Perception, Protocol, Southwest Nigeria.
Introduction
Comparing the number of Covid-19 cases and causalities in Asia, Central America, and Europe, Africa has the lower burden globally [1]. While this may be largely ascribed to differences in environmental conditions, the fact remains that the outbreak started later in Africa and the swift effort to curtail the spread of the virus. Africa has the largest proportion of less developed countries than other continents with a serious burden of infectious diseases, such as HIV, TB, Malaria, Ebola, and Schistosomiasis [2, 3], which is believed to have a possible negative impact on the continent fragile healthcare system. The Nigerian healthcare system is already overwhelmed [4] and could be worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. Nigeria estimated population in 2018 before Covid-19 was 195,874,740 million [5], and she suffers from a lack of adequate medical supplies, hunger, and poverty.
In Nigeria, like many other countries, the pandemic, coupled with the government’s response to lockdown policies, triggered stress, panic, and business paralysis [6]. During these periods, governments were expected to provide financial aid to support firms’ operations and survival [7]. The closure of land, air, and sea borders; schools, colleges, universities; stores; and markets affected all and sundry, frustrated business activities, and took a toll on households and the country’s economy [8, 9].
Consequently, the Covid-19-induced lockdown impairs the circular flow of income as the lockdown order in Nigeria involved strict restriction of movements, except for essential services [10]. This led to the inability of households to spend adequately, thereby resulting in a series of demand and supply shocks [11]. Moreover, the enforcement of lockdown and other related measures meant to curtail the Covid-19 pandemic was handled by the police [12]. However, the Nigerian State could not achieve total compliance due to a disconnect between the government and citizens, as many Nigerian police officers were alleged of engaging in unethical practices during the period [13]. This article explores how small business entrepreneurs in six major markets in Southwest Nigeria perceived the Covid-19 lockdown order and the protocol after easing the lockdown. market locations in Lagos and Ibadan metropolis (see Table 1). There were 19 females and 11 males with 16 participants from Ibadan and 14 from Lagos metropolis respectively. Purposive sampling was used among consenting participants. The in-depth interview guide was used in data collection. The analysis was done using thematic analysis of each of the interviews conducted, a process of analyzing qualitative data. Interviews transcripts were read severally after the transcriptions were done verbatim. During the process of reading the transcripts, codes were identified and created. This gives room for the identification and analysis of patterns that appeared within each of the participant’s responses [14, 15].
Material and Methods
This study used the qualitative method to collect data from 30 participants in six different
Independently, codes were identified and created by coders, and where there is disagreement, a consensus is reached thereafter, categories were formed, and themes were identified. The data analysis was done using NVivo 12 plus software. To achieve the trustworthiness of the analysis, rigor in qualitative analysis is assessed within the context of dependability, credibility, confirmability, and transferability [16, 17]. To achieve this, systematic checking of the transcription, interpretation of the data, and documentation of the process were involved.
Findings
Effects of Lockdown Order
Participants expressed their experience with the Covid-19 lockdown order as it affected their daily living, family, and income flow. From the extract, some participants said:
For me, the lockdown was necessary to reduce the spread of the virus but most of my colleagues here were very angry. You won’t blame them because we depend on daily income to survive. In my case, I am lucky that my husband is a civil servant, so he provided for all our needs during the lockdown. I stayed at home throughout because I understand the reason for the lockdown (Female-35-Lagos-2).
A male participant explains the effect of the lockdown.
For the lockdown, people don’t subscribe to the idea because it was so inconvenient and at the same time reduced the livelihood of every individual. Imagine someone to be staying inside the house (indoors) without going anywhere or attending to his/her business, how will such a person survive. Besides, there are some people who without going to work for a day, it will become difficult for them to fend for or feed their families. But there is nothing we can do to negate government opinion and order in this country. Whether we are satisfied or not, we must abide by the authority as imposed (Male-40-Ibadan-7).
This was corroborated by another participant:
Often time we experience a business downturn that was even before the lockdown order. The lockdown was one month plus, we stayed at home and when it eventually relapsed, the Muslim fast commenced (Ramadan) and this made things extremely difficult. People begin to experience a financial crisis and the market is not profitable as it was before Covid-19. The virus hit hard in Nigeria; money is not circulated anymore. Both children and adults are feeling the pandemic even today (Female-41-Ibadan-9).
Another female respondent complains bitterly about this and said:
They just intentionally want to starve us, because there seems to be no Covid-19 in this country, they just locked us in the house for two months without food, water, and money and at a point when they ease the lockdown, it has already destroyed our businesses (Female-38-Ibadan-8).
However, another respondent had another point of view:
I was not able to come to the market then and there was no money we were just managing at that time. But thank God everything has come back to normal now. Sales are better now though people will still say there is no money, but we must eat (Female-45-Lagos-15).
While the majority talk of their inability to go out of the house because of the lockdown one female participant did not take the lockdown order seriously because of her experience. She said:
they didn’t lock down anything, they are just shouting lockdown, people are still coming and going it is just a bit more expensive, you must bribe the police on the road (Female-24-Ibadan-3).
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