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Oluwatosin Ejalonibu
Two days after President Muhaamudu Buhari and his Vice, Prof Yemi Osibanjo took their jabs of the AstraZeneca COVID- 19 vaccines, Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, his deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, and other members of the State Executive Council on Monday evening have received their also.
They took the first jabs of the vaccine on Monday at a brief ceremony a couple of hours after taking delivery of 50,000 units of the vaccine donated by the World Health Organisation and the Federal Government.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Kunle Somorin, disclosed that a former Governor of the State and a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Olusegun Osoba also took his dose of the vaccine on Tuesday at the Governor’s office Clinics at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Dr Abimbola Olaitan, a long standing frontline worker, who has been managing the State-owned Isolation Centre in Abeokuta since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, was the first to take the vaccine in the State on Monday.
Thereafter, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, administered the first jab of the vaccine on the Governor and was followed by the Deputy Governor and other members of the Cabinent too turns to get theirs.
Those vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic include the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi; Chief of Staff to the governor, Salisu Afolabi Shuaib; Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Mr Dapo Okubadejo.
Also vaccinated are Budget and Planning, Olaolu Olabimtan and Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile as well as other key functionaries.
The Governor after being administered with his dose of the vaccine appreciated President Muhammad Buhari for providing the leadership that as enabled the country to receive almost four million vaccines, saying that the leadership being provided by the President in the last thirteen months is worthy of emulation.
Governor Abiodun while noting that the vaccination was a symbolic exercise done to show to the people how safe the vaccines are for the people, assured those that would be administered with the vaccine that the state will get the next set of vaccines to be administered as a boaster dose very soon.
“We’ve all taken this vaccines, so as to dispel misinformation.
There should be no reluctance on the part of all of us to take this vaccine. We also believe that this further underscores that we believe in this vaccine and it is important as we have been advised by specialists worldwide that the vaccine is safe; the vaccines have been shown to reduce the severity of this disease.
“However, we’ve been warned that the full benefit of the vaccine can only be enjoyed when you’ve taken the second dosage, even after this first dose, you must continue to use your facemask and continue to social distance, it is not a license to begin to move about without your facemask.
Speaking after taking his jab, former governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba said he took it upon himself to come for the vaccination to encourage others not to hesitate to take the vaccine.
His words “There is absolutely no risk or danger in taking the COVID-19 vaccine.I recommend the vaccine to everyone in the state.
If I have taken the vaccine at the age of 82, there is no need for anyone to fear. I am confident the vaccine wouldn’t harm anyone”,.
Chief Osoba while congratulating the governor and the state government for being the first state to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, said that he was at the Governor’s office to show example and leadership.
“I want to congratulate the governor and government of Ogun State for being the first state to receive this vaccine and I have come to show example, leadership and to convince our people in Ogun State that the vaccine is safe and that they should ignore many of the mis-information that is going on the internet about the risk in taking this vaccine,” he said.
