How I survived COVID-19, by El-Rufai

Kaduna Governor Mallam Nasiru El-Rufa’i has again spoken of his traumatic experience while knocked down by coronavirus, saying that he could have died but for his doctors.

El-Rufai, who spoke in a Hausa Radio programme on Wednesday, said he went through trauma and battled with debilitating headache while he addressed the state from isolation.

The Governor noted he was the first to suffer from the virus in Kaduna state and Allah knows why.

According to him: “I could have died, if not for my doctors. I followed their instructions strictly and took my medications.

“My wives collaborated with Dr Hadiza, the Deputy Governor and seized my phones while in isolation. I was only left with an iPad, the device I used to read and go online.

“I survived it, someone else may not, that is why we are very serious about the disease.

“I went through trauma, even when I spoke online from isolation, I was battling with a debilitating headache. I won’t like even my enemy to suffer from coronavirus.”

He added: “I can’t exactly say how I contracted the coronavirus. But I was in Abuja and had interacted with many people, some from overseas.

“I was assigned to chair committees by the government. I believe it was from these interactions that I got the virus.”

While advising strict compliance with public health guidelines on prevention of the virus, Governor El-Rufai said: “Despite the security around me, I got the virus. This goes to show that the virus does not recognise any personality.”

Speaking on why he returned to his clean shave looks, El-Rufai said: “I’m truly aging. I am a few steps above 60 and this disease is not kind to the old. I am old. That is the danger.

“If one is above 50, one should be very careful not to contract the virus. To an aged person with other health complications like diabetes, hypertension, coronavirus will be very deadly.

“When I came out from isolation, I intended to leave my beard because it was the tradition of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, (May the peace and blessings of Allah be with him). But as I visited my mother to greet her, she was against my new look.

“She asked me to shave. According to her, my father was not bearded during his lifetime.

“I had no option but to shave my beard because I want to live peacefully with my mother.”