23/11/2021

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, MAJ. GEN (retd) MUHAMMADU BUHARI:

Dear Sir,

MANDATORY VACCINATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS: THE CASE FOR BODILY AUTONOMY, DIVINE HEALING AND CONSCIENTIOUS REFUSAL

It is my pleasure and honour to write you at this auspicious time, the second time in the life of this administration.

On the 14th of October 2021 virtually all newspapers carried the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha’s statement conveying the new policy of government: “Federal Government makes Covid -19 Vaccination Compulsory for Civil Servants with effect from December 1, 2021.” We are being told that with effect from this date no Federal Civil Servant will be able to access his/ her office without a vaccine card or a negative PCR Test conducted within 72 hours.

This appears to be the climax of a policy that has been long in planning and in the works, now being brought out to the open. As much as we can remember the SGF has been mooting the idea of “compulsory vaccination” in public fora and assemblies as far back as April, 2021.

It is for this reason that I write to inform you that your government is about to embark on a policy that is wrong- headed, lawless and atrocious; a policy that is morally flawed, scientifically baseless, ethically unsound and logically absurd.

By way of Introduction I am not a conspiracy theorist, neither am I opposed to vaccines in general nor medical science i. e. real medical science as opposed to medical tyranny. I am a researcher and writer, a son of liberty and friend of humanity. Whatever concerns humanity concerns me; whatever touches the welfare of my fellow men touches me.

I am aware of the ravages and damages that have been done by the corona virus; the millions of lives that have been cut short through the pandemic, 1 associated illnesses, and collateral damages as a result of side effects2 owing to vaccination and medical practices. This is why we have a duty not to make a mountain out of a mole hill or aggravate the case through unsound and reactive policies that are not well thought-out.

The intention of government to save lives and tame this virus must be commended and the procurement of vaccines for this purpose is understandable as a policy of government. However there is a problematic about these vaccines, the origins, sudden development, its privileged status etc.; and which constitute the driving forces behind the wave of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism now surging across the world.

1. ISSUES WITH VACCINES

There is a whole lot of issues begging for attention; unanswered questions and valid and reasonable doubts that are daily been raised about these vaccines and they must be addressed.

Sir, I call your attention to note the following:

* It has now been established that even vaccinated persons could still contract the virus and infect others with other variants. If the vaccine is unable to prevent a virus or stop its transmission, then of what good is it really?

* Medical history tells us that it takes about 10 – 15 years of research and clinical studies to develop a standard vaccine3 before it is released to the public. The present covid -19 vaccine was developed within 9 – months. Thus a 15- year study and process has been streamlined and circumscribed into 9- month. In the light of this jettisoning of time-tested medical tradition is it unreasonable for people to be skeptical?

* Several side – effects have been traced to these covid-19 vaccines all across the world ranging from blood clots, neurological damage, pain, rashes, abdominal pain, menstrual changes among women and deaths. These are the short-term effects, the long – term effects have not been investigated and unknown since these vaccines have never been used. Should anyone be forced to use a product that has death as a possible side- effect?

* The most problematic of all is the attempt to privilege this vaccine as a therapeutic instrument by governments of nations. People have been “persuaded, bullied, cajoled, pressured, incentivized, lied to, guilt tipped, coerced, socially shamed, censored, threatened, paid, punished, criminalized”- all because of vaccines. Why must any government go this length for the sake of what is supposed to be for citizens’ welfare? Isn’t this suspicious? If it is so safe and sound why coerce and threaten people for its sake?

* Should Nigerians be forced to take a product without their voluntary consent or buy into a product in which the manufacturer is excused from all liabilities and damages?

* Millions of babies are aborted every year in all nations including in the Western nations, the do- gooders who are promoting this vaccine, where abortion – on – demand is allowed without any sanctions. These are the same nations pretending to love human lives by promoting vaccines and threatening fire and brimstone to those who decline. It is a contradiction.

* Thousands of Nigerians have been killed under your watch through banditry, terrorism and Fulani herdsmen; multiplied thousands have been displaced from their homes to refugee camps and their lands expropriated and annexed without so much as a whimper or frown from your government. There was neither a deadline nor an ultimatum issued by your government against these serial murders and large – scale killings Does it not smack of hypocrisy that the same government that is hand –tied when it comes to saving the lives of farmers and ethnic minorities is now hard up with vaccines to save the lives of its civil servants through executive policy?

* The worst and the most curious of all is to ask whether these vaccines really work in practice aside from the danger they pose and the damages they have done.

Consider the following cases:

1. Austria is on lockdown presently to force the unvaccinated to get the jab.4 If the vaccine is a protection against the virus why do people who already got the vaccine have to be protected from the unvaccinated?

2. The State of Israel is fast closing in on a 100% vaccination rate yet it also has some of the highest rate of new infections.5

3. India, South Africa, Brazil, and the United Kingdom participated actively in the clinical trials toward the development of vaccines in 2019. Alas, it is in those countries that new and more virulent variants of the virus are now emerging.6

4. Germany is in the midst of the highest spread of covid-19 since December of last year. Yet Germany is the most challenging country in Europe for mitigation and mandates – the only country that has launched an offensive against those who are not vaccinated.7

According to University of Maryland data, 80% of Germans adhere to the masking requirements at all time, higher than even USA (60%). Germany also has one of the highest vaccination rate in the world (67%).

In spite of all these however Germany’s new case rate has skyrocketed to levels never seen since the outbreak of pandemic; from 4,767033/ day to 4,782,5468

5. On the other hand nations with lower compliance rates seems to fare better with the surge:

Sweden has an average mask compliance rate of 5% and better a vaccination rate of 68% yet the nation is still in 11% of its peak and has not witnessed a lockdown.

Czech Republic has a vaccination rate of 57% and a mask compliance rate of 40%, yet is on 59% below peak.9

Much more worrying is that there seems to be no ending to vaccines. First it began with two doses to satisfy the requirements for full vaccination. Now in the light of new variants and increasing mutation people in other nations are being asked to take the third dose and, in some cases, booster shots after the third doses. It is now even been mooted in some circles that there are plans for citizens to have as much as seven doses to be able to cope as new variants emerge. Why then not try other means and methods? Is the natural immunity not safer than these endless vaccinations with every mutation with its multiple side effects? Why are other methods and pharmaceutical models being suppressed and only the vaccine being promoted?

In the light of these facts and statistics can we really say with certainty that the vaccine is effective as a therapeutic and effectual as a preventive?

This is why a mandatory vaccination of civil servants in the light of the experience of other nations may be counter- productive.

* Covid-19 is not a terminal disease. To be honest to the fact it has a 99.0% recovery rate according to certain medical authorities. So it could not have been as lethal and without alternative cures other than vaccines.

* Covid -19 vaccine is based on an mRNA technology. As such it isn’t technically a vaccine. It is experimental gene therapy with serious long-term implications. Should a government compel its staff to take this without their informed consent?

* Several medical experts have refused the vaccines and warned the people to stay away from it10 Others have retired prematurely and several others have been forced to leave because of their opposition to vaccines, especially these covid – 19 vaccines. Should we now impute that all these are also anti – Science and ignorant?

* The covid-19 vaccine is not a sterilizing vaccine that stops diseases like polio or hepatitis using live virus. This is for the individual alone. That means it makes zero sense to vaccinate the young and healthy. This is the opinion of experts like Martin Kulldorf, biostatistician, epidemiologist and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Jay Bhattacharya, professor of medicine at Stanford University and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research.

2. CITIZENS’ RIGHTS AND BODILY AUTONOMY

I now come to the issue of citizens’ rights and bodily autonomy.

We are a democracy and a democracy is guided by laws not by someone’s whims. Thomas Jefferson in his address to the Methodists of London in 1809 noted:

“No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority.” 11

The Rights of a citizen are the hallmarks of Democracy including the right to refuse care and medical treatment and this is founded upon one of the basic ethical principles of medicine and is backed by law. It is also a fact that this right has been affirmed by court of competent jurisdiction up to the Supreme Court. In the case of Tega Esabunor & Anor vs. Dr. Tunde Faweya &4ORS (2019)., the highest court held that “all adult persons have the inalienable right to make any choice they may decide to make and assume the consequences. Accordingly, an adult person who is conscious and in full control of his mental capacity and is of sound mind has the right to either ACCEPT OR REFUSE medical treatment or blood transfusion…”12[My emphasis ] If the law allows a person to refuse medical aids like treatment and blood transfusion why not a vaccine too – a vaccine of dubious origin and multiple side effects?

Since civil servants are of sound mind and mental capacity they should be allowed to decide for themselves rather than overriding their consent in the light of this judgment of the apex court.

Equally the Nigerian Patient’s Bill of Rights launched by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on July 31, 2018 provides for twelve basic rights for Nigerian Patients which include:

* “the right to decline care

*the right to decline or participate or accept to participate in medical research”13

In the light of this Law can a civil servant be punished for refusing to make himself available for vaccination for covid of foreign pharmaceutical company? Can a civil servant whose contractual terms of employment do not include compulsory vaccination be punished for refusal of a vaccine of dubious efficacy and questionable scientific orthodoxy and legitimacy?

A citizen has an autonomy to determine what goes into his or her body and what not and this right is recognized by International Law and medical conventions.The Nuremberg Code of 1947 prohibits any person or government from forcing a medical treatment on an individual without the person’s informed consent.

In the light of all these I do not see how this policy of mandatory vaccination of civil servants or shutting them away from their offices for lack of vaccination could be carried out without violating established laws and conventions. To deprive a man or woman of his livelihood or place him under threats for asserting his fundamental rights and bodily autonomy is not the way of medical science. It is medical tyranny. That is going the way of the Nazis, of naked outright fascistic state terrorism. But we know how and where the Nazis ended.

It is instructive that even the World Health Organization, (WHO) has expressed caution and warned nations against vaccine mandates.14

3. DIVINE HEALING AS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

I now come to the third reason and actually the most important of the reasons for this letter: the freedom of Conscience and the right to practice Religion and personal Faith in accordance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Perhaps you may not know, and I do not hold this against you because the Modern Church has failed in this regard, that Divine Healing based on the Atonement of Jesus Christ is one of the core Teachings of the Apostles and of the Primitive Church of the First Century.

Divine Healing is the recovery of the physical body from sickness and diseases through the Agency of God’s Grace and His Word based on Faith in the Atonement and Finished Works of Christ on the Cross, with no medicine whatsoever, local or foreign but solely on Faith in God.

Divine Healing has a long history dating to the time of Prophet Moses (1592 – 1472 BCE) in the Wilderness and through different prophets of Biblical times. It is instructive to note for instance that the symbol of Western medicine today, the serpent hung on a cross, was first used by Moses to heal in the Wilderness. (see Numbers 21)

Divine Healing was practiced by the Lord Jesus Christ Who in the days of His flesh “went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil”; and also by His Apostles and Disciples.

It is also an historical fact that throughout Christian History and the long centuries of Christian Era all true Apostolic Movements have emphasized this mode of healing and encouraged Christians to rise to its ideal. Such were the Waldenses, the Franciscans, Mystics, Radical Reformers, Irvingnites, Quakers, Zionists, Early Pentecostals (Azusa), Aladuras, Apostolics etc.

The Doctrine of Divine Healing made a debut to Nigerian Christianity and has been emphasized through Prophet Garrick Braide Movement in the Niger Delta as early as around 1912; Prophet Moses Orimolade’s nationwide preaching tour of 1916, the Precious Stone Society of St. Saviour’s Church of Ijebu-Ode in 1917 and the Faith Tabernacle beginning from 1922; and ultimately the Healing Revival of 1930 at Ilesha under Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola.

Today two major Apostolic Churches exist with a doctrine on Divine Healing which states:

“Divine Healing through obedience to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ and faith in His Name and merit of His Blood to all sickness, diseases and infirmities”15

This doctrine is Tenet 12 in The Apostolic Church’s body of belief and Tenet 13 in Christ Apostolic Church, which all members are enjoined to hold and practice and live by. These churches and doctrinal beliefs have been in existence since 1931, long before Nigeria became independent and a republic.

I have gone to this length so that you can see that this doctrine is backed by History16, – a history that is both detailed and ancient and which goes down to almost 3500 years.

There is thus a Movement in this nation who still holds to this original doctrine and practice of Apostolic Christianity and I am one of the leaders of that resurgent movement in this nation at this hour.

The Constitution of Nigeria allows for a citizen to practice his core beliefs according to Law. I do not see how this affects or endanger anyone or the state. Compelling every staff of Federal Government to take a vaccine is a violation and gross violation of one of the core beliefs of Apostolic Christianity and of the fundamental Christian beliefs and traditions that are far older than Nigeria as a nation.

Mr President, you will recall how on May 29, 2015, during your Inauguration to the Office of President you had to excuse the guests including diplomatic corps at a time to observe the Friday Jumat Service, one of the core and important beliefs of Islam your religion. I wrote later to even praise you and commend your devotion to your faith.

Now, if you can be so committed to your faith, I ask you, “Should I also not be committed to the Faith and the Tradition of my fathers and forbears?” Should I rescind or jettison my religious belief, a beliefs for which my Fathers lived and died because of an arbitrary policy that is contrary to Law and a denial of sound Logic and pure Science?

It will be unjust and callous for a government to treat her citizens that way and without any qualms for no just reason other than living to what they belief.

I ask you, how will you feel as a Muslim if a legislation requires that any Muslim who goes out on Friday for Jumat prayers should be sacked?

There are many Christians who hold this belief and who are in the services of the Federal Government and they must uphold their religious belief; and woe betides that government, who forces them to do otherwise.

Sir, it is commonly believed both at home and abroad that your government is full of citizens’ contempt and has no regard for Human Rights and Rule of Law. Nothing seems to worry you about human pain and suffering. Perhaps because you have always gotten away with human rights’ violations and gross abuses you do not feel the pain of the consequences of your actions. But I warn you that if this government goes ahead with this Hamanic policy, multiple legal consequences will follow, that will set off a chain of reaction the end of which no one can predict.

By a copy of this letter I call Heaven and Earth to witness against this government that I warned you.

In the Name of God, in the interest of Humanity I urge you to rescind this policy and let everyone act according to his religious beliefs without any coercion, threats or punishment. Those who want this vaccine should be free to receive it and those who do not believe in it should not be compelled against their will.

The WHO recognizes alternative medicine as a form of curative medicine. There is also provision for medical exemption in place of the vaccine. Medical experts in Harvard and Stamford have also questioned and rubbished the idea of giving covid vaccines to the young and the healthy. Are we to suggest that a professor of medicine and a Harvard scholar to boot, is also a conspiracy theorist?

It is wrong to compel all civil servants to take this vaccine in the light of all these under the bogus name of “national interest.” Only eternity would reveal all the evils and unutterable vileness that have been perpetrated in the name of “national interest” or “national security.”

I urge you to sincerely consider this long letter and act accordingly.

I am,

Your Excellency,

Your Compatriot

Moses Oludele Idowu

SIGNED

Apostolic Christianity Network.

08034697670 ( Whatsapp)

CC:

• Council of State: All former Presidents and 36 State Governors

• World Council of Churches

• Christian Association of Nigeria

• Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs

• Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria

• All editors of newspapers

NOTES

1. As at September 2021about 222million had been infected globally out of which 4.5miliion have died. In Nigeria of the 2.8 million tested 195,000 was positive and 2,556 persons have died of covid -19 related complications. It is debatable whether this statistics is reliable.

2. On side effects there have been many. See Moses Oludele Idowu, 50 Theses On Vaccines , and all the sources listed there.

3. On duration for vaccine development see www.medicalnewstoday.com, www.thestoryofvaccine.org

4. On Austria lockdown see, www.bbc.co.uk/ covid: Austria back in lockdown despite protests

5. See “Covid-19 realities and mandatory vaccination,” Guardian newspaper Editorial of 14 September 2021.

6. Ibid.

7. See “The Latest Covid Data out of Germany is Yet More Proof That Mask and Vaccine Mandates are Ridiculous,” Pluralist, November 9, 2021; also http: //newsiphxfeeds.com.

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. Like Dr. Kennedy, Elviria Hill, Lisa Kaye, Carrie Smith etc. Jean Mander was equally fired for refusing the vaccine. See his story on Youtube. [ www.youtube./ 1-Team: Fired ER doctor explains reason for not getting covid-19 vaccine]

11. Thomas Jefferson from his Collected Writings.

12. See Supreme Court in TEGA ESABUNOR & ANOR VS. DR. TUNDE FAWEYA &4 ORS (2019), 7 N.W.L.R PART 1671, P.316@ PP.340,PARAS C.G. 344, PARA C.347, PARA D-E]

13. Nigerian Patients Bill of Rights.

14. See www.youtube/ WHO Urges Caution Over Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination ( 17/11/2021)

15. See Rules of Beliefs, The Apostolic Church.

16. For a detailed history of this see:

Moses Oludele Idowu, The Great Revival of 1930: The Origin of Modern Pentecostalism in Nigeria, Lagos: Artillery Publications, 2007.

________. More Than a Prophet: The Story of Moses Orimolade Tunolae Lagos: Artillery Pblications, 2009.

________. A Woman Like no Other: The Untold Story of Sophie Ajayi, Nigeria’s First Prophetess, Lagos: Artillery Publications, 2016.

________. AFRICAN GOD’S GENERALS: Their Trials, Tragedies and Triumphs, Lagos: Artillery Publications, 2020.