By: Yemi Alesh
It was at the 449th inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan that Professor Johnson Adejinmi condemned corrupt public office holders and called them human parasites.
Professor Johnson Adejinmi of the Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine delivered his inaugural lecture, titled, “Parasites: Pedestal Threat to Public Vigour” at Trenchard Hall on Thursday, October 25th, 2018.
He centred his lecture on on how the anopheles malaria, parasites harboured by most livestock meats consumed by people, and dog ticks pose threat to human lives. According to Professor Adejinmi, the perestial disease, malaria has been the cause of millions of deaths, particularly of infants. He also said that billions of dollars have been expended to eliminate malaria but the disease’s infliction still persists.
Professor Adejinmi also addressed the unhealthy status of abbatoirs in Nigeria. According to his observation, “Man run the risks of diseases and possibly death by consuming meats purchased from market stalks.” He however recommended health education to the keepers and sellers of meat.
It was not long after the presentation of his research-packed lecture on the effects of parasites on human lives that Professor Johnson Adejinmi extended the scope of his inaugural lecture to social criticism. Professor Adejinmi stated that he has encountered some human parasites in life. According to him, “just as there are parasites that serve as enemies of animals, there are some human parasites who serve as enemies of other humans and the society.”
Professor Johnson Adejinmi mentioned such human parasites to include thieves, kidnappers, jackals, terrorists and corrupt public office holders. According to Professor Adejinmi, just as there are endoparasites, which live inside organisms and there are ectoparasites, which live on the skin of animals, there are also internal human parasites that live within the country and external human parasites that pose threats from outside Nigeria.
Most hit by his social criricism, however, were the corrupt public office holders, who he described as the most persistent of all human parasites. According to him, “these parasites have turned our democracy to parasitocracy: the government of parasites, by parasites and for parasites.”
He also said that any person who is engaged with an office of trust but uses it for self-enrcihment at the expense of the system is a parasite.
On a final note, he make the revolutionary call on all Nigerians to resist the corrupt public office holders, noting that that is the only way to restore Nigeria to her glorious past.
