by Kolapo Olapoju

Apparently, there are thousands of bats flying around the Presidential villa!

During the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, 6 August, a drama of sorts played out as the Ebola virus disease was the main topic of discussion.

In the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was away in Washington DC for the United States-African Leaders Summit, the meeting was presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

At the meeting, Ministers reportedly avoided handshakes with their colleagues, journalists and other government officials for the fear of contracting the disease.

To make matters worse, when the health minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, arrived the Council Chambers venue of the meeting, many ministers stayed clear of him, albeit in a playful manner.

While briefing the State House correspondents on the Ebola situation, Onyebuchi urged Nigerians to avoid unnecessary handshakes if they could afford to do so.

After the Minister of Health mentioned ‘bats’ as one of the carriers of Ebola, he was informed that many of the big trees inside the Villa are inhabited by bats, who fly around the Villa in their thousands and regularly excrete on parked cars.

He however assured the Journalists that the appropriate party will do something about the bats as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Information minister, Labaran Maku, who co-briefed the journalists with Chukwu, said he would only be raising his hands when greeting people.

Kolapo Olapoju