Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Steve Otaloro, has commended Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s efforts in containing the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Otaloro, who is the state Director of Media and Publicity of APC, gave the commendation while being honoured as the “2020 Man of the Year” by the Maxima Vanguard Group, a socio-political organisation in Nigeria on Thursday in Akure.

The award was given to Otaloro for his outstanding skills in his chosen career and his service to humanity during the year.

Otaloro, who used the occasion to shed lights on the dreaded Coronavirus, commended the quick intervention of Gov. Akeredolu in containing the virus in the state.

This, he said was the reason the state recorded the low rate of affected people and mortality rate.

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“We are, however, grateful that in all of this difficulties we are alive to tell the story, compared to what happened in certain parts of the world where a large percentage of their population never live to tell the story,” he said.

He opined that soon the people of the state would overcome the setbacks caused by the pandemic and forge ahead with great expectations.

“The year 2020 has been described as a dark year, a year that nobody will forget.

“The year was, unusually, peculiar in the sense that it was the year that the whole world encountered the disruption of its norms by the unexpected emergence of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.

“I commend the quick intervention of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, in containing the virus in the state.

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“Though the effort of the government of Ondo State in the resultant economic lockdown and closure of public life in the bid to contain the spread of the virus affected businesses and way of life, bearing negative consequences on mankind.

“We are, however, grateful that in all of these difficulties we are alive to tell the story, compared to what happened in certain parts of the world where a large percentage of their population never lived to tell the story,” he stated.

He expressed appreciation for the award, applauding those who had contributed in ensuring that COVID-19 was put to the barest minimum.

“This award is tagged; ‘Man of the Year Award’, but it is so much bigger for just one man to contain.

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“This award is about the inherent good that lies within humanity.

“I express my gratitude and receive the award on behalf of those heroes of 2020 and I dedicate the award to mankind and to the fallen heroes occasioned by the pandemic,” Otaloro added.

Otaloro expressed optimism that there would be an end to the deadly virus.