On Monday, we proposed the Ekorona-Paraga idea to Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State. We hinged the suggestion on the scientific plank of trial and error. Especially at this time when world scientific powers are announcing reports of trials of vaccines being developed for the dreaded coronavirus. We believe there’s plenty in our local herbs that commend them to serious consideration as we embrace the call to bring all we have to the table.

This morning, we would like to extend a similar call to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State seeing that desperate times seem to have enveloped the state. If we believe that desperate times call for desperate actions then nothing should be off consideration as we pull forces together to save the precious lives of fellow nationals. We are simply asking Governor Ganduje to add our suggestion to his bouquet of answers currently on his table.

We believe there is sufficient merit in the idea of having a control group of coronavirus infected persons in an isolation center in Kano State who will be given a figurative baptism of fire through bowls of food spiced with the commonly grown ‘ball of fire’ chili.

The ‘ball of fire chili’ is extremely hot. Scientists and experts say the ball of fire chili is rich various vitamins, and other vital chemicals the body needs. Google supports this position with several reports and answers.

We are no experts like these scientists but we, and many people we know, have had several first-hand encounters with the ‘balls of fire chili,’ which we bought from Mallams who hawk the vegetable on wheelbarrows in many parts of Lagos. Every time we used these chilis in our dishes, we would not stop drinking water!

We haven’t seen any report that faulted the constant intake of water, especially as an activity that unnerves coronavirus in the bodies of its host persons.

Kanorona-Piri Piri is derived from a word play using Kano, Corona and Piri Piri, the name of a tiny chili also known as African bird’s eye.