Many world leaders including our president have described the coronavirus as an enemy and have called on their followers to rise up and fight this invisible enemy fiercely with all their will and might. Come to think of it, who is the actual enemy? Is it the virus or you? Who is on the move? Is it the virus or you? Does the virus have legs to move? How then do we describe the virus as an enemy? Have you checked yourself first?

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have failed to sanitise and or wash your hand with soap under running water regularly.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have refused to wear face masks to collect the droplets that come out when you cough or sneeze.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have consciously and deliberately disrespected and ignored all guidelines or protocols given by authorities and experts in curbing the spread of the virus.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have sold fake PPEs, fake sanitizers, etc. in the name of business

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have taken advantage of the situation to astronomically increase the prices of goods and services.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have smuggled people from other neighbouring countries for your myopic selfish interest.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who are ignorant about the gravity of the virus and have failed to inform or educate yourself.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have failed in the job you were paid by the state to do.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have refused to support the state and yet destructively criticize every step taken.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who are sharing fake news and misinforming others and thereby causing fear and panic.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have allowed children to be playing and walking around aimlessly in the community.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who have stigmatized and traumatized infected persons by calling them all kinds of names.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who are roaming aimlessly endangering the lives of everyone especially frontline workers who are working tirelessly to protect us.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who are playing politics with this pandemic and preventing others from contributing their quota.

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who are hoarding things needed to fight the pandemic and distributing them for your own parochial interest

The actual enemy is not the virus. It is you who are wasting water, light and other resources because the government has agreed to subsidize or make them freely available for use.

The actual enemy is not outside. It is within you. The actual enemy is not invisible and invincible, the actual enemy actually visible and vincible. The actual enemy is not far but near. The actual enemy is not a thing but a human a person. The actual enemy can see, think and act but fails to do any of those. The actual enemy is you and I. Don’t contribute to the problem but be part of the solution. Don’t aggravate our situation, help alleviate our plight. Don’t add insult to injury, help soothe the pain. Protect me, I protect you. We are all involved. Don’t be a foe, be a friend.

Pax tecum.

Rev. Fr. Stephen Kofi Sakpaku, St. Joseph the Worker Parish Maame Krobo. He can be reached via email: sonnichristus@yahoo.com