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Political Manipulation Not A Straw To Grasp At For U.S. Politicians

Published

5 years ago

July 3, 2020

John Okeke

Facing COVID-19, the common enemy of mankind, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has always ignored facts and fabricated stories, in an attempt to slander China by the pandemic. What he did was totally immoral.

In fact, behind his lies are over 2.56 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 125,000 deaths in the U.S., as well as the disappointment and harsh criticism of the U.S. public displeased with the White House’s incapability to respond to the pandemic.

This further exposed the cruelty and hypocrisy of Pompeo who tried to divert attention, pass the buck, find a scapegoat, and politicize the pandemic. The fundamental reason for his practices is that he always puts private political gains above the lives and health of the American people.

To combat the disease calls for sincerity and concrete actions. The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government have always put people and their lives in the first place, and spared no effort to save lives. China has always informed the international society about the development of the epidemic in an open, transparent and responsible manner. It’s universally recognized that China has broadcasted its pandemic response to the world without reservation. Till today, Wuhans streets and squares are broadcasted live on a livestreaming channel of Xuexi Qiangguo, an educational application developed by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

Besides, China also issued a white paper titled “Fighting Covid-19: China in Action” that faithfully records the five stages and 126 important moments in a timeline of China’s fight against the epidemic. The truth is that China has always acted with a keen sense of responsibility, employed extraordinary measures to deal with an extraordinary emergency, and made every effort to safeguard people’s lives and health. The truth is that China did everything possible to treat each and every patient, from an infant only 30 hours old to a centenarian. The truth is that China has delivered an anti-epidemic performance that is able to withstand the test of time and history.

Passing the buck will not help the U.S. relieve its pandemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that over 20 million Americans could have possibly contracted the novel coronavirus, and according to U.S. media, over one third of the COVID-19 deaths in 31 states came from nursing homes. Facing the severe pandemic, some U.S. politicians who had always preached democracy and human rights, are on the contrary “making” enemies and have no interest in curbing the spread of the virus or protecting the lives of Americans.

The lies fabricated by Pompeo, which are unscientific, contradict common sense and go against justice, have been repeatedly nailed. He slandered that China spread the virus to the world, but statistics from multiple countries, including Canada, France, Russia, Australia, Singapore and Japan indicated that most of the cases in relevant countries were not from China.

A recent article titled “Why Is the United States Exporting Coronavirus?” published on New York Times noted that the United States, with the largest number of coronavirus cases in the world, is now consciously spreading the pandemic beyond its borders by continuing to deport thousands of immigrants, many infected with the coronavirus. According to the article, the government of Guatemala reported in late April that nearly a fifth of the country’s coronavirus cases were linked to deportees from the United States.

The tracing of viruses is a scientific issue that calls for researches by scientists and medical experts, and the conclusion shall be drawn in a science-based manner with facts and evidence. The University of Barcelona recently detected the presence of the novel coronavirus in waste water samples collected in March last year, and many European studies also found similar situation. Global scientists are still working hard to trace the source of the virus.

Seeing the collapse of the fabricated story that the virus came from China’s Wuhan, Pompeo is still unwilling to stop his farce, continuing to chattering about his lies. What he has done is both ridiculous and pathetic.

The “crimes” placed on China by Pompeo exactly revealed the value orientation of some U.S. politicians on the pandemic as they sought for private gains, acted with low efficiency and showed no responsibility.

The Economist pointed out that Pompeo has a long history of talking nonsense, adding that his China-baiting is an obvious effort to distract from White House’s struggles with the pandemic. The Washington Post said that Pompeo’s blatantly public politicization of foreign policy and the pandemic renders him the least impressive and effective secretary of state in memory. “Pompeo is behaving like yet another run-of-the-mill political hack in Trump’s employ — tone-deaf to ethical impropriety, fixated on Trump’s political interests and lacking credibility in his official capacity.”

Political manipulation is not a straw to grasp at. As a country with the world’s most developed and maturest medical technologies, the U.S. is still not capable of controlling the pandemic, which is saddening and confusing, and worth introspection of American politicians.

Lives are the most precious. American politicians had better stop the buck-passing trick, abandon the philosophy of “political interests first”, and put pandemic response and saving lives in the first place.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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