Featured

CGTN Think Tank publishes third online survey

Published

4 years ago

August 15, 2021

As the world’s biggest economy, the United States has best-in-the-world medical technology and know-how. But how has the country performed in the fight against COVID-19? About 81.7 percent of global poll respondents believe it has failed.

CGTN Think Tank launched the third online survey on the pandemic. The poll was conducted in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian on platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and VK. It was opened on August 10 and lasted 48 hours.

In the first question, “Has the U.S. government failed its obligation in the fight against the pandemic?”, 81.7 percent of respondents said “yes.” Many left critical comments on its actions.

Some respondents pointed out that American politicians and parties were busy fighting each other to win an election instead of implementing strong and timely measures to curb the outbreak. They said the bureaucrats’ priorities were wrong and valued economic performance ahead of people’s safety.

“I watched this all play out towards the end of 2019, the beginning of 2020. We were told that the coronavirus wasn’t a big deal and wasn’t anything to worry about, and everyone just ran with it,” said an American respondent.

A comment translated from Spanish said the U.S. fears losing its leadership role in the world so much that it has failed to look after what really matters – the people, who are being forgotten. An Arabic-speaking respondent commented that the capitalist country, controlled by a small group of “elites”, is concerned more about money than people’s health. One comment in French said it’s shameful to see a nation as wealthy as the U.S. invest so little in public health for the underprivileged. Some attributed the reason for the spread in the U.S. to behavioral differences. “The U.S. is too liberal a society to have implemented stricter measures to manage the crisis unlike several other societies in Asia, Africa and other regions,” one comment read. Another English-speaking respondent blamed China, accusing the country of spreading the virus across the world.

In the second question, “Do you think the racial minorities in the U.S. are treated unequally?”, 72.3 percent of global respondents voted “yes.” Arabic-speaking respondents were the group with the strongest reaction. Around 81 percent of them on Twitter and 84 percent on YouTube voted “yes”.

Eighty-two percent of Spanish-speaking and French-speaking respondents on YouTube shared the same view.

One comment translated from Arabic accused the U.S. of being the real enemy of the people. The respondent pointed out that the U.S. political, economic and military systems serve the ugly monster in destroying other countries and murdering their people for its own interests. Some Arabic-speaking and Russian-speaking respondents mentioned that the history of massacring Native Americans is self-explanatory of how badly racial minorities are treated in the U.S.

Multiple studies show the coronavirus pandemic is far deadlier for minority groups in the U.S. According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native Americans are twice more likely to die of the disease than white people. A Guardian report in June also indicated that Black Americans have the highest COVID-19 death rate nationally.

One comment in Spanish said those who brag about prosperity and wealth in the U.S. should also notice the huge gaps between each class. Some people may have everything, it said, but others may not even have access to basic daily necessities. Some Spanish-speaking and English-speaking respondents indicated that racism is rooted deeply in the U.S. and its structures and is much more serious than anywhere else.

About 77.7 percent of respondents answered “yes” when asked whether they agree the U.S. deported tens of thousands of infected people back to their countries, thereby spreading COVID-19, especially in Latin America, a move that the New York Times dubbed “exporting coronavirus.” As much as 85 percent of Spanish-speaking respondents on YouTube shared the same view.

“Focusing too much on politics and too little on human rights. This attitude affected the citizens from inside the U.S. regime borders but also neighboring countries in North, Latin America,” said an English-speaking respondent.

“Not only did they prioritize trying to save the economy over people, they hoarded vaccines so the rest of the world would suffer along with them,” another comment in English read.

Spanish-speaking respondents raised further questions, claiming the U.S. administration might have used the pandemic as a chance to incite “color revolutions”. One comment translated from Spanish said Bolivia’s coronavirus outbreak didn’t happen by coincidence. The respondent recalled an unusual American presence in the country when a coup started by the end of 2019. COVID-19 broke out in regions including Santa Cruz where mutinies started, and soon after, the entire country.

CGTN Think Tank found it has received far more comments from respondents on the third poll than that of the previous two. Discussions among netizens around the world evoked memories and raised awareness, and the discussions were extended into a wider range. Some respondents complained that the U.S. started wars everywhere, which seriously endangered the safety of people in other countries.

A Spanish-speaking respondent claimed to have a family discussion on the Vietnam War and the Korean War and decided they had no liking of the U.S., adding that there are millions who share the same view for the pain and death the country has brought upon the world.

Some said both China and the U.S. should be hold accountable for the pandemic, but one added “China is doing something to at least fix the problem while some of America thinks it is not their problem and it will go away with FREEEEDDDOOOOOMMMM!”

“Today the world is quite unfair, nobody cares what’s going on inside Afghanistan, we stick in a very tough situation where (there) is no one to help us … our wishes are not much to turn possible, same like rest of people in this world we just want to live in a relaxation atmosphere … we deserve the peace more than anyone in the world after many decades of conflicts and misery. WE JUST WANT PEACE,” said one comment in English.

CGTN Think Tank has published results of an online poll in which over 80 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that the U.S. government had failed its obligations in the fight against COVID-19. It was conducted in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian on platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and VK. Participants were self-selecting and around 53,000 people took part.

Share on Facebook

Featured

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.”

Share on Facebook