The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has warned Nigerians of the second wave of COVID-19.

The Ooni who is the Co-chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), gave the warning in his New Year message.

He warned that the second phase of COVID-19 infections are deadlier than the first.

”The pandemic is very much around. It is erroneous to think that the rampaging virus has disappeared after the first wave.

“The wave of COVID-19 we are dealing with now is deadlier than what we had in the first two quarters of the concluding year 2020, so I want to appeal to our people that it is not yet over.

The monarch urged Nigerians not to lose guard as more persons are testing positive to the virus.

“Imagine the strange strain of the virus in some parts of the world, making some people blind while others are losing vital organs which is absolutely new.

“While it is heartwarming that we now have vaccines coming up, the best way to cure this virus is not to get it at all,” the Monarch added.

He advised everyone to continue to wear face masks, practice social distancing and proper hygiene.

Ooni further advised Nigerians to always focus on issues that strengthen togetherness rather than issues causing disharmony.

He also called on the Federal Government to aggressively pursue youth emancipation programmes to alleviate the sufferings inflicted on the citizens by the prevailing economic crisis in the country, NAN reports.