| Summary: | The outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 in Wuhan, China claimed over six million lives globally, according to the report of World Health Organization (WHO), by 27 July 2022. The pandemic necessitated public health protocols such as social distancing and face mask-wearing, among others, in the absence of a proven cure. However, the degree of compliance to the face mask rule appears significantly low in many African countries on account of low state capacity, poor governance and the consequent public distrust. Drawing on analysis of text items such as Facebook conversations, interview quotes and photographic images, this study explores public responses to the COVID-19 face mask rule that exemplify public distrust and the concept of social responsibility. Utilizing Taro Yamane formula, we determined a sample size of 278, selected systematically from 912 Facebook comments on an official post by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Personal observation and in-depth interviews with six purposively selected artists were conducted in Nsukka, Nigeria. The study argues that the apathy towards the COVID-19 face mask rule was a product of public distrust while the rule was a source of inspiration to the artists.
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