The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle has demanded that States that have not re-opened worship centres despite the approval to open given by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 should comply.
Rev. Ayokunle said in a statement through his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, that it was no longer acceptable and reasonable to continue to lockdown worship places.
“Despite the directive given by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 with regards to the re-opening of places of worship nationwide, some states like Lagos and Ogun are yet to allow worship places, especially churches, to be reopened. What sin have the places of worship committed.
“With the sudden emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at all levels, agree with the government on the need to close down the places of worship, economy, school and every other facet of life,” Rev. Ayokunle stated.
The CAN President wondered why some state governments deemed commercial activities fit for re-opening but ordered worship centres shut.
“But with reopening of the economy, especially the markets (both organized and unorganized markets) along with the plan to reopen airports and schools, the closure of schools, the closure of churches anywhere in the country is no longer tenable and acceptable. In what way are the opened and roadside markets more organized than the church which warranted their opening?
“Is it not our members in the places of worship that do go to markets and other sectors opened? Why are they allowed to go to markets and disallowed from going to places of worship? Is it because the marketers cannot the virus in the markets and airports?
“It is our opinion that while the government and stakeholders are working hard to get cure for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church too has a role to play by seeking for divine solutions as well,” Rev. Ayokunle said.
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