Why govt need to open churches, mosques ― CAN spokesman

CAN President, Rev (Dr) Samson Ayokunle

Pastor Adebayo Olajide, the special assistant to the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Samson Ayokunle has argued that since the government has allowed market and offices to reopen, it should also allow churches and mosques to commence their own activities.

Tribune Online recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari through a nationwide broadcast, ordered gradual relaxation of lockdown with offices, banks and markets to open within a time frame while curfew is imposed from 8 pm to 6 am daily.

Pastor Oladeji while speaking with Tribune Online, harped on the role of the church in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Christian Association of Nigeria is urging the Nigerian government to allow churches and mosques to reopen for worship.

His words: “If the government can re-open markets, and other offices, if the Nigerian Port Authority can be opened since coronavirus became a pandemic in Nigeria, it is very wrong to close the church.

“We have rules and regulations guiding the way we meet in the church. Before they close service, they advised that there should be sanitisers, water for people to wash their hands and social distancing should be observed. There is no church and mosques that are against that.”

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Pastor Oladeji further said that there was no evidence which proves that when they relaxed the order in some state, the pandemic became uncontrollable.

“The closure of worship places has nothing to do with the spread of the pandemic,” he noted.

He, therefore, said “let the government advise religious leaders to observe these rules. If people go to churches and mosques, they go to pray to God to give us a solution and intervene and you ask them not to go.”

While calling on the government to reopen the churches and the mosques, Pastor Oladeji also said there was a need for religious gatherings to follow regulations.