Continued closure of Churches no longer acceptable, says CAN

Ebun Francis| The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Tuesday said the continued closure of places of worship is “no longer acceptable and reasonably justified”.

Samson Ayokunle, CAN president, who kicked against the continued closure of Churches in some parts of the country in a statement, wondered why these states have continued to lock down churches while reopening markets, asking: “What sin have the places of worship committed?”

According to Ayokunle, Churches also have a role to play in seeking divine solutions to the pandemic.

He said, “With the sudden emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), at all levels, agreed with the government on the need to close down the places of worship, economy, schools and every other facet of life.”

“But with the reopening of the economy, especially the markets (both organised and the unorganised markets) along with the plan to reopen airports and schools, the closure of churches anywhere in the country is no longer tenable and acceptable.

“In what ways are the opened and roadside markets more organised 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 contract the virus in the markets and airports? “It is our opinion that while the government and other relevant stakeholders are working hard to get a cure for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church too has a role to play by seeking for divine solutions as well.”

Ayokunle said as much as CAN believes that COVID-19 “deserves attention,” states that have continued to lock down churches should not “turn a deaf ear to our quest but allow worship to return to places of worship”.

As part of the measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, the federal government had lifted the ban on worship centres as part of the gradual easing of the lockdown, but Churches and other places of worship are yet to be reopened in Lagos and Ogun States.