Coronavirus: States Christians may not celebrate Easter freely

The ravage of coronavirus in Nigeria as in several other countries of the world has forced preventive interventionist actions from governments to forestall the spread and threatening death. Such interventionist decisions further give rise to other crisis which apart from restricting movement also deny millions of congregational worships in Churches and Mosques across Nigeria. As Easter holds on Sunday, Christians in many states will not have the right to worship in their churches following the ban on church service exceeding 50 members. The ban has made it difficult for churches with large population of over 20,000 or 50,000 attending one service to hold.

The affected states include: Delta, Anambra, Ebonyi, Gombe, Borno, Niger, Kano, Kwara, Benue, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Oyo, Lagos, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ogun, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Plateau, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, etc.

Only a few states in Nigeria have been allowed to throw their gates and entrance doors open this Sunday for Easter service.

Kogi State has lifted the ban on religious gatherings for both Christians and Muslims in the state. In Katsina State, the government only lifted the ban on religious gathering for Muslims. So, Christians are still shut down in the state. Kaduna State has also lifted the ban on religious gatherings. Edo State is still open, not locked down yet.

Rivers State had on Thursday temporary lifted ban on religious gatherings to enable Christians hold Sunday service on Easter day.

The Rivers State Government, however, on Saturday cancelled the concession granted churches to hold Easter church services with full congregations.

Governor Nyesom Wike had on Thursday, permitted Muslims in Rivers State to hold Jumaat prayers on Friday and Christians to hold services with their full congregation on Easter Sunday.

However, on Saturday, the state government reversed the decision, explaining: “This decision was taken after due consultations with eminent clergymen, well-meaning the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, in a statement on Saturday in Port Harcourt declared: “For the avoidance of doubt, churches should stick to the 50 persons per service to maintain social distancing.”

Invariably, Rivers State joined the states where Christians cannot freely celebrate the 2020 Easter.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, had on Friday, appealed to all Christians in Nigeria to sustain the physical distancing directive, avoid large crowds as sacrifice to protect citizens from corona virus infection.

“We need to pay a short-term price for a long-term goal and physical distancing is probably the most important tool,” the DG said.