United front

Editorial

If there is anything the world has learnt in its ongoing struggle against the ravages of COVID-19, it is that all segments of society must unite in the utilization of strategies to combat the pandemic.

It is thus a surprise that some religious leaders in Nigeria appear to think their own desires are more important than the need to maintain social distancing and enforce lockdowns.

In March, Winners’ Chapel, Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, and Dunamis International Church, Abuja, held services, in spite of government directives to religious bodies to refrain from doing so.

In Ondo State during the Easter celebrations, several churches were shut down while holding Easter Sunday services, thus violating stay-at-home orders imposed by the state government, which did so with the encouragement of the state branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Indeed, one Ondo pastor locked his congregation inside the church hall and went ahead with the service. Another attempted to climb a perimetre fence, in his desperation to escape pursuing Task Force members. He was nabbed. South-East branches of CAN are demanding that churches be reopened because they represent beacons of hope and comfort, in the fight against COVID-19.

These are very unhelpful positions to take, where the full cooperation of every interest group is vital to curbing the spread of infection and overcoming the disease.

Not only are such attitudes unbecoming of a group supposed to lead by example, they stand in stark contrast to the more courageous actions taken by their counterparts in other parts of the world; and even by mainstream faith lobbies in Nigeria: the Catholic Church, the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Methodist Church Nigeria, and major Pentecostal missions, like the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, and many others. Pope Francis celebrated Easter Mass in a virtually empty Basilica in Rome.

The Saudi authorities have already warned that the traditional congregational night prayers, which normally take place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan scheduled for later this month, will not be holding in order to stem the spread of COVID-19.

The possibility of cancelling the 2020 annual pilgrimage has not been ruled out. If the metropolitan centres of global Catholicism and Islam clearly recognize the need to alter long-standing traditions because of the pandemic, why are some Nigerian clerics insisting that they must do otherwise?

These non-compliant clerics do not seem to understand the very real danger inherent in their actions. Because so many of their followers look up to them, they are, in fact, encouraging mass violation of duly-approved regulations governing public behaviour during the pandemic. Not only is this plainly illegal, it also has very serious medical consequences as well. States like Cross River, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo, which have moved to clamp down decisively on such contrarian clerisy, are to be applauded for their firm action. Offending places of worship should be sealed and the individuals concerned prosecuted under the provisions of the relevant laws.

Religious associations like CAN and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA) must be encouraged to continuously warn their members of the legal and other consequences of disobeying the law. Fortunately, the majority of religious leaders in the country has been unstinting in their willingness to cooperate with the authorities in their efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic.

In some states, government waivers designed to permit mass religious observance were turned down and congregants encouraged to worship at home. Many churches are now delivering online services and ensuring the few individuals on church premises strictly adhere to social distancing regulations.

The Kaduna and Kogi state chapters of the Council of Imams and Ulama have suspended congregational prayers until further notice. This is as it should be. Religious institutions must lead the way in setting the right examples for the rest of the populace to follow. In the particular case of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more important that they join forces with the government to ensure that strategies outlined to combat the disease are implemented as comprehensively as possible.

Some religious organizations have gone even further in their efforts to assist government to fight the pandemic to a standstill. Several churches, including the Deeper Life Mission, Winners’ Chapel, and the Redeemed Christian Church of God have donated money, medical equipment and consumables to assist in the struggle against the disease.

The Catholic Church has permitted its 453 hospitals and clinics across the country to be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

However, even as they make commendable efforts to aid government efforts, it is also important that religious leaders do not aid the spread of fake news, conspiracy theories or unproven assertions which can only hamper ongoing efforts to contain the pandemic.

Claims of an inherent connection between the fifth generation of wireless communications technologies (known as 5G), and the emergence of COVID-19 have not been verified, and it is irresponsible to give publicity or credibility to such speculations.

Proclamations that the pandemic is divine punishment are similarly reckless, and only help to entrench popular notions of some sections of the clergy as self-seeking opportunists, ever ready to turn communal tragedy into pecuniary advantage. Nigeria must unite to fight the spread of the pandemic.

With religious institutions at the vanguard of this struggle, the country will triumph over the disease, as well as the fear and uncertainty that have come in its wake.