The normal Sunday service in Kwara state remain empty as Christian complied with the state government directive of closing places of worship against the spread of COVID-19 in the state
When our Correspondent went round Ilorin metropolis no worshipper was sighted as the churches are under lock and key.
Speaking with Journalists on the development , the presiding pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church,Sabo-Oke in Ilorin, Pastor Olawuyi James said all members have been advised to conduct their service with their families.
He said the church has adopted the method of ministering to members online using the available social media platforms.
Also speaking, Venerable Doctor Amos Idowu of St-Barnaba Cathedral Sabo Oke Ilorin who advised members to observe high level of personal and environmental hygiene during this period. Said “various denomination may have ways by wish we preach, take for example we had bible study online, via youtube on Friday that is the way people fellowship now also there could be radio coverage of worship that people in their homes will just follow the radio broadcast somebody can lead bible study vie YouTube, Facebook, the denomination have what we called Bible study series that family can use to fellowship, we have devotional, various devotionals that people can use to fellowship as a guide when studying the Bible, families make the church, each family coming together makes the church if the family front is properly addressed by the time the problem is over we will not loose anything.” He said
Speaking further he said “Time like this we have to be more devoted and move closer to God it is not a time for us to go about visiting, it is the time to stay indoor, obedience is the principal thing in whatever we do, obedience is the principal thing, God want everybody to obey and more importantly, he gave us instruction to obey constituted authority as Christians we should obey God, we should obey our leaders, our government and make sure that whatever instructions that is given unto us we follow it strictly that is when we have the nature of our father my admonition is that people should stay at home, family at this time should stay at home, when they stay at home, they should increase the time they have for their fellowship that is the family altar they should have time to pray more, they should have time to study and meditate on the word of God more.
“At this time, they should think more about what the plans they have ahead how they are going to do it how they will carry it out students within the family should not use the opportunity to play games, sitting by the television all the time, they should read ahead, academically people should use this opportunity to also study, knowledge is wealth, read new books , there are online books that people can read it will increase their knowledge and experience, they should read more new books, more importantly they should do their personal hygiene, take their personal hygiene so seriously like watch their hands with soap and running water not less than twenty seconds, they should make sure that they sanitise their hands more frequently, if they feel any discomfort in the area that medical doctors have analyse they should take time to visit consult the doctors if we go by this we would not spread the Covid-19, we would maintain our health and our family we would have what is called joy and happiness in the home if we are healthy we live better we think better, we reason better, healthy man is a wealthy man”
He also called on government and other wealthy individuals to assist the needy .
“We want our government to take the welfare of the citizenry seriously if we take the welfare of the masses as priority, things will go better for us government should utilise the money donated they should not turn it to gold mine at this time they should take care of the welfare of the masses, people at this time should do a lot of sacrifice particularly our leaders they should make sacrifice to make sure that people are well taken care of in this time we are trusting God that God will take us out of it in a short while there should be sacrifice, government should plan ahead is a global issues as long as we play our own part God will do his part to salvage us from this problem and i know He is going to do it.” He said
In his comment the Commissioner of Police Kwara state command ,Kayode Egetokun expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance of the restriction directives by churches in the state .
He also urged officer and men of the command to ensure they discharge their duties using the international best method
