Churches empty as Christians observe Easter at home in Ekiti

Residents of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, and other major towns on Sunday complied with the government’s restriction order on religious gatherings by observing Easter at home.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state had earlier issued a statement directing members to comply with government’s directive in order to check the spread of coronavirus.
The CAN Chairman in the state, Rev. Father Peter Olowolafe, in the statement warned that CAN would not be available to assist any of its members who disobeyed the directive.
According to Olowolafe, the association was aware that the fight against coronavirus can only be won in the state if the people adhere strictly to government’s directives.
The CAN chairman, who said the fight against coronavirus needed collective efforts,  urged all Christians in the state to complement government’s efforts by keeping to instructions and observing personal hygiene.
He said: “We will not in any way be responsible for any individual or group of people who flagrantly disobey government’s directives in this regard.”
He urged members to adhere strictly to the state government’s directive banning gatherings of any kind during the current lockdown while praying that they would live beyond the present situation to freely gather to mark subsequent Easter celebrations.
Olowolafe advised Christians to allow the lessons of the Lent season such as humility, sacrifice, self-denial and total submission to the will of God to reflect in their day-to-day activities.
Consequent upon the CAN directive, many churches in the state were under lock and key, while there were no symbolic processions.
There were, however, online Easter services by many of the big denominations.
Security personnel were also sighted at strategic locations across communities enforcing the lockdown, while malls and markets were shut.
A resident, Funke Ayanlowo, however, lamented the hardship brought by the coronavirus, saying many Christians were missing congregational services.
NAN.