The Archbishop of the Niger Delta Province of the Anglican Communion, Rt Rev Tunde Adeleye, has described the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic as one of the end-time signs.
Speaking at a media briefing in Calabar at the weekend, the cleric said only God could save the nations of the earth from the pandemic.
He said,
“With all the signs we are seeing, the end is surely in sight. We are moving toward the end of the world. But when it will come, we don’t know. What we should do is to prepare for the end.
“In all my life I have not seen a condition like this. It has been frightening. The church, even if it is 50 members at a time, ought to be allowed to meet and pray and ask God to set us free from the frightening calamity the virus has brought on us. Unfortunately, our meeting as a church has been curtailed by the law.
“It is unfortunate it is happening at a very important season of the year. We have to find a way to celebrate Easter and to obey international and local instructions. This year Easter won’t be celebrated with the grandeur it is known for. It is the safety and convenience of everybody we are responding to.”
He said he was concerned and worried about the non-strict observance of social distancing introduced to curb the spread of the virus, adding that
“In fairness to the government, they have tried their best. Our problem is that in Africa we don’t observe social distancing. The government should do more to enforce it through sensitisation. Arrest is not the solution.”
Adding,
“here in Cross River State, we commend the government and all the different parties sensitising people on what to do and what not to do to contain the virus. The media and others should keep this tempo up. We the church are teaching members about personal hygiene and social distancing and other measures like the use of hand sanitisers.
“We are making sure our members do not fall victims of the virus and we are praying that this season will pass so that we can return to our normal lives. The virus is not ordinary. Whether it is invented, it is the work of the devil. It is only God who can save the situation. The actual deliverance is in God’s hands. All we need is prayer for God to help us.”
He said the Federal Government’s decision to seek help from China where the virus originated reflects its confusion and the alleged desire of some people in government to seek personal gains.
