CAN President berates pastors who tell members they can’t contract COVID-19

The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle Olasupo, has berated pastors and church leaders who deceive their members that they cannot contract COVID-19, saying they are only giving the members “reckless confidence.”

Olasupo who expressed his dissatisfaction on the level of compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols by churches in the country, warned church leaders not to take God’s grace for granted as that alone cannot stop people from being infected with the virus.

Speaking at a sensitisation meeting with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Monday, Olasupo said:

“Pastors and church leaders in Nigeria should stop deceiving their members that they can’t get COVID-19 because they have the grace of God.

“Yes, the grace of God has been sustaining Nigeria and that is why we have not had a high mortality rate.

“But let me warn that COVID-19 is not a joke. If it is a joke as many believe, why is it killing people in advanced nations where they have strong and sophisticated health infrastructures?

“Britain and America are practically under the siege of COVID-19. The grace of God we enjoy is making us to take things for granted, which ought not to be,” he said.

On the COVID-19 vaccine being expected, the CAN President suggested that “adequate sanitisation campaign should be done to neutralise fake information and misinformation before the introduction of the vaccine to Nigerians who are already showing signs of fear and discontent. ”

“Our political leaders should be on the vanguard of the sensitisation by taking the vaccine while Nigerians watch them live on national television stations like Channels, AIT and other media platforms.

“They should not do it in the secret, don’t go to Aso Rock and do it, we want to see you on Channels, AIT and other media platforms while you take the vaccine.

“When people see that we have done it like that, the fear factor will be removed and we will get that breakthrough we are looking for.”