In compliance with the directive by the Lagos State government on reopening of worship centres, beginning from Friday, August 7, many church doors were thrown open today as early as 7am.
Worshippers were seen trooping into church auditoriums excitedly, but cautiously avoiding physical contact with one another. All the health protocols recommended by the state government and health officials were observed by the worshippers in and outside the church buildings.
At Our Saviours Anglican Church, Egbe, Lagos where this reporter worshipped, worshipers queued up for their temperature check with two thermometers provided by the church authorities. There were running water and sanitisers for washing of hands before entering into the church.
Social distancing was also observed as the long pews that used to take five people had only three worshippers, all fully decked with face masks of different colours and shapes, sitting on each pew.
According to Venerable Cornelius Osunpidan, the priest in charge of the church which recorded less than 50 percent capacity due to the absence of many women with children below 12 years who were asked to stay back at home, the entire premises, in and out, were on Saturday decontaminated by health authorities from Alimosho local government office.
Besides Our Saviours, other churches within the environs, mostly Pentecostals such as Redeemed, The Lord’s Chosen, Synagogue, etc were also open for services. But of interest was the absence of the usual ‘noise’ that characterized worship centres on Sundays.
The absence of thunderous ‘Amen’ and ‘Haleluyah’ responses to preachings and prayers said it all that caution has really become a new normal in this Covid-19 era.
The Lagos State government had, as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic, shut down worship centres and they had remained so in the last five months till today.
Lagos is one of the states to have kept their worship centres under lock and key for this long. But its case is quite understandable being the epicenter of the disease infection, accounting for over 40 percent of the national infection rate.
