Christian denominations in Kano have complied with the state government’s directive, which banned religious gatherings in the state for seven days in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus among the residents.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje announced the total lockdown of the state in the face of daily increase in number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 after two-weeks of boundary closure with neighbouring states.
Since Thursday night our correspondent observed that the state capital has turned into a ghost city as security operatives comprising the police, road safety personnel and other state security agencies took control of the major streets for maximum compliance.
When our reporter visited some Christian communities within the metropolis on Sunday, all churches have been deserted as the faithful in an unprecedented style stayed away to observe the government’s directive.
Kano State, as at Sunday afternoon, has 37 confirmed cases of the disease with one death; the development which has forced even the skeptics about the disease into their shells.
Sharing his experience with journalists in his office, the Cathedral Administrator, Catholic Diocese of Kano, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Adegbola, described the prevailing situation occasioned by coronavirus as horrible in the history of the church.
He, therefore, called for collaboration among all stakeholders to salvage humanity from extinction.
He said: “The lockdown for me is unprecedented, it’s first of its kind, we’ve had series of crisis terrible ones in this very country but we never had such an experience.
“So it is horrible, it is lonely, it is isolating, it is really not social; however, the times are here with us, and we take it because it’s a thing that affects humanity generally and we need to unite as humanity to fight it.”
He urged the people to stop blame game and collaborate with the government to fight and contain the pandemic.
“For me life is collaboration, and collaboration simply means it’s not always the government we look forward to.
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“Life begins as an individual from family, you come to institutions like schools which is education where teachers play a role, you come to religious institutions where the malams, the imams, then the pastors play a role before you even talk about the government.
“So, for us now parents and families teachers in schools, religious leaders, traditional leaders should collaborate with the government in trying to bring about the end to the situation now in the country, that simply means standing united and stop blaming and lamenting, it’s a situation that affect every one of us.”
At Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Cathedral, where six holy masses are being celebrated at different times on Sundays, our correspondent observed that the situation of the lockdown has kept everybody at home.
