As directed by the Oyo State Government led by Governor Seyi Makinde, churches in the state have reopened after three months of closure meant to curb the spread of Coronavirus ravaging the world.
Churches reopened despite high cases of Coronavirus as the state currently has 860 cases, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
As at the time of filing this report, 569 patients of the virus are in isolation centres in different locations of the state.
However, not all churches reopened its worship centres in the state, as they felt that it is not safe for now to allow congregating.
Many of the churches continued with online services.
Apostolic Faith Church, one of the churches yet to reopen directed the members to continue to observe the services at home. During an online service, the District Superintendent (DS) West and Central Africa of the Apostolic Faith Church, Rev. Adebayo Adeniran, noted that the church would for now continue to hold all its services online, urging members and others to continue to connect to the church’s webcast.
At Vine Branch Church, Mokola, Ibadan, service was held in strict compliance to the COVID-19 guidelines, as worshipers were well screened before being allowed into the church auditorium.
The worshipers put on their face masks and their temperatures were taken at the entrances of the church. Also, motorised sanitizers were placed at the entrances for members to sanitise their hands before going into the church auditorium.
The church also adhered strictly to the rule of 25 per cent church capacity.
While very few churches provide washing bowls of water and soap, which are being manually operated, very few ones provided motorised hand washing machine that are needed not to be touched during usage.
