Tunde Bakare, the serving overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as Latter Rain Assembly, has directed members of his church to ignore the directive of the Lagos state government on the reopening of religious centres.
At a media briefing on Saturday, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, had announced that religipous centres will reopen from August 7.
But speaking during an online service, Bakare faulted the decision to reopen worship centres when the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) projected that the COVID-19 may reach its peak in August.
He advised worshippers not to be “deceived by the government or religious leaders”..
“I have to appeal to you once again, please keep safe and do your best to stay alive. Do not let anyone, whether religious leader or governmental leader, to drive you like a sheep to the slaughter,” Bakare said.
“If they (the government and the disease control authorities) said that the month of August is going to be the peak of the infection, why should they ask people to rush in (re-open the churches) again?
“Please keep safe and do your best to keep alive by keeping all the necessary rules. We know that by the grace of God this pandemic like the others before it has an expiry date. It shall not see our end. We shall see its end in the mighty name of Jesus.”
In June, the pastor had said his church will remain closed “until the coast is clear”.
