Prophet Ezekiel Badmus of Christ Apostolic Church, City of God District Headquarters Agbara Zone, Ijoko, Ogun State, has announced six major steps required to overcome COVID-19 ravaging the country and the world at large.
One of the steps, he said, was a special prayer session by leaders of churches and mosques across the nation.
Focused on COVID-19, the prayer, Prophet Badmus said, should be organized by government.
According to him, the prayer session would be critical to complementing the invaluable efforts being made by doctors and other health workers in the battle against the disease.
In a statement titled “Voice from City of God on COVID-19”, Badmus said the support of the government would be necessary to carry out the exercise, particularly against the backdrop of the restriction on movements.
His words: “Prayer — Doctors normally say that, ‘ we care but God heals’.
“To complement the invaluable efforts of our medical doctors, let the government gather the most senior ministers of God and leaders of all denominations e.g. leaders in RCCG, CAC, Deeper Life, The Apostolic Church, Living Faith Chapel, C&S, CCC, Anglican, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Four Square e.t.c. The Muslim Clerics-the Imams from Nasfat, Quarid, Ahmadiya, Nawarudeen, Ansarudeen, e.t.c. Let them intercede and pray to God for our Nation and the world.
“It’s not gain-saying that God loves Nigeria and we are enjoying the prayer of the Saints.”
Other steps suggested by the prophet are the need to reopen churches and mosques but with a strict adherence to the guidelines put in place to ensure medical safety; continuous maintenance of social distance; enforcement of regular washing of hands and giving assistance to the less-privileged in the society.
He added that the lockdown in states of the federation should be reviewed, particularly on the days of worship.
The solutions as suggested in his statement reads further: “2. Re-opening of Churches and Mosques — The House of prayer with the necessary medical safety guidelines in place. Because solution will come from there. When the Children of God gather together to pray, I assure you, God will hear and hearken. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
“3. Maintaining social distancing in all our gatherings, even in churches and mosques.
“4. Advocating and if possible, enforcing regular washing and sanitizing of our hands in all gatherings. This must be in place in churches and mosques.
“5. Assisting the less privileged ones in the congregation and in the community by big and small churches and Mosques — When there is grace to gather, we know how to talk to people in our midst to meet the needs of other people but this will be grossly difficult if not impossible when there is total lock down.
“6. Lockdown — I beseech and implore our political leaders to review the lockdown to accommodate some private interventions. I am not against government lockdown order but I am soliciting free movement on the day of worship to allow collective prayer to God for our land, Nation and the world at large. Not because of money or offering collection as many may erroneously think, but because a lot of people are suffering hunger as the government, though doing its best, cannot meet or satisfy everybody.”
The prophet stated that coronovirus was the storm of sickness he predicted during the 2019 November/December end of the year programme in his church.
He also expressed appreciation to top government officials, including President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, lawmakers and others for all the efforts aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
