COVID-19 has exposed fake pastors, says archbishop

Emmanuel Chukwuma, archbishop of Enugu province, Anglican Communion, says the coronavirus pandemic has exposed pastors who engage in fake miracles.

According to PUNCH, the clergyman pointed out that the inability of such pastors — and others famed for carrying out several miracles — to heal those infected with the virus has shown their vulnerability.

“I have already said people who claim to be miracle workers, why are they not saying they can cure the disease and then go to isolation centres and heal people?,” he asked.

“This coronavirus has proved that those who call themselves miracle workers are fake. I see no reason why places like Lagos, Abuja and Ogun that have so many of these healers have been recording more and more increase in the number of coronavirus patients.

“All of them and even witch doctors, wizards and babalawos cannot come out to say they have an answer to the problem. It is a big disgrace and it has exposed most of these people; we also believe in healing definitely, but we believe in God’s gradual healing. We don’t believe in deceiving or hypnotising people in the name of healing.”

Chukwuma also noted that the COVID-19 was a way of God showing his supremacy to everyone in the world, including scientists.

“Many a time, we think we are greater than God and God has now made us humble. It is a disease that has come to humble everybody,” he said.

“So this thing has come to expose them and also some professors and scientists who think they know more. Why shouldn’t there be a research within a short time to develop a vaccine that should be able to stop this pandemic? So it has exposed everybody that we are very much vulnerable.”

He also faulted the continued closure of churches in several states across the country, wondering why a place of prayer has been under lock while places like markets remain opened.

“The government must have realised it made a mistake by saying, ‘Don’t meet in the church,’ whereas you allow markets to open….People still go to the pharmacy and many other places where they meet and congregate but the place where we can call upon the name of God to save us, you say people should not congregate there,” he added.