‘Is it not a place of healing?’ — Oyakhilome tackles pastors for closing churches over COVID-19

Chris Oyakhilome, founder of LoveWorld Incorporated better known as Christ Embassy, has called out pastors for shutting down their churches in compliance with the federal government’s ban on religious gatherings.

The clergyman, while addressing his congregation in a viral telecast, said such religious leaders should have demanded that the government give them ample time to consult God and pray with their members before taking any decision.

According to him, by complying with the government’s ban on religious gatherings, such clerics have inadvertently shut their doors against those who are infected with COVID-19.

“COVID-19 compliant churches will mean churches that people who are infected with COVID-19 cannot come there. If you allow your church to be that labelled, it is not the church of Jesus Christ,” he said.

“Is the church of Jesus Christ not a place of healing? So, those of you who love to run around government officials to get your validation, come and get COVID-19 compliant registration for your church. That is the last day Jesus will be in that church. But that is coming.

“In different cities, ministers of God gathered together and shut down the congregations of the Lord. How many said, let us pray; give us time to pray? They consulted you; they consulted you in different nations and states. How many of you said, let us pray? Instead, you said oh yes.

“Because they said there would be compensation for the period of the lockdown. What compensation can be enough to replace the praise and worship of the congregation? I hope you have enjoyed the time so far, only you in the cathedral did online transmission. Hope you enjoyed it so far? But thank you very much for what you did to the House of God.”

The cleric also expressed reservations with the procedures through which people are tested for the virus as well as the search for a vaccine for the disease across the globe.

“What they are using to test, do you know what it is? Do you know why it can show positive and negative? Do you know? A virus they told us they are still studying, why don’t they study it first? They are still studying it and they already have a vaccine that could be ready in July for a virus they are still studying,” he added.

Oyakhilome had made headlines in April after claiming that the introduction of 5G technology was responsible for the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic — a claim without any scientific backing.

He subsequently said he was not opposed to the 5G technology but only concerned about its perceived health risks.