Churches deserted as Christians mark low key Easter

TRACKING_____Churches were deserted in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Sunday as Christian faithful celebrated the Easter in their homes in compliance with the state government’s directives to curtail the spread of the coronavirus.

Oyo State government had placed a restriction on gatherings and imposed a 7 pm–6 am curfew on the state among other measures to check the spread of the raging pandemic.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, which backed the restriction order, urged members to emulate the character of Jesus Christ while obeying the government’s directives.

The CAN Chairman in Oyo State, Pastor Benjamin Akanmu, said that the resurrection of Jesus was a crucial part of the gospel, pointing out that if He did not rise from the dead, the faithful would still be in their sins.

“The way for sacrifice was to use animals to appease God but none of was acceptable to God till Jesus surrendered Himself as a living sacrifice.

”Jesus resurrected as a real physical body, not a disembodied spirit. Christians will one day also experience the physical resurrection from the dead; the power of resurrection is showing that God is unstoppable.

”A day is coming that the redeemed will be with God forever,” he said.