22nd March, 2020
Churches, in some parts of Lagos State on Sunday, recorded partial compliance to the ban on a gathering of not more than 20 people over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Most churches in Lagos had their normal services while some had adjusted the number of persons and time spent in church.
At the St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, NNPC, Ejigbo Rd, the masses were adjusted to seven on hourly bases from 6 am to 12 pm and 5 pm to 6 pm as against the four masses from 6 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 6.30 pm.
A parishioner, Mrs. Agnes Awudi said there were masses but was adjusted hourly because of the Coronavirus directive and ban on the number of persons at gatherings.
Awudi said it was the size of the church that made the church to reduce it to hourly mass.
She said there were a quite number of spaces among the parishioners and the mode of greeting during mass had changed.
It was observed that there were not too many people in the church as against the number of people that used to attend the services.
At the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Tree of Righteousness Parish, Jakande Estate, Oke Afa, Isolo, the church service was adjusted to 50 people per service.
Although the church was scanty, there was service going on and there was quite large spacing between worshippers.
A worshiper, Miss Yinka Anifaloyin, said that she was in church at her normal time of worship by 10am but was not allowed in due to the fact that the number had completed 50.
Anifaloyin, however, attributed the low turnout to the online mode of worship put in place by the church’s headquarters.
She said that it all depended on your faith, whether to attend church or not.
At the Christ for All Mission church, Oke-Afa, Isolo, worshippers were seen in their numbers having their normal Sunday service.
The Lagos state government had earlier issued a new directive bringing down the maximum number of people that could gather at religious or social purposes to just 20 from its initial 50.