Coronavirus: Oyedepo under fire for snubbing govt directive on religious gatherings

Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of Living Faith Church, has come under attack for holding Sunday service at the church’s headquarters in Ota Ogun State.

Fidelis Chidi Blog had reported that despite the ban placed on public gatherings, Oyedepo held services at his church in cannaland.

The cleric had in the service which had hundreds of worshippers said the coronavirus cannot stop God’s children.

According to him, “Only the help of God can save Nigeria and Africa from this Pandemic.”
He, however, assured his members that the cure of the deadly virus will be out this week and nations shall rejoice again.
Reacting, some Nigerians on social media criticized the pastor for shunning the governement’s directive.

Here are some comments DAILY POST gathered:
@Adaji100, “Even my own church Winners chapel. I’m so so extremely disappointed in OYEDEPO. I have never criticized him for 17 years of been a Winner but today he fucked up. He closed his church in America but because we don’t have a fucking functional government he opened the church.”
@firstiewilliams, “The same Oyedepo whose anointing couldn’t heal his wife, she had to be flown abroad for proper treatment that lasted months is the one gathering thousands under the same roof to teach them what he doesn’t know.He’s not my problem, my problem are the Sheeples sitted there.”

@destayo67, “When oyedepo’s wife was sick with a life threatening sickness, he took her to one of the best medical facilities in USA where she received treatment for almost a year. As for you the church member who stupidly went to church today. You are on your own.”
@Asaalor, “Bishop Oyedepo is very wrong to say that shutting the church is like shutting the hospital. That’s a lie coined to deceive his congregation. I can pray at home, or anywhere else, it’s not same like the hospital where you must be to get healing! I pity the people that believe him.”
@puremind, “If Ogun state Government has placed a ban on public gatherings and what happened at Winners Chapel in Canaan land still happened, then Bishop Oyedepo should face the complete wrath of the law.You are not above the law sir, that’s a terrible thing to do.”
@praisegeorgre, “Let us name and shame the pastors who held church services today in spite of the govt directive, pastors who are more interested in protecting their kingdom than protecting their followers.David Oyedepo, shame on you for putting lives at risk.”
@Bagofnuts, “I’m most dissapointed in Oyedepo and winners as a whole sha. You know you have arguably the largest congregation in the country, you still go ahead to hold services in mass. One Infected person steps into any of those services and Covid 19 spreads far beyond ctrl in the country.”
@Drolufunmilayo, “Right now, Nigeria just confirmed 4 new cases. The total cases is now 26 “officially”. Nobody knows what unofficial figures are.Right now, CanaanLand is running a full church service in their auditorium. Thousands of people present.We are A VERY MAD COUNTRY.”
@holy_spireet, “See people risking their lives all because they want to attend church. They all have to sit down with distant. Oyedepo that couldn’t use his anointing to heal his wife. Awon werey.”
@Kimbakare900, “Oyedepo is fast becoming a rebel and an indecent enigma that pple shouldn’t emulate. Govt should act decisively and bring home down to the space of the earth from his forlorn heights of deception and indecency that he has imposed of his status.”
@Dolusegun, “Winners Chapel is not only open but packed to capacity. These pastors are untouchable and the government seems powerless because they hold the whip that controls their congregants.”
@speaks_truth, “If the likes of #Oyedepo,other so called men of god (not GOD), some Nigerian churches and leaders had had their way, they would have labelled these social isolation measures for coronavirus as #Islamisation.Tiny power dem no get!Small #Corona, all of them PRESS MUTE!!Yeye people.”