Lockdown: It’s not easy for Igbo man to stay at home — Methodist Bishop

Archbishop of Methodist Church, Umuahia Archdiocese, Abia State, Dr Chibuzo Opoko, has said that it is not easy for an Igbo to stay at home or in isolation as a result of the lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.

The cleric explained that this accounts for the reason the people of the state are not finding it easy with the lockdown.

Speaking in Umuahia, while distributing the palliatives donated by the government to 11 Diocese of the church in the state, the Archbishop was optimistic that mankind would certainly overcome the pandemic.

He disclosed that over 500 widows and other vulnerable persons in the church would benefit from the palliatives from the state government, stressing that Methodist Church in the State already has the list of those who would benefit from the donation.

Opodo added that the Methodist Church in the state had earlier commenced distribution of gifts to the vulnerable persons in her midst, and assured that the donation from the government would help to reach out to less privileged members of the church.

In his words, “In the life of an Igbo man, staying at home or in isolation, is a very difficult thing. This accounts for why the people of the state are not finding it easy with the lockdown. We are grateful to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu for bringing the palliatives especially at this season of love, celebration and sacrifice; these items would go a long way in cushioning the effect of the lockdown.

“The church through its widowhood programme already has the list of those who these items are meant for, so distributing them transparently to the less privileged in our churches would not pose any problem at all.”

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He expressed gratitude to God that Abia state has not recorded any confirmed case of the COVID-19, stressing that it is the duty of Christians to pray to God to stop the global pandemic from coming to Abia.

Opoko promised that church leaders would abide by government’s directive on the protocol for social distancing and the number of congregants that would attend church services.