CHURCH RESPONSE TO THE CORONA VIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) PANDEMIC IN NIGERIA

This study investigates the response of the Church in Nigeria to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Nigeria beginning with the index case announced on 27 February 2020 in Lagos. Since then the disease has rapidly spread across the different states of the nation. Both the federal and state governments have responded with _ restrictions on freedoms such as movement, travel and assembly, the latter particularly exercise of religion, as churches are jaccustomed to meeting regularly and worshipping in groups. The church has adopted and innovated some ways to respond and cope with the impact of these restrictions. This paper uses field survey, oral interviews as well as critical analysis of observable events within the church in Nigeria and other publications to examine the responses of the Christians to the situation. These responses include compliance with government directives, different coping methods and strategies that the church adopted to survive during the pandemic and beyond. Some of these responses include survival strategies, promotion of unity, church support of government, and adoption of virtual services using some online platforms among others. The paper argues that COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of the church in Nigeria. The church has innovated new ways to survive during the COVID-19 period and beyond.