The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Bauchi State on Sunday assured the state government of readiness by Christian faithful in the state to take the COVID-19 vaccine as long as it will be made available.
It was earlier reported that the state governor, Gov Bala Mohammed had, while flagging off the second phase of vaccination in the state recently, lamented that the Christian community had shown a lackadaisical attitude to taking the COVID vaccine.
The governor, while saying the state government would hold consultations with the leadership of the Christian community in the state, informed that some Christian faithful saw the Covid-19 vaccine as the Antichrist, hence its rejection by them.
However, the CAN chairman in the state, Reverend Abraham Damina Dimeus, gave the assurance of the faithful’s readiness to take the vaccine when he led other Christians to take the first jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Bishara Baptist Church premises in Bauchi, the state capital.
While submitting that COVID-19 vaccination is very important, Dimeus assured that Christians in the state will make themselves available to take the vaccine.
He said the impression that Christians were not ready to take the vaccine was erroneous and dangerous and they were obedient citizens.
“There was an erroneous misconception that Christians in Bauchi State were not ready to take the vaccine. That was a dangerous insinuation; Christians are obedient people and are always ready to obey constituted authorities.
“As you can see, we as leaders of CAN have mobilised our members to come out to take the vaccine. Last week, a team was at All Saints Methodist Church during the revival programme of the state chapter of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) and today, we are here in Bishara Baptist Church.”
While accepting the fact that there was initial apathy by people as a result of little education on the vaccine, Rev Dimeus said with proper education now, the people were ready and trooping out to take the vaccine.
According to him, the vaccine was not harmful as many people had taken it and did not die, wondering why the Christian faithful should be afraid to take it.
In his words, the CAN chairman said, “there was initial apathy by the people because there was no proper education. But now that the people have been well educated and informed about the exercise, you can see them trooping out to be vaccinated.
“The vaccine is not harmful; many people have taken it and they did not die. Why then should Christians be afraid to take it.
“We have done enough mobilisation and our people are ready to take it because God has commanded us so to do.”
Talking about the turnout of Christians to take the vaccine, Dimeus said he was satisfied with how the faithful turned out for the vaccination.
He reiterated the fact that Christians in the state are ready for the vaccination exercise, assuring that whatever number of vaccines allocated for the exercise would be exhausted.
The CAN chairman then appealed to the general public in Bauchi State to not only embrace the COVID-19 vaccine but also come out en masse to take it, as, according to him, “prevention is far better than looking for cure after infection”.
“The vaccine is free for now, I am very sure that in the nearest future people will not get it even with their money. It is better to take it now,” Rev Dimeus admonished.
It would be recalled that only recently seven intending Christian pilgrims from Bauchi State were prevented from going to Israel for their refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine.