Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), says the Covid-19 pandemic is being used by God to teach humanity a lesson.
Keyamo said this in a tweet late on Wednesday.
The minister asked Nigerians to seize the opportunity to ask God for forgiveness and he will intervene.
He added, “God has allowed COVID-19 to afflict the human race only to redirect our steps back to Him. We have so distorted God’s word to suit our own human weaknesses and satisfy our greed, even in supposed holy places. We should collectively ask for forgiveness and it will all end in praise.
“Aside the spiritual angle to this scourge, we must all work and pray; God can only help those who help themselves. Those recalcitrant pastors must realise this. All the directives of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control must be followed to the letter by all and sundry before it can quickly end in praise.”
Many ministers and other members of the Federal Executive Council had gone on self-isolation since it was revealed that the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, and three of his aides had tested positive for the virus.
Keyamo’s tweets, however, received nearly 2,000 comments most of which were negative.
Many of his followers asked Keyamo to focus on empirical solutions such as improving the nation’s health system rather than blaming God.
“All those that have stolen our commonwealth and stored up the loot in foreign land will face the judgment of God. This virus is the purge that will teach thieves to develop our public institutions because one day it will be all they have”, @OluwaSirdam tweeted.
@chrisbridge0010 also tweeted, “Prayer for forgiveness should start from you and your masters. Haven’t we been suffering from elected viruses from this country? The only difference is that convid-19 is ravaging everyone. It is oppressing everyone. You people should feel how it is to be cancerous to the common man.”
“Did China ask for forgiveness before tackling the issue? You guys should get to work and make Nigeria better. Enough of bringing God to your ineptitude governance,” said @oreofekan.
@kaycee_justin tweeted, “So someone like @fkeyamo even remembered that God exists yet he has been part of this current calamitous administration that brought nothing but misery and penury to Nigerians? Thank God Covid-19 does not care about anyone’s office, status nor wealth.”
