IN Nigeria, Sunday services for the past two weeks have experienced total lockdown. Houses of worship, large and small,  were shut down and deserted. The state security apparatus was deployed to enforce the order which ordinarily should have been obeyed without qualms. Nay! No one is contesting  the sincerity of Government as it is for the “general good” of the populace. However, many faithful could not fathom how the sacred places of worship could be locked nationally. Indeed, some worshippers considered the development as strange and unthinkable, which was why there were pockets of resistances. Even some brethren described it as a dress rehearsal for the eventual government of the antichrist. Notwithstanding, there was unanimity among Christian leaders that the order was worthwhile and beneficial to the body of Christ and humanity in general. Recall that only penultimate Friday, Muslim faithful had similar experiences. Mosques were abandoned in different  government directives. Christians couldn’t have done otherwise; we are enjoined by the holy scriptures to obey civil governments. As the isolation  continues, it’s our earnest prayers that the good Lord shall bring this deadly plague to a quick end. We should all look unto God for help.

I wish to refresh our memories to the fact that China that was the epicenter of coronavirus and harbinger of the dreaded disease lost a little over 3,000 lives till date. However, Italy and Spain that “imported” coronavirus to their nations have lost over 15,000 souls, and still counting. The entire world is on lockdown because of the tameless virus which nations of the world ‘unwittingly imported’ from China. Today, industries are shot down with obvious consequences. The economic activities of nations are lying prostrate. Nations are counting their woes and losses in terms of human capital, unstable financial opportunities, overstretched medical facilities, dislocation in socioeconomic activities, among others. The World Bank is already projecting that the consequential economic meltdown that shall flow from the scourge may be worse than the 2009 worldwide economic malaise.

In the midst of these worldwide perilous and traumatic experiences, one wonders how China seems to have suddenly overcame the scourge so soon. Today,  normal life in China is almost back and bubbling. Socioeconomic activities are picking up. Industries are almost back on stream and in full force. The number of casualties arising from coronavirus has diminished, almost to zero level. Most cities in China are now bubbling. Wonders shall never end.But for the ‘global lockdown’, Chinese export business could have picked up. The amazing thing about the unfolding event is that China is now busy producing vital items and equipment that the world may badly need to combat the plague. What an irony that China that “originated” the virus has become the greatest beneficiary of its own “defaults or mischief”. It’s estimated that China may rake in trillions of dollars from the production and sales of coronavirus items and materials to the world market. China’s robust “battle” and “victory” over coronavirus in less than three months is suspect. This may be lending credence to the conspiracy theories and insinuations in some quarters that China may know something about coronavirus that the entire world is yet to know.

Though there may be divergent schools of thought, it seems that the emergence of coronavirus may be an economic warfare initiated by China to “teach” nations of the world that it can command global events to its advantage. The theory of balance of terror becomes apt amongst the so-called world powers. Some inquisitive minds may wish to ask the following questions: why did China keep the outbreak of the virus from other nations, including the WHO for close to one month? It only brought it to public glare when it had become a pandemic. Why was the number of deaths in major cities in China so low in comparison with other nations? Why did the bulk of the casualties recorded in China occur in a single city called Wuhan where the scourge actually began? Is it not amusing that the intensity of the plague did not spread to other cities in China? Maybe China will need to educate the world about the “ingenious” method it applied to subdue the virus and forestall the casualties within a short time. Will it not be unconscionable for China to profit from it’s own “mischief”? Should China bring the world to its knees on account of avarice or greed any yet profit from its “ingenuity”?

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It’s time for those that know their God to begin to critically examine the entire scenario from a spiritual perspective. A major lesson from this worldwide misery is the need to be connected to the source (the sovereign God) for our safety and security since men and nations are totally helpless and in dire need of survival. There is actually no help from anywhere in the world. Rather than focusing our attention on mere helpless mortals, we need to fix our eyes on the hills from whence cometh our help. The all-sufficient God is able to deliver us from the antics of men. While prayers are being intensified globally, we must continue to keep safe and abide by the counsels of the relevant authorities. The siege shall be over very soon and we shall all be witnessed to the helps that shall flow from above. Enough is enough! The world is watching.

• Rev. Wada is National Legal Adviser, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.