The Founder of the Humanist Association of Nigeria (HAN), Leo Igwe, has described as “reckless” and “irresponsible” Bishop David Oyedepo’s claim of healing 114 COVID-19 patients.
The Herald recalls that Oyedepo, the Founder of Living Faith Church, a.k.a Winners Chapel, on Sunday disclosed that 114 church members have testified of recovering from COVID-19 in the church.
The popular cleric spoke during his sermon at the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State, while criticising the partial reopening of markets as churches remained closed.
“Can anybody silence the church? Never! I have never heard of anybody that God healed in the market but people get healed in every church day and night, real tangible healing.
“We have recorded 114 coronavirus healing testimonies. We got 10 this week.
“And that is the place that is vulnerable, not the market,” Oyedepo said.
But in a Wednesday statement, Igwe described the claim as a “piece of misinformation”, noting that “faith healing is superstition- not a science-based proposition”.
He explained that the claim ran contrary to the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s protocols on the management of COVID-19.
Igwe added that WHO has maintained that COVID-19 has no cure.
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“(Oyedepo’s) claim is weighty, reckless, and irresponsible,” he said. “His faith healing claim is capable of making people throw caution to the wind, indulge in risky behaviors while believing that their faith would heal them if they contract the virus.”
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