Abstract
ABSTRACT The rise of the deadly corona virus disease (COVID-19) has made governance a daunting task, worsened by the complacency and lack of cooperation from groups as important as religious institutions. This study, unlike previous studies that have focused only on religious groups' resistance to lockdown rules, examined the complacency of religious institutions towards the campaign against COVID-19 in a post-lockdown Nigeria. Data were collected through key informant interviews and personal observations at churches and mosques in Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kaduna, and Rivers States in Nigeria. Using a descriptive narrative method, it was found that many religious institutions have begun neglecting the government-sponsored COVID-19 safety guidelines in their local gatherings. Reasons for this include the belief that COVID-19 is no longer a threat, suspicion and distrust of the government's management of the virus, the relaxation of government monitoring strategies, and the belief in God's healing and protection. With these findings, I make a case for effective dialogues with religious leaders and the reframing of the campaign against COVID-19 in Nigeria to sustain the involvement of religious institutions.
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