Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion, and it is a major feast in the Christian calendar. Easter is preceded by a 40-day period of prayers and fasting and is usually marked with lots of merriment, outings, travels, etc. But in 2020, Easter came during the Coronavirus rage – a season where the phrase: “social distancing” crept into our social lexicon and everyone is asked to stay at home.
How will people celebrate Easter?
AMAKA OKEMADU spoke to a cross-section of Lagosians to find out how exactly they plan to spend Easter in this season of Covid-19 lockdown.
“There is really no need celebrating this Easter”- Hope Iwuchukwu
There is really no need celebrating this Easter as such in this pandemic era. This is the first time in my life I’m witnessing this kind of complete lockdown. As a family, there are things we could have loved to put in place in preparation of Easter; such as hubby going out to hustle and bringing home the bag, myself, procuring things the family will need and getting nice things for our son who is meant to be celebrating his first Easter this year. Then there is the part of having friends and family come over to celebrate and have some fun together which wouldn’t be happening due to social distancing. Neither can we travel down to the east to see our people and rejoice with them. What I would be doing this Easter, is observing with my immediate family in gratitude to God for life and heath, which is the most important thing and then putting my culinary skills to test by whipping up a surprise delicious meal out of a very lean budget.
“My family and I shall be consolidating our renewed love”- Okanlawon Olusoji
The Bible says in every situation we find ourselves, we should give thanks to the almighty God. So giving thanks is the primary thing for me on Easter. It is not only by going out or visiting the beach to celebrate before you can appreciate God, you can do that even at your door step. I will be staying indoors with my family because this lockdown has managed to help reunite us, making us to begin showing love to each other like we hadn’t done in a while. It has also brought our extended family together and made us rededicate ourselves more to one another. We would be consolidating on that this Easter, more so, as I see this coronavirus time as a moment to test our Christian faith.
“A lot of people are going through a lot psychological issues”- Fortune
Frankly speaking, the current Coronavirus pandemic has placed individuals on different pedestal of demands and to be honest, it is not really smiling on people’s faces. Currently, it has not been easy, a lot of people are going through a lot of psychological issues that they can’t even tell you about because when you don’t have money, you would be stressed and thinking. So how do you want to celebrate Easter with that frame of mind? There’s a psychological effect one tends to have because you are thinking of how to get money and yet, the opportunity to get money is not there in the first place because of the pandemic, so you just become subjected to a dilemma. That dilemma is not really going to give you the opportunity to schedule things as you would have wanted to. For me, this Easter at this time has availed everyone with the responsibility of saving life by curtailing the spread of Coronavirus to the barest minimum, in order for us to return to normal life.
“I’m going to be journaling about it”- Caleb Nkwocha
Basically, I will be staying indoors to pray, read and meditate this Easter. I am going to spend it with my family, watch mass on line and reflect on the resurrection of Christ. I have been taking a course online and I am thinking to do a lot of work in that regards. I have a presentation, I was preparing for before COVID-19- that’s work related, so that’s just an idea of all I would possibly spend time this Easter doing. Visiting friends, is not likely in the picture, social distancing has prevented it. Other things, I will add to celebrating my Easter is to watch a couple of movies alongside and take out time to journal about this unfolding event, so that years after now, when I read back to what’s happening, I can laugh about everything that has happened.
“It will be a constant walk with God” – Emeka Chukwu
This is actually the time for me to draw closer to God. The shelter in place, this Easter will make me more focused as I will be staying indoors through out to spend quality time seeking the face of God. This is not a time for frivolities, one needs to draw closer to God, not only for the purpose of getting solutions to problems but with eternity in view. In fact, this Easter for me will be a constant walk with God.
“It is celebration mode activated, whether COVID-19 likes it or not” – Amanda Oyemmah
Firstly, I make bold to say that this years’ Easter celebration is not what it used to be or should be; but in all I give God the glory for life and for salvation he won for me, my household, friends and the whole world. I am going to celebrate my festive period, following the triduum celebrations via live broadcast or streaming, which ever one is possible. It is also a must for me to pamper myself, which I already began on Saturday, by getting out there to get myself something to eat. It is after all celebration mode activated whether covid-19 likes it or not. But most importantly, it is a time to reflect, refocus and redirect ones energy to what our existence is called for, because this lock down period has shown that we are just but nothing in this journey of life.
