“We don’t have money to fight COVID-19, but we have God” — Pastor Adeboye Tells Bill Gates.

Redeemed Christian Church of God General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye has stated that Nigeria may not have money or resources to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, but the country has God.

 Pastor Adeboye spoke on Sunday at the January 2021 Special Thanksgiving Service and Ground-Breaking Ceremony of the Coastline Worship Centre of the Redeemed Christian Church of God National Headquarters, Throne of Grace, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos.

Pastor Adeboye’s statement comes in response to a statement made by billionaire Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, who recently said he didn’t understand why COVID-19 cases and fatalities were low in Africa, a region that lacked enough healthcare, financial resources and government will power to fight the scourge.

Gates said he expected African bodies to litter around “like flies”.

Pastor Adeboye in response said, “When I read that it would take 10 years to vaccinate people in the US, I wondered when the vaccine will come to Nigeria. We have no money; we have no resources, but we have God. They expected us to be dying like flies, but we have a God who says he that dwells in the secret place will be under the shadow of the almighty.”

According to Adeboye, God told him in his 2021 prophecy that the world has not learned its lesson.

“It is the Lord that reigns and rules in the affairs of men and the world must recognise His lordship in all that they do,” Pastor Adeboye said.

He assured Christian faithful that “any calamity that comes, we will survive.”

“Ebola came, we survived, coronavirus came, we survived, and whatever may come in the future, we will survive because we will keep praising God,” the cleric resounded.

He urged his listeners not to be afraid, declaring that God will take care of His own.

“There is fear in the air. Fear is a killer. Some people will die of hypertension because they were afraid. Coronavirus may not come near them at all, but fear can kill them.”

When you ask a man to do a job only God can do, don’t blame him if he makes mistakes. When I heard they closed down some restaurants, I was wondering, “What about us who go to bukas (roadside eateries), how many bukas are you going to close?” What are you going to do about those people like me who eat boli (roasted plantain)”, Pastor Adeboye rhetorized.

Pastor Adeboye, however, balanced his preaching, “I do not say be careless. Wear your mask. We are particular about hygiene. Keep washing your hands. Do social distancing as much as possible. Obey the government. Wash your hands.”

He continued that he would not allow social distancing to stop him from laying his hands on the sick. “The Lord told me loud and clear, RCCG is my church. I can take care of my own. I will not be afraid. My God will take care of me,” he said.

“If you are ungrateful, he can withdraw what he has done. Sooner or later, you will need God again, so be grateful,” he reiterated.

Related: What is God Saying No to in 2021?