RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES' COMPLIANCE WITH CORONAVIRUS PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOODS OF SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examines religious activities' compliance with Covid-19 preventive measures in southwestern Nigeria. The concept of religion governance and theory of citizens' participation are used as an anchor for the study while a cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. Primary and secondary data were sourced using structured questionnaire and published materials. Convenient sampling technique was used in selecting 141 respondents across the southwest geopolitical zone in Nigeria while Google Survey structured questionnaire was used in collecting information from the respondents.  From sampled religious centres, 28% use soap and water for hand washing, 19% use alcoholic-based hand Sanitizers and 14% ensure the use of nose mask, fewer number, 3% ensures hand gloves while 6% use other measures in worship centres. 43% claimed that there are relief packages (cash, 10%, food items, 27%, alcoholic-based hand sanitizers, 5% and nose/face mask, 4%) distributed by individual philanthropists to worship centres. Ridge Regression shows that the presence of law enforcement agency is not a function of religious activities’ compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures at r=0.002; p<0.05. The study concluded that over 50% of religious centres in the southwest of Nigeria complied with COVID-19 preventive measures. However, in controlling the spread of the virus, frequent public enlightenment from media on COVID-19 preventive measures, distribution of palliative measures by the government to citizens, and more enforcement of COVID-19 preventive measures in cities were suggested. Keywords: Religious activities; Compliance; COVID-19; Preventive measures; Nigeria