President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerian pilgrims performing this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia to remain calm, saying the spirit of hajj is about patience and sacrifice amid difficulties.
The president’s message was conveyed to the pilgrims by the Nigerian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Yahaya Lawal during his visitations to pilgrims’ tents in Muna Thursday night.
The Nigerian envoy who was accompanied by his counterpart to the Republic of Sudan, Ambassador Safiu Olaniyan, chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, commissioners and top management staff of NAHCON, urged the Nigerian pilgrims to continue being good ambassadors of the country while in the holy land, saying the president was not unaware of their challenges and difficulties being experienced in the course of their pilgrimage.
President Tinubu also advised the pilgrims that instead of grumbling about their challenges, they should focus on the significance of the spiritual journey and as well concentrate on praying for Nigeria, saying the country was in need of their prayers to overcome its challenges.
“The president has been briefed on your good conduct so far and he wants you to continue representing Nigeria well in the holy land. You should also remember to put Nigeria in your prayers, we all know the challenges our country is facing and it is important you use this special opportunity to pray specially for Nigeria’s progress, peace, stability and wellbeing of Nigerians.
“We count on your support and would like to thank the chairman of NAHCON for providing the right leadership. Mr chairman, please continue the good work you are doing until all the pilgrims return home safely,” Lawal said.
Earlier, NAHCON chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, said the purpose of the visit which has become a yearly exercise, was to interact with the pilgrims and get first hand impressions of their hajj experience while at the holy sites particularly in Muna, Arafat and Muzdalifah and hajj operations in general.
He commended the pilgrims for their perseverance on the inadequacy of tents and poor feeding services rendered to them in Muna, reminding them that pilgrimage has always been a test and trial of faith for anyone embarking on the religious ritual.
Hassan said hardships and unpleasantries experienced at the holy sites can only be mitigated but not completely limited out of any hajj exercise, as steps and measures are to being taken to guard against reoccurrence.
He told the pilgrims that NAHCON was not in any way responsible for shortage of tents and poor feeding they experienced at the Masha’er, saying the Saudi company of Mutawwif should bear the blame.
In some of the tents visited, the state pilgrims welfare officials and pilgrims themselves used the opportunity voice out their frustration and urged the leadership of NAHCON to tackle the issues of feeding and inadequacy of tents and bed spaces at Masha’er with the Saudi Arabian government, saying Nigerians should be allowed to prepare their meals while in holy sites.
