New NAHCON Chairman Resumes Duty, Seeks Staff Cooperation

The new chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Jalal Ahmad Arabi, has called for cooperation and stronger ties among members of staff of the Commission.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on Tuesday appointed Arabi as the new chairman and chief executive officer of the Commission for a term of four years in the first instance, following the exit of former chairman, Alhaji Zilkrullah Kunle Hassan.

The new acting chairman, who arrived the Hajj House few minutes after 11am on Wednesday in company of a former chairman of the Commission, Barrister Abdullah Mukhtar, was received by the outgoing chairman Zilkrullah Kunle Hassan, represented by his Commissioner for Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai, amid cheers from the staff.

At a meeting with the staff shortly after he resumed duties, Arabi assured the staff and the entire Nigerians that the Renewed Hope agenda of President Tinubu was genuine and sought the cooperation of the staff to get the Nigeria back on track, saying the pilgrims will now believe that they have opportunity to be listened to and a sense of belonging.

While thanking Allah for allowing President Tinubu to appoint him into the exalted office, Arabi said he has come to the Commission with three nouns that are cardinal to what he intends to achieve.

“First, let me thank Allah, who allowed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint me to this exalted position. It is indeed Allah’s privilege and it gives me all the hopes and gratitude to be able to come and join you in nation building. We are not the only ones in Nigeria, there are other Nigerians that equally and would have been here, but Allah in His mercy had put the burden on our shoulders.

“Why I said we are so privileged and lucky to be here serving the nation through the commission is to suggest that if we all reflect on one of the fundamentals of our religion that require physicality more than the others, it is Hajj. So, for us to be so chosen, the privilege to come and participate in the discharge of that responsibility, certainly, let us be the chosen ones and I feel it is an opportunity that we shouldn’t allow slip away from us.

“I know like all establishments, we have our mission, vision and it is being pursued vigorously before now but certainly there is always room for improvement in whatever endeavour. Of course, without, prejudice to what we intend to achieve through our vision and mission, I have come with three nouns that will be so cardinal and of course will be laying on the tripod. I call them ‘TSA’ and my definition is entirely different from the TSA you know. Let me start with my T – trust. I know most of us, if not all, know the burden of trust and responsibility on any Muslim that is so charged to carry that trust.

“My ‘S’ is sacrifice. Whoever is entrusted with trust knows that he or she makes sacrifice and my A is Allah. Allah knows all.”

He also promised to build a well disciplined, professional and highly motivated staff, but said they must earn it.

Earlier, Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakasai, while congratulating Arabi on his appointment as the new chairman of NAHCON, reminded him that the task ahead were enormous and very challenging.

“We congratulate you for your appointment. The outgoing chairman would have wished to be here but due to some reasons beyond his control, he couldn’t make it. But I believe he will be here in the afternoon or when he will be able to meet you.

“Apart from that, I just want to mention that you are coming in or stepping into the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria at a critical time, at the time when all the preparations for Hajj are supposed to start or have already started and unfortunately, this time around the period or time given by the Saudi authority is different from the traditional ones where we have sufficient time to do whatever we want to do or arrange but unfortunately you have a very short time.

“The assurance I will give is that you have capable staff here that can assist you to succeed and it is our hope and prayers that you succeed,” he stated.