Pilgrimage: El Rufai’s Ban On Sponsorship Affected Only Christians — Sheikh Maraya

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El Rufai, sponsored pilgrims for Hajj but discontinued the sponsorship of Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem throughout his eight-year tenure.

El Rufai had banned the sponsorship of pilgrims in 2015, citing fiscal prudence and the need to manage Kaduna State’s debt profile.

Sheikh Haliru Maraya, a member of Kaduna State Special Hajj Committee, who made this known at a press briefing on Monday, pointed out that El Rufai’s ban was selectively applied.

‘’At face value, the policy appeared to apply uniformly to both Muslim and Christian pilgrims. However, subsequent developments revealed a divergence between policy pronouncement and policy implementation,’’ he said.

According to Sheikh Maraya, El Rufai had sponsored approximately 985 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, comprising 730 officials and 255 sub-officials, but ‘’within the same period, there is no record of any Christian pilgrim receiving government sponsorship to Jerusalem.’’

Sheikh Maraya pointed out that ‘’while Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem was effectively halted, sponsorship for pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia continued under alternative classifications.’’

He said that the El Rufai administration sponsored pilgrims to Saudi Arabia as officials, which include medical personnel, clerics, and administrative staff, to facilitate pilgrimage operations.

‘’The second category, later termed “sub-officials,” effectively functioned as direct government sponsorship, covering airfare, accommodation, feeding, and Basic Travelling Allowances,’’ he added.

‘’In 2015 alone, 95 officials were sponsored for pilgrimage. In 2016, 91 officials and 40 sub-officials were sponsored. In 2017, 89 officials and 30 sub-officials travelled. In 2018, 95 officials and 45 sub-officials were sponsored. In 2019, 90 officials were sponsored.

‘’Although the global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted pilgrimage activities in 2020 and 2021, sponsorship resumed in 2022 with 100 officials and 40 sub-officials. By 2023, the number rose to 170 officials and 100 sub-officials,’’ he added.

The Islamic cleric argued that it is necessary to clarify the duplicity of El Rufai’s ban on pilgrimage sponsorship and Governor Uba Sani’s recent decision to ‘’ lift the eleven-year suspension of Kaduna State Government sponsorship of Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem.’’

He pointed out that Governor Uba Sani decision to lift the suspension is a deliberate policy decision anchored on the principles of fairness, inclusivity, and equal citizenship.

Sheikh Maraya further said that lifting the ban ‘’reflects the Governor’s consistent commitment to ensuring that state institutions and policies do not privilege one faith community over another.

‘’ In a plural and religiously diverse state such as Kaduna, government actions must not only comply with constitutional provisions but must also demonstrate visible neutrality and balance,’’ he argued.

The member of the Special Hajj Committee pointed out that the Governor’s decision to lift the ban on Christian pilgrimage ‘’also aligns with the ethical imperatives of Islam, which enjoins justice without discrimination.’’

‘’ Suratul An-Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse 135, calls on believers to stand firmly for justice, even where it may conflict with personal or communal interests.

‘’By restoring Christian pilgrimage sponsorship while maintaining Muslim pilgrimage support, the Governor has reinforced the Islamic principle of fairness rather than undermining it,’’ he added.

The Sheikh argued that ‘’it is necessary to emphasize that the reinstatement of sponsorship for Christian pilgrims does not diminish the state’s support for Muslim pilgrims.

‘’Rather, it establishes balance. Government neutrality in religious matters does not require disengagement from faith-related logistics where historical practice and public policy have already created frameworks for involvement. What neutrality requires is even-handedness,’’ he further said.