The Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr Abdul-Hakeem Abdul-Lateef, says Nigerians who embark on pilgrimage must see the exercise as a platform for soul searching and cleansing, and not a jamboree.
He gave the counsel on Tuesday in Lagos, at the Conference of Christian Pilgrimage Operators (CPO) in Nigeria.
The four day conference on “Christian Pilgrimage and the Development of Nigeria,” which started on May 7, is expected to end on May 10.
Abdul-Lateef was represented by the Permanent Secretary in Charge of the state Civil Service Commission, Mrs Toyin Awoseyi, at the conference.
“The idea of going on pilgrimage is for us to go there and come back better citizens, it’s not going on jamboree; it is for us to come back and make our country a better place.
“We want a situation whereby as Christians, everything about you professes Christianity; there should be dignity and honour to those that have the title of Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP),’’ he said.
The commissioner also urged the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) to be innovative and make the pilgrimage more enriching for pilgrims.
“I want to charge NCPC to come up with innovations.
“A lot of people want to go on a yearly basis, but would prefer to tour different places rather than the same place, doing the same thing that they did before.
“NCPC should bring out new ideas; change the timetable and the places visited yearly should be changed.
“A pilgrim wants to have the experience of where Mount Sinai is; the people going on pilgrimage should go to different places each year so that there will be more fulfillment with new experiences, knowledge and renewal of spirit and soul,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, NCPC, Mr Tor Uja, said pilgrims should always project the country positively.
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“We have come to a point where we must put Nigeria first, put the development of Nigeria ahead of our personal issues, and make it the Nigeria of our dreams,“ he said.
Uja said that Christian pilgrims must promote the country by making it a nation that others can look towards.
He commended state governors for supporting many to embark on pilgrimage over the years.
“This can still be improved so that greater numbers of Christian believers are given the opportunity to visit the holy land of God at least once in their lifetime,” he said.
He commended the federal government for offering goods and services and infrastructure for the organisation and supervision of pilgrimage
Uja said that the conference was designed to create the needed environment for CPOs to prosper, for more to emerge and for more organised, coherent and predictable pattern for pilgrimage operations in Nigeria.
He urged CPOs to develop increased carrying capacity, improved efficiency and acquire added access to global practices and networks.
“Pilgrimage must also achieve designed purposes, serve and project Christ, promote development and become the pride of Nigeria,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Conference is reviewing operations, redefining modalities and setting templates for the future. (NAN)
ECO/JPE/SOA