President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday expressed concern over the report that Northern state governments did not sponsor Christian pilgrims during the 2014 pilgrimage to Israel.
He raised the concern when the leader of the Federal Government’s delegation to the pilgrimage, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, led other members to present their report at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Oritsejafor, who is the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria had earlier told the President that all Christian pilgrims from all the states in the North were sponsored by individuals or were self-sponsored.
He said with the total of 12,890 pilgrims that performed the exercise, the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission recorded about 45 percent increase in self-sponsorship.
The President however said economic pressure might have forced the affected state governments to withdraw from sponsoring pilgrims.
He however promised to encourage the affected state governments on the need to change their stand.
He said, “The only thing I noticed is that various state governments are trying to withdraw from sponsorship of pilgrimage maybe because of the economic pressure on them. But we will encourage them to do so.
“Luckily, private institutions have shown interest and I believe that religious bodies, individuals and private institutions will gradually begin to key in to the pilgrimage operations.
“So if sub-national governments relax a little, the gap will be filled up.”
He expressed delight that the exercise was hitch-free despite the huge number of people involved.
He promised that his administration would study the report and implement the various recommendations made.
The President thereafter dissolved the 10-man delegation with a promise to constitute that of 2015 very soon.
As part of the delegation’s report, Oritsejafor called for the adequate funding of Nigerian embassies in Rome, Greece and Tel Aviv to assist in the handling of pilgrims.
He also called on various governments both at the states and local levels to sponsor Christians for pilgrimage especially as the commission is using the pilgrimage as a tool for moral and spiritual transformation. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
THIS YOUR POLITICAL RELIGIOSITY IS GRADUALLY METAMORPHOSING INTO RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY OF A SORT! I HAVE TIME AND AGAIN TOLD GEJ THAT POLITICAL EVANGELISM HAVE NEVER WON ANYBODY ELECTION IN NIGERIA AND HIS WOULD NOT BE AN EXCEPTION! NIGERIANS HAVE RESOLVED THAT YOU GEJ FAILED US AND AS SUCH, NO AMOUNT OF YOUR CHARACTER ASSASSINATION GOSSIPING WOULD MAKE US CHANGE OUR MINDS! BUHARI AND APC IS THE CHANGE NIGERIA NEEDS NOW! MARCH4BUHARI ON THE 28, NIGERIANS, FOR A PROGRESSIVE AND PEACEFUL COUNTRY!
ReplyDeleteMumu
DeleteDon't mind him, jumping from churches to churches as if that was what he was voted to do. Even Pope himself has not junket churches the way thus man his. It's unfortunate that Nigeria electorates are mostly not literate, if not Jona would have sit down to work. Those who want to vote for him because he claims to be a xtian, ask them, what value has he added to their lives. How many people SS, SE sent to JP.
ReplyDeleteEwu,mumu.What value was added to your life in over thirty years of northern rule,that you will expect Jonathan to perform magic in six years,even when he is trying to rebuild what they distroyed.
DeleteLet's talk about the much anticipated election which you and fellow corrupt and criminal elements truncated, not about pilgimage. Nonsense talk.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that the North are not pretensive about their religious intolerance but here we insist that we are one. Justice should be total. Rochas will be the first to Sponsor Moslems. We need religion yanked off our national life
ReplyDeletePlease is pilgrimage going to end the problems in Nigeria? I'm a christian before anyone starts thinking it's a Muslim writing, Jonathan is playing politics with Christians but he will not succeed, he should start by keeping the precepts of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
ReplyDeleteI am sure you are not a christain, God said He has not asked the seed of jJacob to seek Him in vain, so President Jonathan is not seeking Him in vain at the fullness of time God will take glory, and Jonathan will come out victorious So APC keep on mocking him
ReplyDelete