By YANGE IKYAA
The Executive Secretary Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Dr Yakubu Pam has said that Pilgrimage is not Tourism. He made this assertion on August 17 at the Pilgrims Terminal , Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at the orientation ceremony organised for the 8th batch of intending pilgrims to Israel and Jordan.
He explained that Pilgrimage requires a lot of patience and sacrifice.
According to him, “as pilgrims, you must endure what you pass through in the course of your Pilgrimage journey”.
He also affirmed that Pilgrimage is not luxury, stating that ” it is a journey to an expected end.” He added, “it is not a journey that is very easy in all ramifications because you must have patience and must experience delayance”.
The NCPC helmsman also admonished the intenting pilgrims to behave as good citizens of Nigeria while at the airport in Israel and Amman, Jordan.
He urged them to cooperate with the airport officials, as well as the commission’s staff by obeying instructions.
Pam further intimated the intending pilgrims that the commission, through the ground handlers in Israel and Jordan, had made all the necessary arrangements that would make their pilgrimage exercise a hitch-free one.
He pointed out that the current cost of Christian pilgrimage is meant to encourage christians to participate actively in pilgrimage as the cost is comparatively cheap and affordable, considering many variables.
His words: “the cost of pilgrimage is very cheap because we want to encourage christians to go on pilgrimage.”
Rev Pam further reiterated the importance of pilgrimage, such as serving as a veritable platform for enduring fellowship amongst the pilgrims and, more importantly, for spiritual impartation and transformation.
He congratulated all the intending pilgrims for scaling through the commission’s screening exercise which qualified them to embark on the spiritual journey.
The 8th batch of intending pilgrims was made up of Yobe and Borno contingents, as well as consulars.
