Quite typical of such commitments, tongues have been set wagging about the Federal Government’s latest subsidy for intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The award, also observed in some states, is coming at austere times of significant economic hardship...

As rites of the 2023 Hajj begin tomorrow, over two million Muslims participating in the exercise have been urged to abide by the rules to ensure a hitch-free pilgrimage. A total of 95,000 Muslims from Nigeria are among pilgrims who will converge on the plain of Arafat tomorrow.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has reiterated its commitment to transport all pilgrims that registered for the 2023 Hajj within the season’s time frame.

With a total of 14,875 pilgrims from Nigeria already airlifted to Saudi Arabia as at yesterday afternoon when the Flynas flight departed to Madinah with 419 Sokoto pilgrims, the outbound exercise has been smooth since the inaugural flight on May 25, 2023.

Pilgrims are those who are on a journey to heaven. Pilgrims are not distracted, but focus to the heavenly vision. Heaven is for committed pilgrims who hold the things of this world with a loose hand, knowing that their final destination transcends this earth.

It needs no emphasis to state that the hajj rites that would be accepted by the Almighty from His servants are the ones which are prosecuted with lawful means. In other words, a governor who diverts public fund into providing Hajj seats to some Muslims with the intention to maintain their political patronage would suffer double jeopardy.