The 267th Bishop of Rome and the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, has extended a personal invitation to President Bola Tinubu to his inauguration on Sunday, May 18. In the Papal invitation, sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo XIV, stressed the need for President Tinubu’s physical presence “at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts. Pope Leo further stressed: “Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.” President Tinubu who has accepted the invitation is scheduled to depart Abuja for Rome, the capital of Italy, on Saturday, May 17. He will be accompanied by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah. Others in President Tinubu’s entourage includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Archbishop of Owerri and President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and Alfred Martins of Lagos. Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will be formally installed at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The Conclave of Cardinals elected him 27 days after his predecessor, Pope Francis, died on April 21. A statement from the presidency said that Tinubu will return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and upon all his family and companions. Dear brothers and sisters! Tribalism is the pernicious and deleterious ideology that afflicts all human societies in every time and period, originating in the worship of idols and reconstructing itself into many forms throughout the ages. In modern times, we know it as the specters of racism, xenophobia, supremacism, imperialism, nepotism, slavery, fascism, genocide and ethnic cleansing. In practice, it rears its ugly head in the shape of prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination. Allah has commanded us to uphold justice with all other human beings regardless of their race, tribe, region, religion, or identity. Allah the Most High said: “O you, who believe, be persistently standing firm in justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. Follow not your desires, lest you not be just.” [Qur’an, 4:135] Respected brothers and sisters! Tribalists, by contrast, reject all universal standards of justice. They divide the world into the privileged in-group and the demonised out-groups, holding to the slogan “my people, right or wrong.” Their love of their own people and hatred of different people causes them to rationalise and justify the unjustifiable. Wathilah Ibn Al-Asqa reported: I said: “O Messenger of Allah is it part of tribalism that a man loves his people?” the Prophet said: “No, rather it is tribalism that he supports his people in wrongdoing.” [Sunan ibn Majah] Love for one’s people is normal and healthy if it leads to good deeds, but such love that comes at the expense of justice is not true love at all. Tribalism by this definition has been rejected by Islam in the harshest terms. Tribalism is a form of “blind following” whose adherents live in “ignorance,” an allusion to the pre-Islamic worship of idols. Jundub Ibn Abdullah reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Whoever is killed under the banner of blind following, which calls to tribalism or supports tribalism, then he has died upon ignorance.” [Muslim] The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) disowned anyone who lives by the ideology of tribalism or supports it in any way. Sometimes, tribalists might be outwardly Muslims, but in reality Allah will not count them among the true and sincere believers. Jubair Ibn mut’im reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “He is not one of us who calls to tribalism. He is not one of us who fights for the sake of tribalism. He is not one of us who dies following the way of tribalism.” [Sunan Abu Dawud] The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) delivered an instructive parable to use about the likeness of one who adheres to tribalism: Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Whoever supports his people in oppression is like a dead camel that falls into a well and is pulled out by its tail.” [Musnad of Imam Ahmad] In another narration, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “The parable of the one who supports his people upon other than the truth is that of a dead camel that falls into a well and is pulled out by its tail.” [Musnad of Imam Ahmad] The Tribalist who falls into this sin is destroyed, just like a camel that plunges to his death inside a well. The corpse of his sin will poison the well for an entire town, while the townspeople must endure the hideous sight and stench as they remove his carcass from their drinking water. Like the rotting camel, all throughout history we have seen the deadly and dangerous presence of tribalism justify ethnic cleansing, oppression, bloodshed, killing, murder, and genocide. Tribalism takes many different forms, but the mindset is always the same. When tribalists justify themselves in terms of race, this is classic biological racism. Sometimes tribalists justify themselves in terms of culture, claiming their culture must dominate others, in which case they are simply practicing cultural racism. Even religion itself can be used to construct and justify an ideology of tribalism. If religion is used to violate the human rights of others and rationalise injustice against out-groups, it has become nothing more than religious racism. Rather, the religion of Islam teaches us to uphold the rights of all human beings, to walk with humility, and to leave the divine judgment to Allah alone. We would do well to remember the fates of the humble sinner and the arrogant worshipper. Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Two men among the children of Israel were the opposite of each other. One of them was a sinner and the other would strive in worship. The worshiper would see the sinner and tell him to stop. One day he found him sinning so he said: Stop! The sinner said: leave me alone, by my Lord, have you been sent as a watchman over me? The worshiper said: by Allah, Allah will not forgive you or admit you into paradise. Later their souls were taken and they met in the presence of the Lord of the worlds. Allah said to the worshiper: Did you have knowledge of me or power over what is in my hand? Allah said to the sinner: Enter Paradise by my mercy. And Allah said to the worshiper: Take him to the Hellfire.” [Sunan Abu Dawud] In other words, it is never fair to compare the best of ourselves to the worst of others, lest we fall into the destructive sin of arrogance and braggadocio. No matter what scheme is used to justify tribalism, whether race, tribe, culture, region or religion, the outcome is always the same: racist practice. Whoever the tribalists designate as the out-group will suffer prejudice, bigotry, nepotism and discrimination meant to enhance the tribalists own privilege at the expense of those they deem inferior. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji’uun! The method of tribalism is to issue blanket indictments of an entire race, tribe, culture, region, religion, or group of people. They will condemn an entire group for the crimes of a few, or misrepresent an entire group by only examining its worst elements. Thus, the purveyors of Islamophobia claim all Muslims are terrorists, the purveyors of anti-Semitism claim all Jews are greedy, the purveyors of racism claim black people are natural criminals and parasites, and the purveyors of tribalism support their tribe against other’s tribe. In every case, the tribalists construct a false caricature of their victims to be the straw man of their vicious attacks. Islam teaches us to reject such blanket indictments and false generalisations. Some of the Prophet’s companions began to have bad thoughts about all of the Jews and Christians, but Qur’anic verses were revealed making clear distinctions the righteous and unrighteous. Allah the Most High said: “They are not all the same. Among the people of the Book (Jews and Christians) is a community standing in obedience, reciting the verses of Allah during the night and prostrating in prayer. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to do good deeds. Those are among the righteous. Whatever good deeds they do will never be denied, for Allah knows well the righteous.” [Qur’an, 3:113-115] It would be wrong to negatively characterise an entire religious group with all its unique individuals and diverse interpretations. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) firmly censured the poets of his time who had a habit of excoriating entire tribes. Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Verily, the greatest of people in falsehood is a man who insults another man by disparaging the entire tribe.” [Sunan Ibn Majah] In another narration, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “Verily, the greatest criminal among people is a poet who disparages the entire tribe.” [al-Adab al-Mufrad] If we accept blanket indictments of an entire group, tribe, religion or region, then we are making a claim of collective guilt that will ultimately lead to collective punishment, and collective punishment is a crime of war. Islam rejects collective guilt and punishment, in word and deed, as innocent people may never be held accountable for the crimes of others. Allah the Most High said: “No soul earns anything except it is upon itself, and none shall bear the burdens of another.” [Qur’an, 6:164] Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “No man is to be punish for the crimes of his father or his brother.” [Sunan An-Nasa’i] Hence, tribalism is the ideological core of all militant terrorists, armed bandits and criminals, regardless of whether they support state terrorism or renegade terrorism. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) renounce anyone who fights for tribalistic reasons and who eschews the principle of non-combatant distinction in war. Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fights under the banner of one who is blind, raging for the sake of tribalism, or calling to tribalism, or supporting tribalism, and is killed in this state will have died upon ignorance (Jahiliyyah). Whoever rebels against my nation, striking the righteous and wicked alike and sparing not even the believers and he does not fulfill the pledge of security, then he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.” [Muslim] When the connection between tribalism and terrorism is understood, it will not be difficult for you to see that every violent extremist group, whether white supremacists or kharijite terrorists or armed bandits or others, all share the same basic tribalist ideology even thought they express it in different terms. In sum, Islam rejects all forms of tribalism, racism, and bigotry. We must not construct a false caricature of other groups in order to justify oppression, blanket indictments, and collective punishment against them. We must take the lead in upholding justice and the natural rights of not only Muslim, but of all human beings. Remember, whether you are Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri, Nupe, Ebira, Igala, Okun etc., first thing is we are all Nigerians and Allah the Almighty created us to live together and benefit from each other’s gift, wisdom and experience. Further, no group or tribe can claim ownership of the Nigerian state; being different in tribes isn’t a reason why others will be maligned, belittled, vilified, denigrated, bad-mouthed, aspersed, dress downed and demonised. Therefore we must all fear Allah and avoid any tribalistic behavious that will jeopardise our peaceful co-existence. Let’s join hands together to move the country forward, in order to have the blessing of sustainable peace, unity and progress. The Black, White, Yellow, Africans, Americans, Arabs, Europeans, Asians, northerners, southerners, westerners, easterners, etc. are all the same in the eyes of Allah. We should not be deceived by our colour, tribe, region, race or anything. Dear brothers and sisters! Religion and scripture have long been blamed for many of society’s ills. You’ve probably heard these rants before: “Religion causes bloodshed!” “Religion causes war!” It’s not religion, but the misinterpretation of religion that contributes to the social evils we see today. True religion can only serve as a source of peace. It doesn’t cause society’s problems, it cures them. Nevertheless, in certain pockets of the world racism still lives. It exists as a modern evil – a mental disease caused by a corrupted mindset. Its cure by the way is nothing new, in fact it’s fourteen hundred years old. Islamic tradition known as Hadith states that in his final sermon the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: “There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a non-Arab over an Arab. Neither is the white superior over the black, nor is the black superior over the white — except by piety.” Ya Allah! Make us among those who earn your forgiveness and acquire safety from the Hell fire, Ameen. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Prayers, peace and mercy are upon our beloved master, Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Peace be upon him), his family and Companions. And success comes from Allah, and He, the Most High, knows best.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.
No fewer than 50 out of 230 civil servants in the services of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) that were last week tagged “ghost workers” have reminded the chairman of the Civil Service Commission that they are yet to be paid their April salaries. The civil servants, who work in different departments, including medical department were technically disengaged with their April salaries stopped without any formal explanation other than they were suspected to be ghost workers. The following day after they discovered that their April salaries had been stopped, Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) and members of other associations affected by the strange “disengagement” embarked on warning strike action. With the strike going on, the April salaries of many of those affected were paid while about 50 others could not be paid because of what was said to be technical hitches in payroll. Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Chief Emeka Ezeh gave assurance last week that the salaries of the remaining civil servants would be paid before Friday last week. However, the affected civil servants have expressed concern that as at today, Wednesday, May 14, there has been no information about the payment of their withheld salaries. The civil servants, still made up of medical personnel, and others, appealed to the Civil Service Commission chairman to hasten the process of the payment to save them from financial inconveniences. The Commission’s chairman had last week formally apologized for withholding the April salaries of the affected 230 civil servants, including those in senior and managerial cadres. They were tagged ABSCONDMENT. According to Chief Ezeh, the salaries were withheld due to a human error encountered during an effort to sanitise the payroll system. He said that the measures were part of efforts to identify and eliminate ghost workers, but inadvertently led to the exclusion of legitimate personnel. “We were trying to clean up the payroll and in the process, some genuine staff were mistakenly affected. I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience. The affected salaries will be released between now and Friday.”
Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede has admitted that technical errors occured during the conduct of the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Addressing newsmen today, May 14, in Abuja, Professor Oloyede apologized for the errors even as he announced the rescheduling of fresh UTME for 379,997 candidates in the five States of the South-East and Lagos State. “What should have been a moment of joy has been marred by one or two errors.” He took responsibility for what he described as a “sabotage” of the 2025 UTME exercise, adding that those who were affected will start getting text messages from the Board starting from tomorrow, Thursday, May 15. “The affected candidates will start getting text messages for reschedule starting from tomorrow (Thursday). I apologise, I take full responsibility.” It would be recalled that 1.9 million candidates sat the 2025 UTME and that over 1.5 million reportedly scored below 200 marks out of the maximum 400 marks, raising concerns across the nation’s education sector. According to the Board, a total of 1,955,069 results were processed, out of which only 4,756 candidates (0.24 per cent) scored 320 and above, considered top-tier performance, while 7,658 candidates (0.39 per cent) scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total for those who scored 300 and above to 12,414 candidates (0.63 per cent). Also, 73,441 candidates (3.76 per cent) scored between 250 and 299 while 334,560 candidates (17.11 per cent) scored between 200 and 249. A total of 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) scored between 160 and 199, which is widely regarded as the minimum threshold for admissions in many tertiary institutions. In the same vein, 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent) scored between 140 and 159, 57,419 candidates (2.94 per cent) scored between 120 and 139, 3,820 candidates (0.20 per cent) scored between 100 and 119, and 2,031 candidates (0.10 per cent) scored below 100. Over 75 per cent of all the candidates (1.5 million) scored below 200. This year’s UTME saw a significant drop in performance, sparking concerns among students, parents and educators. The UTME examination, which is a major requirement for admission into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, assesses candidates in four subjects, with the compulsory use of English language.
Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has cautioned the PDP against making the mistake of 2023. At a media chat, Wike said that the party cannot afford to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the north where the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar is likely to continue to pursue his Presidential ambition. Wike stressed that PDP needs to come out openly and declare that its presidential candidate would come out from the south. Wike, who is serving as a minister in the government of All Progressives Congress (APC) warned that if his party, PDP plays the same game it played in 2023, “it will backfire. “This smartness won’t help us. Let’s come out now and let everybody know where we are heading. We can’t send the presidency to the north. I told them. Selfishness can kill a system. “For example, if Mr president (Bola Tinubu) runs and wins in 2027, by 2031 APC will send their presidential ticket to the north. “PDP will do what then? We will come back then and say since APC is sending it to the north, let’s give the north our presidential ticket: What kind of smartness is that?” In May 2024, Atiku had said that he would continue to vie for the number one office in the land as long as he is alive and healthy. Justifying the number of times he had contested without making headway, Atiku said that even the former President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln contested seven times before his eventual victory.
Over eight thousand Nigerian muslims have already been flown to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage. The flight operation began on Thursday, May 8 from Owerri, the Imo State capital. The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), which is overseeing the conduct of the entire Hajj operations, in a statement today, May 12, confirmed that there has been what it called “remarkable progress” in the ongoing airlift of Nigerian pilgrims for the 2025 Hajj. The statement, by the spokesperson of the Commission, Hajiya Fatima Sanda Usara said that within three days of commencement, the Commission has successfully airlifted 19 percent of the total intending pilgrims. She said that this is an improvement from the 9 percent airlifted within the same period in 2024. According to Fatima Hajiya Sanda Usara, Air Peace has concluded the airlift of Kogi State pilgrims, transporting 559 out of the 564 scheduled. “Similarly, Max Air has completed the airlift of Oyo State pilgrims with a total of 1,083 pilgrims successfully conveyed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Imo and Abia States have also completed their operations, with the exception of a few “no-show” pilgrims during the inaugural flight. “These will be accommodated in the mop-up flights later in the exercise. “For Nasarawa State with 944 pilgrims, UMZA Air is concluding its operations currently with the final flight already on the ground, preparing for takeoff. “Going forward, UMZA Air is scheduled to begin the airlift of Kaduna State pilgrims on 14th May and will operate back-to-back flights. “FlyNas will commence the airlift of Sokoto pilgrims by 13th May and, barring any changes, will begin operations for Abuja pilgrims on 16th May. Air Peace is slated to begin the transportation of Borno pilgrims on 18th May.” She quoted the NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman of commending the performance of the airlines, the State Pilgrims’ Boards and other stakeholders for their cooperation that facilitated the smooth and timely movement of pilgrims.
Group President of the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced that he is commiting the sum of N15 billion to make his own university, Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil (ADUSTECH), Kano State a world class. Dangote, who is also the Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), in his speech at the 5th convocation ceremony of the institution, said that the University is being repositioned to lead in the race for the production of cutting edge research and highly skilled manpower that meets the requirements of market demands, industries and real problem solvers in the Nigerian society. “It is in this vein that I wish to use this opportunity to announce the launch of the 5-year Development plan which I envision for this institution. “Over the next 5 years, we will commit the sum of N15 billion to the following projects: the design and construction of additional student hostels; the design and construction of a world class Engineering Lab; the design and construction of a world class multipurpose computer lab -open to all students of the institution which will also be equipped with 24-hour internet access to support academic research and the installation of a mini-solar plant to support access to power on campus. “We also undertake to design and construct a befitting Senate building that will house the administration of this institution. Finally, we will also reserve post-NYSC employment slots for the best performing graduates in Engineering and other related courses that form part of our areas of interest at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant and Dangote Cement Plants.”
Dangote, who was reappointed the Chancellor of the University, said that the funding for such an institution placed a significant burden on the government, which is why, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, it is able to offset the University’s electricity bill to ease the strain on their finances. “Additionally, to support the infrastructural drive of the University, we built two blocks of Male and Female Hostels with 500 bed spaces each. “We also ensured the availability of electricity in a specialized University like ours for continuous teaching, learning and research, via the connection of the University to a 33KVA line, and provided a 2.5 MVA transformer and six (6) step-down transformers. This, I believe, has gone a long way in solving the energy needs of the University.” Dangote congratulated the vision of those who dreamt of the institution 25 years ago. “An institution that began with a student population of 88, today has a population of more than 21,877 students and this combined convocation has a total of about 18,000 graduates. This is indeed,ba milestone.” In his address, Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State commended Dangote for contributing financially and morally towards the development of the University, adding: “all of us will continue to remember you as a visionary and African illustrious industrialist.” The University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Musa Tukur Yakasa said that 18,000 students were being celebrated during the convocation ceremony, having graduated from the university in the last ten years to date. A business mogul, Chief Arthur Eze, founder of Max Air and billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate and founder of Amasco Oil, Al-Mustapha Ado bagged honorary doctorate degrees. The Vice Chancellor said that the University has recorded significant strides in its academic journey to greater heights, including program accreditation and a mathematical digital model designed by a university product, Mahmoud Mubarak, for measuring deforestation density.
The Commissioner for Information in Yobe State, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, has lectured public information managers in the government of Governor Mai Mala Buni on how to effectively manage information on the Impactful governance of the governor. The Commissioner, who commended the governor for prioritizing capacity-building initiatives, stressed that such initiatives would go a long way to enhance service delivery in the state. Delivering a paper titled: “Public Information Management in a Democracy: Experience Sharing,” at a three-day capacity-building workshop for Focal Persons held in Kano, Abdulrahi Bego lauded the Governor for his commitment to fostering impactful governance. The Commissioner emphasized the pivotal role of information managers, tagged “Focal Persons,” saying that as public information managers within their respective sectors or agencies, their responsibilities extend beyond their immediate assignments. He reminded them that they serve as conduits for managing information processes and ensuring transparency to build trust between their agencies and the public. Drawing from his extensive experience as a government spokesperson for over a decade; serving under Governors Mamman B. Ali, Ibrahim Gaidam and Mai Mala Buni, Abdullahi Bego shared practical insights into the challenges and best practices of public information management. “Focal Persons, by the nature of their roles, are custodians of public information. Regardless of the sector or agency they are assigned to, their ability to effectively manage information flow, especially in the digital era, can significantly influence public trust and service outcomes.” He cautioned Focal Persons on the responsible use of social media, urging them to exercise discretion and professionalism in their engagements. According to the Commissioner, their actions in the digital space should align with the values of transparency, accountability, and service excellence that Governor Buni’s administration embodies. Abdullahi Bego expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the workshop and the support provided by the state government would empower the Focal Persons to deliver tangible benefits to the people of Yobe State. Governor Mai Mala Buni, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Malam Wali, had declared both the opening and closing ceremonies of the workshop. The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to providing the necessary support and resources for effective governance and sustainable development across the state. The workshop, themed: “Towards Qualitative and Impactful Service Delivery for Sustainable Development,” was a platform for participants to acquire essential skills and resources, with each Focal Person receiving laptops and other training materials. The program concluded with a comprehensive framework for implementing and monitoring service delivery tailored to the needs of Yobe State.
The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma has described his state as a home of shared values of faith and unity. According to him “Imo has long stood as a place of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.” Governor Uzodinma, who spoke today, May 9, at the flag off of the airlift of intending Muslim pilgrims, first ever, from the state airport to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj, said that the maiden flight showcases “our identity as a state that embraces diversity.” He said that it is a thing of pride for the people of the state to witness the beginning of the airlift of 315 pilgrims from Imo, Abia and Bayelsa States. “This marks the first international flight from Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, and the official commencement of this year’s Hajj operations nationwide.” He said that very soon, Christian pilgrims too would depart for the Holy Land from the same airport. Uzodinma stressed that the development showed “our shared values of faith and unity. “This flag-off also opens a new economic window for our state. With improved infrastructure and rising investor confidence, Imo is becoming a viable destination for business, logistics, and tourism. “We are in discussions with commercial airlines to include Imo in their international flight networks. “Opening Imo to the world marks a major step in our economic agenda. Other pillars of that vision are advancing with equal focus. “The dredging of Oguta Lake to the Atlantic is underway. We are expanding energy access and leveraging our gas reserve, the largest in the country. “Gradually and deliberately, we are laying the foundations for inclusive and sustainable growth.”
Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Saleh Usman has advised intending pilgrims from Nigeria to the Holy to make sure they drink a lot of water while performing the Hajj to avoid the effects of extreme heat. The chairman who spoke today, May 9, in Owerri, capital of Imo state, at official flag-off of the inaugural flight for Hajj 2025, said that due to expected hot weather, they should drink a lot of water and juice to remain healthy. He reminded them that pilgrimage is one of the most important journeys of their lives “as Duyuful Rahman- Guests of Allah The Merciful. “Represent Nigeria well. Obey your officials. Follow the rules of the Kingdom and those of your country. Keep yourself away from harm whether natural or man-made by obeying guidelines.” Professor Usman Saleh said that the Commission had made adequate arrangement for the welfare and wellbeing of the Nigerian Pilgrims in the Holy land. He called on them to, above all, keep their intentions pure “and your hearts open for Allah’s guidance.” NAHCON boss described the event as the first ever Hajj inaugural flight to take off from the Eastern part of the country.
“Governor Uzodimma’s readiness to host this inaugural flight that will convey 315 pilgrims from Abia, Bayelsa and Imo is exceptional and heartwarming. It shows the level of religious harmony the Governor is promoting in Nigeria.” “Today marks the beginning of a blessed journey for thousands of Nigerian Muslims. It is not just a journey to the holy land of Makkah, but a spiritual journey that carries deep meaning in the lives of the pilgrims. “We have made adequate arrangements for reception of our pilgrims in Madinah and Jeddah Airports. Our target is to complete the entire airlift operation within two weeks, In Shaa Allah. “Since assuming office just eight months ago as Chairman of NAHCON, our team has worked day and night to make Hajj more affordable and more comfortable for Nigerian pilgrims. By the mercy of Allah and with support from government and stakeholders, we succeeded in stabilising the cost of Hajj significantly— this is no small achievement, especially in the face of rising global inflation and currency challenges. “We are proud to say that for the first time in the history of Nigerian Hajj operations, we secured Tent A Plus for our VIP pilgrims—a scarce accommodation facility near the Jamarat area in Mina. This upgrade is a major milestone that reflects our commitment to improving pilgrims’ welfare and dignity. “In our spirit of brotherhood and cooperation, NAHCON provided crucial financial assistance to Tour Operators that allowed them to secure their camp bookings in time. We also made a special sacrifice by allowing Private Tour Operators to use the remaining slots in Masha’ir from the 52,000 reservations we made under the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards. Through this arrangement, the Tour Operators that have exhausted their allocation have continued to successfully register additional pilgrims. “Esteemed listeners, knowing the tough weather conditions expected this year in Saudi Arabia, we went further to engage more officials and staff for offshore duties compared to the previous year. This was done to ensure better care for our pilgrims and out of deep concern for the wellbeing of our staff. This will enable a shift-based working system so no staff and other officials would be overworked or risk being affected by heatstroke or health complications due to long time exposure to the extreme heat. “As we move forward, we continue to seek the blessings of Almighty Allah and the support of all stakeholders to deliver a smooth and successful Hajj operation.
“At this point, I wish to express deep appreciation to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Vice President, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, for their endless support and fatherly guidance to the Hajj Commission. Their devotion to the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims led to their timely intervention in the issue of BTA in form of credit card for the 2025 Hajj pilgrims. Their leadership continues to inspire us to serve our pilgrims with dedication aiming for excellence. The inaugural flight was flagged off by Vice President, Kashim Shettima, and in attendance were the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello; the Chairman of the House Committee on Hajj Affairs, Honourable Jafaru Muhammad Alli, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar; NAHCON Commissioners and Board Members as well as Chairman for Forum of States Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Coordinator.
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The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma has described his state as a home of shared values of faith and unity.
“At this point, I wish to express deep appreciation to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Vice President, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, for their endless support and fatherly guidance to the Hajj Commission. Their devotion to the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims led to their timely intervention in the issue of BTA in form of credit card for the 2025 Hajj pilgrims. Their leadership continues to inspire us to serve our pilgrims with dedication aiming for excellence.