The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May, has appointed Tracey Crouch as minister to help tackle the loneliness suffered by an estimated nine million adults in the country.
Tracey Crouch is expected to lead a drive against a ‘social epidemic’ which experts say can be as unhealthy as heavy smoking.
Prime Minister May, who announced the appointment today, Wednesday, said that isolation is a sad reality of modern life for too many people, adding: “I want to confront this challenge and for all of us to take action to address the loneliness endured by the elderly, by careers, by those who have lost loved ones, people who have no one to talk to or share their thoughts and experiences with.”
The move was recommended in a report from the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness. The Labour MP, who was murdered by a far-Right fanatic, had campaigned on the issue.
Mrs. May said that new minister would produce a cross-government strategy to combat loneliness later this year.
A study by the Co-op and the British Red Cross showed more than nine million people often feel lonely. Age UK says that 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month and Scope, even as another charity says that up to 85 per cent of young disabled adults also feel lonely.
Last month’s report from the Cox Commission identified new mothers and refugees as groups potentially vulnerable to isolation.
Miss Crouch, who will combine the loneliness brief with her role as minister for civil society and sport, last night pledged to honour the memory of Miss Cox.
She said: “I am sure that with the support of volunteers, campaigners, businesses and fellow MPs we can make significant progress in defeating loneliness.”
Miss Crouch has been asked to ‘pull together all strands of government’, including the Treasury, the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions.
Labour MP Rachel Reeves and Mrs May’s parliamentary aide, Seema Kennedy, worked with 13 charities over the past year to help find solutions for the commission’s report.
In a joint statement last night they welcomed the announcement, adding: ‘We are really pleased to see that the Government is taking the issue of loneliness very seriously with its prompt response.’[myad]
National Secretary of the group, Baba Usman Ngeljarma,
Fulani cultural group under the canopy of Miyetti-Allah, has expressed joy in the call by President Muhammadu Buhari for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the heinous Benue murders.
“Our organization has noted with a deep sense of relief, the assurance of President Mohammadu Buhari to the Benue State delegation at the Presidential Villa, yesterday, that the perpetrators of the heinous Benue murders will not go unpunished. Having already expressed our organization’s condemnation of those killings we are in full support of the position taken by the president on this issue.
The Pastoralists, in a statement by their National Secretary, Alhaji Baba Usman Ngeljarma, said that being the major victims of internecine tribal killings across Northern Nigeria for decades on end, “we seize this opportunity to call upon the president to, as a matter of duty, extend his sense of justice to, likewise, arrest and punish all those who committed the genocidal killings of the over 1,000 our men, women and children last June in Mambila, last November in Numan and Kajuru among others.”
The Fulani group insisted that nobody should be made to escape justice as the lives of the Pastoralists are no less precious, adding that such move will not only show that the president is just, fair and protective to all citizens of this great country, but will also demonstrating that the life of every Nigerian is sacrosanct.
The statement said that the arrest and prosecution of every single person that was found to be involved in the killings on both sides, will also serve as a pointer to them that justice is served to those who killed their loved ones and thus forestall future conflict.
“Mr. President should note that our organization has a comprehensive list of the names and places of all our killed ones and their suspected killers, many of which we have previously given to the police and other security agencies.
“While we wait to see the action of the government in giving justice to all Nigerians, not least the Pastoralist community, we want to assure the president of our support and cooperation in his efforts to restore peace and normalcy across Nigeria.”[myad]
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), has launched attack on the Boko Haram’s vehicle workshop in the Sambisa general area in Borno state, destroying the vehicles with all the occupants in them.
The Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement today, Wdednesday, said that the operation was carried out yesterday, January 15 by NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform which had previously discovered that the vehicles were parked in the location.
The statement said that after the discovery, a NAF RPA was detailed to conduct armed reconnaissance in search of the vehicles and terrorists around the location, which was apparently being used as a vehicle workshop.
It said that the RPA discovered that Boko Haram motorcycles and vehicles, including their Commander’s vehicle were parked in the targeted area even as several terrorists were seen moving intermittently within the targeted area.
“The subsequent air strike by the NAF RPA resulted in the immediate destruction of the vehicles in the targeted location, killing all the BHTs inside it, as no survivors were seen scampering from the location after impact.”[myad]
Report reaching Greenbarge Reporters this evening, Wednesday, indicated that four female suicide bombers exploded bombs that killed 10 people with 65 others sustaining various degrees of injuries. The Information officer of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the Northeast zone, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, confirmed that the incident occurred at about 5.05 Pm today, January 16 around Muna Garage, along Mafa Dikwa road in Maiduguri, Borno state. He said that the teams of Emergency Response Team (ERT) from NEMA, the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA) and Red Cross have moved the injured ones to the hospital after being given first aid. Further details on the incidence are expected from security agencies in due course.[myad]
The Federal Minister of Communications, Chief Adebayo Shittu is now at loggerheads with Governor of his Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi against the backdrop of the 2019 general elections. The minister is believed to have already written a petition against the governor to President Muhammadu Buhari and the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Chief John Odegie-Oyegun complaining of high handedness by the governor against him. The petition, which Adebayo personally signed, alleged that because of his interest to contest the governorship election of the State in 2019, governor Ajimobi, through the agents of the state government, pulled down a Computer Based Test Centre which he is putting up in Shaki area of the state capital, Ibadan. Adebayo Shittu warned that he is drawing the attentions of the national leadership of the party, the President and the APC national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to the alleged manipulations of the governor on time as a way of saving the party from total disintegration in the state. The minister, in the petition dated December 18, 2017, said: “I am constrained to bring to your notice the unsavoury development in our great party in Oyo State and the unbecoming behaviour of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who is expected to provide sound moral and exemplary leadership to the citizens of our dear State. “This line of action becomes imperative in view of the sad turn of events in Oyo State APC. It is an open secret that the fortunes of APC has nosedived in the state due to Governor Ajimobi’s undue arrogance, grandstanding, nepotism, caustic and unguarded utterances and creating unnecessary divisions among party leaders and members thereby balkanising the party along group lines. “Worse still, the traditional media and the social media are awash with various commentaries of the negative impact of Governor Ajimobi’s degeneration behavior in the fortunes of our party. “It is on the basis of these facts and some decisions of the Ajimobi’s government as it affects the generality of our people that I have had cause in the past to criticise him and insist that the overall interest of APC as a political party in power should be paramount, rather than the egoistic feelings of the governor and his co-travellers. “In doing this, I don’t have anything personal against Governor Ajimobi, but to stress the importance of him not destroying the very platform that made him governor. The signs that Ajimobi is set to destroy the party are glaring to political watchers, as the voting population in the state is becoming disillusioned more than ever before.” The Minister said that when it was clear to him that the governor was harbouring some form of animosity against him, he arranged a meeting at the Oyo State Government House Abuja where two of them met to resolve all existing misgivings, adding that the governor assured that all such differences had been resolved. He said that just a day after the meeting, the CBT Centre which was part of the issues discussed with the governor was demolished. “At the meeting, I also mentioned to the Governor the outstanding issue of a Computer Based Test Centre under construction in Shaki, which has become a subject of dispute between me and the local government. “I requested for his kind intervention to see to the success of the project which to all intents and purposes would not only assist examination candidates in my hometown but would also be a boost to our party. “The governor promised to intervene and lay the matter to rest, for which I expressed my appreciation for his brotherly promise. The meeting ended on a good note with the hope of a better working relationship.” Adebayo Shittu said that few days after, he called the governor on phone to thank him for the reception and understanding on all the issues discussed. “During the telephone conversation, it was amazing that the governor on his own reassured me that he was soon going to provide me with official documents to revalidate my ownership of the land on which the CBT Centre was being constructed. “Shockingly, the following day, I got information that agents of the state government invaded the site with a bulldozer, a payloader and people suspected to be thugs, uprooted the on-going CBT building project and demolished over 2,000, nine inches blocks on site,” he alleged. He said that efforts made to draw the attention of the governor to the development did not yield anything as the governor neither picked his calls nor replied to his text message. He further claimed that the governor’s grouse against him, by the information available to him, was because he (Shittu) frustrated the governor’s attempts to “unjustifiably” remove the APC Chairman in Ido Local Government of the State, one Pastor Akintokun, who he (Ajimobi) felt had allowed me to have too much access to the political apparatus in the local government. “The governor was said to have been shocked by my acceptance of the Chieftaincy title of Agba-Akin Afiwagboye from the Olubadan of Ibadanland, whom he regarded as an arch-enemy.”[myad]
It is heart-warming to know that Nigeria has been allotted 95,000 slots for the intending pilgrims in the 2018 hajj operations. This was the same number of slots granted Nigeria for 2017 Hajj by the Saudi government. The slots were shared 75,000 and 20,000 to the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Commissions/Agencies and the private tour companies respectively. The slots were granted at a ministerial meeting between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in Makkah, Saudi Arabia where the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 2018 was presented, an event that kick-starts the processes of Hajj every year. This year, the Saudi Arabian delegation was led by the new Minister of Hajj and Umrah Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Saleh Bin Taher Benten while the Nigerian delegation was led by the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim in company with the Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Isa Muhammad Dodo. However, Nigeria is optimistic of fully utilizing its slots for 2018 Hajj, being the fifth country in the world with the highest number of pilgrims to Makkah. Besides, it was not fully utilized last year due to the global/national economic recession and presumed hike in the Hajj fares. Yet, it was surprising that Nigeria was one of the countries with large number of Hajj slots who utilized over 90 percent of its quota for last Hajj. Over 81,000 Nigerian pilgrims officially participated in the 2017 Hajj, kudos to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria which explored all humanly possible means to ease the effects of the fares and opened up amicable communication with the Saudi authorities to relax huge penalties on Nigeria for crossing deadlines. That should not be allowed this year because of the high prestige Nigeria has garnered globally over the years in the management of Hajj affairs. It would be recalled that Nigeria’s Hajj slots were 95,000 before 2012 when the Saudi government, due to the expansion projects on the Grand Mosque of Makkah and Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque in Madinah, slashed down slots for all countries by 20 percent, thus reducing Nigeria’s quota to 75,000 shared to state boards and tour operators 65,000 and 10,000 respectively. The downward review caused agitation amongst the Nigerian Muslims who exhausted the slots every year until the 2017 Hajj that witnessed the restoration of the 20 percent global reduction. Unfortunately, the supposedly good news for Nigerian potential pilgrims was marred by the economic recession and increase in Hajj fares. A lot of them who made huge deposits awaiting the announcement of the Hajj fares by NAHCON found it very difficult to complete the fares. In some states, some pilgrims withdrew from the journey. In short, some states could not utilize half of the allocations given to them by NAHCON. But notwithstanding, a few other states exhausted their slots and demanded for more. It was a tough experience that tested the managerial prowess of NAHCON’s leadership which embarked on aggressive awareness campaign throughout the country on the dangers of losing Hajj slots while Nigeria had been making demands for more slots according to the increase in the Muslim population in Nigeria. By the time the registration deadlines were done, little below 50 percent of the total slots was utilized. The commission explored all available means: the radio, television, Mosques, zonal meetings and meeting with some governors to encourage the pilgrims to pay up for the Hajj exercise. The national ulama team which is constituted by NAHCON from amongst the high class Islamic scholars in Nigeria was mandated to reach out to Muslims in their domains. That effort eventually yielded fruitful results. That is why the Saudi government must have agreed to grant same quota to Nigeria. On this note, the national ulama team of NAHCON and all relevant teams, including the media have the onerous task of continually preaching to the Nigerian Muslim Ummah on the need to completely utilize the 95,000 Hajj slots for 2018. Since the nation’s economic situation is gradually but steadily improving, chances should not be open for the Saudis to reduce Nigeria’s quota in future due to inability to use up the given slots. For the ulama team, they should utilize some of their sermons on Fridays and preaching in Mosques and religious gatherings to reach out to the intending pilgrims. They should seek the support of the Islamic scholars within their vicinities. They can go further and explore house to house meeting with Muslim families who have the interest and intention of going to Hajj. For the NAHCON, it has already released the deadlines for every Hajj activity from the preparatory stage to the end of the Hajj exercise to state boards, in confirmation with the guidelines and dates released by the Saudi Arabia authorities. It advised intending pilgrims to make deposits of N300,000 monthly from November 2017 to March 2018 in order to make up N1.5 million, depending the final announcement of 2018 Hajj fares by NAHCON. It also advised those who can make bulk deposits of such amounts at once to do so. By the time the Hajj fares are announced, those whose deposits are more will definitely be refunded their balances and those who have deficits can easily complete the payments. This is because the Saudi Arabia authorities have vowed not to tolerate late payments for services which every country struggles to secure for its pilgrims. The host country, in its renewed commitment to overcome the challenges which pilgrims faced during the 2017 Hajj especially in Mina, cannot change its schedules for any Hajj event. Saudi Arabia strives to give all human comfort to pilgrims and Nigeria must assist them in securing the best services for the pilgrims who must in turn pay in time to guarantee such services. For the media team, the field is very important to reach the intending pilgrims. They should not only see it as a service to humanity, they can be assured that the spiritual reward of making a Muslim perform his or her obligation is immeasurable. And the overall is on the governors who are primarily the owners of their boards and by extension the pilgrims. They should release funds to their Muslim Pilgrims’ Boards or Commissions or Agencies early enough to put them on the track of meeting up with the March 2018 deadline. It is especially necessary to remind the governors of states of Southeast and South-South that all Hajj activities are time-bound. It is unpleasant to find that pilgrim boards for these two geopolitical zones, save one or two, often cause operational hiccups for Hajj every year due to very late remittance of Hajj fares as well as lack of mobilization of the board officials by their state governors. Finally, we must realize that it is not enough to rejoice that Nigeria was granted 95,000 seats for 2018 Hajj, the onus lies on all members of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to ensure the full utilization of the slots and timely payments of the Hajj fares to guarantee securing best services, as always, for the Nigerian pilgrims.
Muhammad Ajah, an advocate of humanity, peace and good governance, can be reached on mobahawwah@yahoo.co.uk. [myad]
Many Nigerians, including well-educated and enlightened ones, have been shouting themselves hoarse on what they perceived to be either inaction of, or weakness on the part of the Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government in the face of festering crises across the country. The crises so far, are of different dimensions, modes and directions. There is the Boko Haram insurgency which is essentially waging war against Nigeria as a nation, with an international dimension. There is the Niger Delta militancy, which threatens the economy of the country, in addition to the destruction or pollution of the environment. There was, and should we say, is still the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), a secessionist group attempting to form a new country by taking the Southeast out of the Nigerian nation. There is, as it is now, Fulani herdsmen that have gone berserk, killing people, especially in Benue, Taraba and other North Central states of the country. In between these series of crises, had been the input from the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiite, led by Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky of Zaria in Kaduna State. The group allegedly formed its own kind of government around Zaria and challenged the authority of the Nigerian government. At every point in the rise of each of these crises, Nigerians have shouted against, or for the federal government, depending on which side the opposition groups belong. Like we in Greenbarge Reporters noticed earlier, the educated and enlightened ones among Nigerians who ordinarily should analyse the situations and explain them professionally for the rest to understand, have joined in the shouting, so much that the country has been turned into a huge confusionist conglomerate. Indeed, the educated and enlightened ones as well as not so educated ones have taken refuge in turning every crisis into a huge political discourse, burying the constitutional reality, against the background of the federalism we are practicing.
[quote]Indeed, the educated and enlightened ones as well as not so educated ones have taken refuge in turning every crisis into a huge political discourse, burying the constitutional reality, against the background of the federalism we are practicing.[/quote]
In the first place, the federalism confers some kind of independency on state governments/governors. It is in such a way that governors are chief security officers in their respective states, though, with a flawed structure that makes the security foot-soldiers to be controlled by the centre. With a situation such as this, where the governors assume the role of chief security officers but have to rely on the federal security apparatus to operate, the centre would always have to decide, carefully or otherwise, which security situation in which state requires the deployment of its wholly-owned security agents. And this, perhaps, is where the confusion comes in. Many Nigerians have blamed President Buhari for deploying heavy security to repel the IPOB, Niger Delta militants, El-Zakzaky group and even Boko Haram, but has refused to do the same in the case of Fulani killings in parts of the country. Either out of ignorance or as a deliberate action, ensconced in the usual political garb, most of the educated Nigerians ignore the fact that IPOB, Boko Haram and Shiite group have the same thing in common – secessionist tendencies – which no nation would take lightly. The modus operandis of secession is, indeed, grounded on total confrontation against the sovereignty of Nigeria and therefore, a matter that requires the federal might: it is not an issue for any part (state) of the country. The same thing can be said of the Niger Delta militancy, whose operatives sought to run the country down economically and, to, ostensibly, carve a new nation for themselves.
[quote]Either out of ignorance or as a deliberate action, ensconced in the usual political garb, most of the educated Nigerians ignore the fact that IPOB, Boko Haram and Shiite group have the same thing in common – secessionist tendencies – which no nation would take lightly.[/quote]
But, we must not run away from the truth, the issue of Fulani is clearly about the way and manner their hosts treat them. As a matter of fact, it is a truism that no confirmed mad man would display his madness to a person that shows him love, even in his madness.
[quote]But, we must not run away from the truth, the issue of Fulani is clearly about the way and manner their hosts treat them[/quote]
It is, of course, always convenience for people with bias mind to look at one sided part of the issue, but fact remains that if the hosts of Fulani herdsmen have shown some form of compassion, accommodation and understanding towards them, even when they display their ‘madness,’ there would have been no cause for them to go haywire. After all, they say, it takes two to tango. Having said that, we believe that if there is anything that needs to be restructured in the Nigerian structure as a nation, it is the issue of allowing state governments to have their own police, though with its obvious danger of being abused by overzealous governors. We consider it as unfortunate, a situation where we all shout about restructure and none of us has been forthcoming on pushing it to the point it would be practically realised. For more than a decade, the nation’s educated elites have been shouting themselves hoarse about restructuring, but none has actually defined the specific things to be restructured, much more, the way to go about it.
For more than a decade, the nation’s educated elites have been shouting themselves hoarse about restructuring, but none has actually defined the specific things to be restructured, much more, the way to go about it.
[quote]For more than a decade, the nation’s educated elites have been shouting themselves hoarse about restructuring, but none has actually defined the specific things to be restructured, much more, the way to go about it.[/quote]
All we think is politics in the context of restructuring, using the term to hit at the leader or leaders that we don’t like, which has never solved our fundamental problem as people. And, in any case, are our elites expecting or saying that the President should wake up one day and begin to roll out restructuring model for Nigeria?
On whose authority? Only him? Simply because he is President? When he is not a dictator?
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a tete-a-tete with The Gambian President, Adama Barrow, when the latter came calling to say ‘Thank-You’ for helping me to mount the leadership of Gambia, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) today, January 16. Photo by Sunday Aghaeze. [myad]
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has asked the managing Director of BUA Company to explain his alleged role in the existence of militia group whose members have been tormenting the people in the community.
This was even as he expressed surprise over attack on his convoy recently by suspected members of BUA Surveillance Group during his visit to the palace of the traditional ruler of Okpella, Okuokpellagbe of Okpella, Alhaji Andrew Dirisu.
Obaseki, who received Alhaji Andrew Dirisu and his chiefs at the government House in Benin city, the capital of Edo State today, Tuesday, described such attack as “unacceptable and an attack on the Edo State Government.”
He directed the commissioner of police and the Director of Department of State Services (DSS) in the state, to commence search for explosives and other weapons with a view to disarming the militia group that have been operating in the community.
He told the traditional rulers and chiefs from the different clans in the community that the report of a bomb explosion in Okpella is disheartening and must be investigated.
The governor was told that a strange vehicle was seen in Okpella and when concerned people in the community stopped the vehicle, the occupants fled. In the process, one of the occupants set off a bomb which claimed the bomber’s life and his colleague in crime was apprehended. After interrogation, a bomb factory was discovered in the neighbourhood in the community.
Governor Obaseki expressed his worry over the reign of an armed group terrorizing the community, saying: “we cannot pretend that things are fine. We must move arms out of private hands in that community and ensure peace returns to that domain.
“Your Royal Highness, if not for the explosion that rocked the community where one person died, you would not have known that explosives of such nature were in private hands in your domain. In the last one year Okpella has recorded the highest rate of incidents in Edo State. I cannot sit down without taking action.”
He assured that his administration would do all within its power to ensure that all Edo people and residents in the state are safe and secure, promising to nip in the bud, the worrisome trend in Okpella.
The Presidency has called on the General Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Musa Asake to stop spreading information that is not correct to Nigerians.
In a statement today, Tuesday, by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidency advised the CAN scribe to stick to his religious duties and leave politics for politicians.
In the statement, the Presidency said: “our attention has been drawn to reports of a press conference by General Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Musa Asake in which he passed a judgment on the constitutionality of certain actions of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“Unfortunately, he could not cite any valid cases of constitutional violations.”
The statement stressed that President Buhari’s government poses no threat to the country’s democracy and Constitution and that there are no cases of any violation of the constitution “and there will be none under this President.
“The respected religious leader should stick to his religious duties and leave politics for politicians.”[myad]
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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May, has appointed Tracey Crouch as minister to help tackle the loneliness suffered by an estimated nine million adults in the country.
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), has launched attack on the Boko Haram’s vehicle workshop in the Sambisa general area in Borno state, destroying the vehicles with all the occupants in them.
Report reaching Greenbarge Reporters this evening, Wednesday, indicated that four female suicide bombers exploded bombs that killed 10 people with 65 others sustaining various degrees of injuries.
2018 Hajj Slots: Wake Up Call On Islamic Schorlars, By Muhammad Ajah
It is heart-warming to know that Nigeria has been allotted 95,000 slots for the intending pilgrims in the 2018 hajj operations. This was the same number of slots granted Nigeria for 2017 Hajj by the Saudi government. The slots were shared 75,000 and 20,000 to the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Commissions/Agencies and the private tour companies respectively.
The slots were granted at a ministerial meeting between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in Makkah, Saudi Arabia where the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 2018 was presented, an event that kick-starts the processes of Hajj every year. This year, the Saudi Arabian delegation was led by the new Minister of Hajj and Umrah Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Saleh Bin Taher Benten while the Nigerian delegation was led by the Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim in company with the Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Isa Muhammad Dodo.
However, Nigeria is optimistic of fully utilizing its slots for 2018 Hajj, being the fifth country in the world with the highest number of pilgrims to Makkah. Besides, it was not fully utilized last year due to the global/national economic recession and presumed hike in the Hajj fares. Yet, it was surprising that Nigeria was one of the countries with large number of Hajj slots who utilized over 90 percent of its quota for last Hajj. Over 81,000 Nigerian pilgrims officially participated in the 2017 Hajj, kudos to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria which explored all humanly possible means to ease the effects of the fares and opened up amicable communication with the Saudi authorities to relax huge penalties on Nigeria for crossing deadlines. That should not be allowed this year because of the high prestige Nigeria has garnered globally over the years in the management of Hajj affairs.
It would be recalled that Nigeria’s Hajj slots were 95,000 before 2012 when the Saudi government, due to the expansion projects on the Grand Mosque of Makkah and Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque in Madinah, slashed down slots for all countries by 20 percent, thus reducing Nigeria’s quota to 75,000 shared to state boards and tour operators 65,000 and 10,000 respectively. The downward review caused agitation amongst the Nigerian Muslims who exhausted the slots every year until the 2017 Hajj that witnessed the restoration of the 20 percent global reduction.
Unfortunately, the supposedly good news for Nigerian potential pilgrims was marred by the economic recession and increase in Hajj fares. A lot of them who made huge deposits awaiting the announcement of the Hajj fares by NAHCON found it very difficult to complete the fares. In some states, some pilgrims withdrew from the journey. In short, some states could not utilize half of the allocations given to them by NAHCON. But notwithstanding, a few other states exhausted their slots and demanded for more. It was a tough experience that tested the managerial prowess of NAHCON’s leadership which embarked on aggressive awareness campaign throughout the country on the dangers of losing Hajj slots while Nigeria had been making demands for more slots according to the increase in the Muslim population in Nigeria.
By the time the registration deadlines were done, little below 50 percent of the total slots was utilized. The commission explored all available means: the radio, television, Mosques, zonal meetings and meeting with some governors to encourage the pilgrims to pay up for the Hajj exercise. The national ulama team which is constituted by NAHCON from amongst the high class Islamic scholars in Nigeria was mandated to reach out to Muslims in their domains. That effort eventually yielded fruitful results. That is why the Saudi government must have agreed to grant same quota to Nigeria.
On this note, the national ulama team of NAHCON and all relevant teams, including the media have the onerous task of continually preaching to the Nigerian Muslim Ummah on the need to completely utilize the 95,000 Hajj slots for 2018. Since the nation’s economic situation is gradually but steadily improving, chances should not be open for the Saudis to reduce Nigeria’s quota in future due to inability to use up the given slots.
For the ulama team, they should utilize some of their sermons on Fridays and preaching in Mosques and religious gatherings to reach out to the intending pilgrims. They should seek the support of the Islamic scholars within their vicinities. They can go further and explore house to house meeting with Muslim families who have the interest and intention of going to Hajj.
For the NAHCON, it has already released the deadlines for every Hajj activity from the preparatory stage to the end of the Hajj exercise to state boards, in confirmation with the guidelines and dates released by the Saudi Arabia authorities. It advised intending pilgrims to make deposits of N300,000 monthly from November 2017 to March 2018 in order to make up N1.5 million, depending the final announcement of 2018 Hajj fares by NAHCON. It also advised those who can make bulk deposits of such amounts at once to do so. By the time the Hajj fares are announced, those whose deposits are more will definitely be refunded their balances and those who have deficits can easily complete the payments.
This is because the Saudi Arabia authorities have vowed not to tolerate late payments for services which every country struggles to secure for its pilgrims. The host country, in its renewed commitment to overcome the challenges which pilgrims faced during the 2017 Hajj especially in Mina, cannot change its schedules for any Hajj event. Saudi Arabia strives to give all human comfort to pilgrims and Nigeria must assist them in securing the best services for the pilgrims who must in turn pay in time to guarantee such services.
For the media team, the field is very important to reach the intending pilgrims. They should not only see it as a service to humanity, they can be assured that the spiritual reward of making a Muslim perform his or her obligation is immeasurable.
And the overall is on the governors who are primarily the owners of their boards and by extension the pilgrims. They should release funds to their Muslim Pilgrims’ Boards or Commissions or Agencies early enough to put them on the track of meeting up with the March 2018 deadline. It is especially necessary to remind the governors of states of Southeast and South-South that all Hajj activities are time-bound. It is unpleasant to find that pilgrim boards for these two geopolitical zones, save one or two, often cause operational hiccups for Hajj every year due to very late remittance of Hajj fares as well as lack of mobilization of the board officials by their state governors.
Finally, we must realize that it is not enough to rejoice that Nigeria was granted 95,000 seats for 2018 Hajj, the onus lies on all members of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to ensure the full utilization of the slots and timely payments of the Hajj fares to guarantee securing best services, as always, for the Nigerian pilgrims.
Muhammad Ajah, an advocate of humanity, peace and good governance, can be reached on mobahawwah@yahoo.co.uk. [myad]