Gov. Uzodinma Bags Best Christian Pilgrimage Governor Of Year 2023
Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma has bagged the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) award as the Best Christian Pilgrimage Governor of year 2023.
While presenting the Award to Governor Uzodinma on Monday, at the Government House, Owerri, the Imo State capital, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, said the Governor’s gesture of sponsoring a large number of Christians to the holy land was unprecedented not only in Imo state but Nigeria as a whole.
Bishop Adegbite said that by virtue of being the first Christian Pilgrimage Governor for the year 2023, he has become the first Christian Pilgrimage Ambassador in Nigeria.
According to Adegbite; “In Christian Pilgrimage, what you did last year amazed all of us. You sponsored 1000 pilgrims to the Holy land. We are here to really appreciate what you have done. We must encourage you to do more for the people.
“We must appreciate what you have done, and this will encourage other Governors to do likewise. Thank you for the support for the State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Imo state chapter,” he said.
Adegbite hinted that the Commission plans to organize an executive Pilgrimage exercise to Israel in the nearest future and requested Governor Uzodinma and the First Lady of the state to participate in the exercise.
The Executive Secretary of the NCPC announced that the airlift of Christian pilgrims to the holy land would commence next month.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Uzodinma said that the NCPC and Imo State are partners in progress, adding that before the pilgrims embarked on the 2023 Pilgrimage exercise, the state was faced with serious challenges including all sorts of criminalities which compelled his administration to send large delegation to the holy land to go and pray.
Uzodinma said that on their return from the holy land, God answered the prayers of the State, stressing that as Christians and as a way of life, we must continue to go to the holy land.
In his words; “Israel is a land of promise by the Lord, and no evil will meet us there. We did it before and we will do it again”.
The Governor described the NCPC boss as a committed Christian, and a man whose name rings bell in Nigeria, saying that his appointment was well deserved.
He said; “This is one appointment that has been commended nationally as a round peg in a round whole”.
He thanked the Commission for deeming it fit to give him an award which he said would be dedicated to the Almighty God.
Uzodinma advised the officials of the State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board to ensure that those who did not have the privilege of participating in the last Pilgrimage exercise are given the opportunity to benefit in this year’s Pilgrimage exercise.
While assuring that the state will work to send as much number as possible to cover other people, he promised to coordinate other Christian governors to encourage them to sponsor Christians to the holy land.
A statement by Celestine Toruka, Deputy Director and head of the Media and Public Relations of the Commission, said that Uzodinma expressed optimism that under the current leadership in NCPC, Christian Pilgrimage in Nigeria would experience massive turn around because Bishop Adegbite has the capacity and rich wealth of experience to move NCPC to higher heights.
