Pilgrimage Is Not Tourism But Spiritual Impartation – NCPC Boss Says
BY BOLANLE OLAJIDE, ABUJA – The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev Yakubu Pam has said pilgrimage is not tourism but, spiritual impartation and transformation.
Pam, who made the clarification at the Pilgrims Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at the orientation ceremony organised for the 8th batch of intending pilgrims to Israel and Jordan on Wednesday, stressed that Pilgrimage requires a lot of patience and sacrifice.
He explained that pilgrims must endure what they pass through in the course of their Pilgrimage journey, saying that the Pilgrimage is not a luxury.
In the words of Pam; “It is a journey to an expected end. It is not a journey that is very easy in all ramifications because you must have patience and must experience delay”.
The NCPC Executive Secretary, therefore, admonished the intending pilgrims to behave as good citizens of Nigeria while at the airport in Israel and Amman, Jordan just as he urged them to cooperate with the airport officials as well as the Commission’s staff by obeying instructions.
Pam also told the intending pilgrims that the NCPC through the Ground Handlers in Israel and Jordan had made all the necessary arrangements that would make their Pilgrimage exercise a hitch-free one.
The Clergy pointed out that the current cost of Christian Pilgrimage is meant to encourage Christians to participate actively in Pilgrimage, adding that the cost is comparatively cheap and affordable, considering many variables.
According to him; “The cost of Pilgrimage is very cheap because we want to encourage Christians to go on Pilgrimage”.
Pam further said that the importance of pilgrimage is for serving as a veritable platform for enduring fellowship amongst the pilgrims.
He congratulated all the intending pilgrims for scaling through the Commission’s screening exercise which qualified them to embark on the spiritual journey.
A statement by the NCPC’s Head of Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Celestine Toruka said the 8th batch of intending pilgrims comprises Yobe and Borno contingents as well as Consulars.
