2021 Pilgrimage: FCT Christian Board to airlift 170 pilgrims, warns against abscondment

In order to ensure a hitch-free 2021 Christian pilgrimage exercise, the  FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board has read a riot act to intending pilgrims from Abuja, the nation’s capital city to the Kingdom of Jordan.

The Board, particularly warned those with the tendencies to disgrace Nigeria through abscondment to stay away from participating in the pilgrimage, as measures are in place to fish them out.

This warning is coming as the Board commenced the pre- departure activities for airlifting of the FCT intending pilgrims to the holy land of the Kingdom of Jordan, this Saturday.

Director of the Board, Dabara  Audu Vingo, who read the riot Act, yesterday during the mandatory COVID-19 testing and other medical examinations, noted that even if an intending pilgrim name is on the visa list, and it was discovered that he or she has the tendencies to abscond, the Board will not allow such person to travel.

Vingo explained that COVID-19 chain reaction test aims at detecting the presence of the virus in the intending pilgrims, as they are required to have a negative test result within the 72 hours before boarding the aircraft to Jordan.

“We are checking for those with the tendencies to disgrace Nigeria through abscondment, because we have our ways to detect those having the tendencies of not wanting to come back to Nigeria. 

“So no matter what, even if you’re given the visa or your name is on the visa list, and we discovered that you have the tendencies to abscond, we will drop you off, and will not allow you to travel with us. That’s the essence of this pre-departure programme, which we began today (yesterday), and we are ending it at the Airport on Saturday. 

“In fact, there will still be another form of venting in that place, in case we are not able to detect everything we want at the point orientation. 

“The airlifting of our pilgrims will be on August 21 which is Saturday. And we’re hoping that by tomorrow, those that were not able to come today, will continue with medical examination”, he stated.

He added that, ” We shall be doing the pilgrims orientation programme, as we want all the intending pilgrims to be aware of what we have on ground, all the expectations of them in the holy land , the change in weather.

“We will further check their health status- the blood pressure and the sugar level. We believe that as many that are going on pilgrims are fit, but in case there are questions or challenges arising, we will be able to put them in order now, because we are set to go with our drugs. And we have qualified doctors to go along with us. 

In this first airlifting of intending pilgrims from the FCT to Jordan, there will be 170, but actually we are 380 on the list.” 

He however explained that many dropped off for different reasons, ranging from complaints about exams, non release by office to other pressing activities within the period.

“They are deferring it to the next pilgrimage programme, given that the November/December pilgrimage  is very close, probably they want to do it at the time of festivities”, he added.

Deepening of faith

On his part, the Chairman, FCT Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Dr. Samson Jonah said Pilgrimage is not just spiritual exercise, but a moment when Christians deepen their relationship with God.

Jonah, described 2021 pilgrimage as unique, given that “we have had a fair share of challenges especially the COVID-19 that disrupted the programme last year.”

According to him, “We never thought, we will embark on this pilgrimage, but God almighty has intervened.  Pilgrimage is not just spiritual exercise, but it’s a moment when we deepen our relationship with God.

“It’s a moment of prayer and a time of intercession, as we are not unaware of the event unfolding in our country. We are praying that through embarking on this pilgrimage, we will all join our hearts and hands together to pray for our nation, believing that God will give us grace to surmount all the challenges this nation is being faced with.”

On the contribution of the FCT Administration to the forthcoming pilgrimage, the FCT CAN Chairman, thanked the FCTA for the support and encouragement Christians have been getting from the  Administration, saying “that’s why the pilgrimage is becoming a reality. So, we want to thank the FCT Minister and all the cabinet members, and we are praying that we will not let them down.”

Emmanuel Ukoh