Abiodun Dada
Speakers at the just concluded National Christian pre pilgrimage retreat held in Lagos has urged Christians in the country especially
those participating in the year 2012 pilgrimage to take the case of insecurity and others
problem facing Nigeria to God in prayer during their sojourn to the holy land
Among the speakers who spoke at the retreat entitled
Pilgrimage as a tool for Moral
transformation and Spiritual Rebirth were Lagos state governor Raji Fashola,
Chairman Nigeria Christian
Pilgrimage Commission Most Rev Dr, Nicholas Oko, executive
secretary of the commission Mr.
John Kennedy Opara and Right Reverend Professor Dapo Asaju Bishop of Anglican
Diocese Badagry Lagos state.
Governor Fashola who
was represented by his commissioner for Home affairs Alhaji Mohammed
Danmole in his welcome address
said Nigerian should see going to
pilgrimage as an avenue to pray
to God
for intervention in the
insecurity and economic crisis facing Nigeria and reiterate his
commitment to support people
embarking into the holy land for
spiritual rebirth
Also the
Chairman of the commission Rev Dr
Nicholas Okon, Nigerians is a country where leaders uprightness is a scarce
commodity, which pave ways
for indiscipline, disorder, corruption ,
injustice , robbery, rape
kidnapping disunity among the peoples of the nation. Adding that the
inability of the leaders at various levels has culminated into the societal
crisis which is affecting the nation today.
The Anglican Bishop also caution the religious leaders on
immoralities and corruption in the church saying,” we clergy need to check
ourselves to be sure that we are not guilty of what we accuse the politicians
in government and charged them to be a good example.
He however warned politician
against fanning embers of division against the Unity of Nigeria, “most of the
politicians concentrate on their enclave rather than harmonising together
to build a formidable centre,”
fragmentation is not the problem but disunity an actually help to weigh it
down” he stated.
The executive secretary of the commission Mr. John Kennedy
Opara in his address explained that the
essence of chosen the topic for the retreat
is to sensitize participants on the need to see pilgrimage as a tools for moral
and spiritual transformation. According to him “this is a moment that will
define our course, our character, and our pilgrimage for decades to come, if we
succeed in getting our pilgrims to be
morally and spiritually transformed, they will in turn transform others and in no distant time our society
will be morally and spiritually
transformed”.
Mr Opara concluded by
appealing to Nigerian to continue to pray for the peace of the nation and
work together to enhance harmony and peaceful co existence.
Earlier in his sermon, Professor Dayo Asaju of Anglican Diocese of Badagry gave
ten reason why pilgrimage is
important for Christians who can afford
it and urge the NCPC to live up to expectation by
ensuring that going for pilgrimage is not for jamboree but for
a spiritual and moral rebirth.Others at the retreat were, chairmen and secretaries of the 36 state pilgrimage board in Nigeria and the FCT , Federal commissioner representing the geo political zone and others stakeholders including travel agencies
