Lagos Christian pilgrims set for Jordan not Jerusalem

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FILE PHOTO: Nigerian Christian Pilgrims walking through Old City of Jerusalem , Israel . Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

FILE PHOTO: Nigerian Christian Pilgrims walking through Old City of Jerusalem, Israel. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

By Nimot Adetola Sulaimon

The Lagos Government through the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSCPWB) has opted for holy pilgrimage to Jordan instead of Jerusalem for its forthcoming May/June Pilgrimage.

This is because Israel has refused to open its border for pilgrimage.

Prince Anofiu Olarewaju Elegushi, the Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, disclosed this during the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board Stakeholders/ Sensitization Forum held for its intending Pilgrims at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja on Thursday.

Elegushi explained that the State Government in conjunction with the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) decided to embark on Pilgrimage to Jordan instead of Jerusalem after investigations revealed that Israel might not open its border for pilgrimage soon.

Also, officials of the Ministry visited Jordan during the routine State of Readiness to ascertain the level of preparedness of Jordan to host pilgrimage exercise.

“The Prophecy of our Lord Jesus cuts across many settlements, many countries not only Jerusalem. If we go through our Bible we will see the role of other countries like Jordan even Egypt, Christianity is not all about Jerusalem ” Elegushi noted.

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“We decided to look at options but we cannot just make decisions without your consent, you paid your money, we don’t put the horse before the cart, we want to know your mind and whatever you, the stakeholders decide is what we will present to the Governor”.

Elegushi stated that the ministry decided to hold on to the memo written to the Governor on the decision reached to tour Jordan until after the Stakeholders meeting.

He thanked the intending Pilgrims for entrusting their funds with the State Government.

Mrs Adebunmi Adekanye, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, in her address noted that pilgrimage to Jordan is a worthwhile experience.

“Before now I heard people say they go to Jordan from the UK actually and I wonder what do they go to do in Jordan but now I have gone, have seen and believed. I believe it is going to be the same thing for you”.

She said that some of them had to go to Jordan on the State of Readiness to be convinced about Jordan before calling for the meeting and having visited Jordan they are convinced that in future intending Pilgrims would be going on holy Pilgrimage to both Jerusalem and Jordan while assuring them of a spiritual rewarding Pilgrimage.

Earlier the Board Secretary, LSCPWB, Mrs Florence Gbafe said testimonies have abounded after they visited Jordan during the State of Readiness and it has been spiritually rewarding hence she encouraged the intending Pilgrims to rest assured of a spiritually filled exercise.
The director of Operations, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Amos Yohanna during his presentation on Pilgrimage to Jordan stated that “We are allowed to go to any part of the world where it is written in the Bible, where Jesus had worked. The same law allows us to go to Rome, Greece and Turkey  etc”
According to him most of the Israelites lived and spend most of their lives across Jordan which is now called the kingdom of Jordan.
“It used to be one country, there were no boundaries the prophet were moving across River Jordan and receiving messages from God and even Jesus himself crossed River Jordan many times” he noted.
He mentioned some of the historical sites to be visited in Jordan: Pella; ancient Penuel where Jacob, brother of Esau wrestled all night with God and his name was changed to Israel; Mount  Nebo, where Moses looked across to the promised land and later died and was buried.
Other sites to be visited includes Bethany beyond the Jordan which is the traditional site of Jesus baptism; the Dead Sea, the lowest place of the earth; the land of Uz, the city of salt where job lived among others.
Yohanna also stated that the flag off for the Jordan Pilgrimage is scheduled for May 29, 2021, in Jos while Lagos will commence its airlifting in the 1st week of June 2021.
The majority of the intending Pilgrims during the question and answer session thanked the State Government for the consultation forum as it helped clear the air on some grey areas while showing their willingness to embark on Pilgrimage to Jordan.
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