Intending Pilgrims Pay N3m Each as Delayed Exercise Finally Begins
The Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) has announced that 10,000 Christians will be airlifted for the December 2024 pilgrimage to Jordan and Turkey, marking the first such exercise of the year after several delays.
According to NCPC Executive Secretary, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, each pilgrim paid N3 million, bringing the total amount raised by the Nigerian contingent to N30 billion. The pilgrimage, which will last 10 days, is set to begin on December 22, 2024.
Responding to inquiries via text message, Adegbite confirmed, “(There are) 10,000 (pilgrims) for now. Each pilgrim paid N3m. (The pilgrimage is for) 10 days.”
Revised Leadership Plans
Earlier plans for President Bola Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to lead the pilgrimage were scrapped after the exercise faced repeated postponements.
NCPC Deputy Director and Head of Media, Celestine Toruka, had previously announced in November that preparations for the December pilgrimage were on track, after months of uncertainty over its schedule.
A Year of Delays
This year’s pilgrimage program faced several challenges, including the cancellation of the Easter pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan in March, which was initially slated to be led by the President’s wife and the SGF.
In May, the NCPC increased the cost of the Easter pilgrimage from N3 million to N4.8 million, citing economic factors, though no firm date was provided at the time. By October, Adegbite assured stakeholders that the pilgrimage would still happen before year-end, stressing, “The main pilgrimage is usually from November to January, and sometimes rolls over to February.”
Finalized December Plans
Despite the setbacks, the NCPC has now confirmed that the December pilgrimage is proceeding as planned. The 10,000 pilgrims will visit several religious sites in Jordan and Turkey before returning to Nigeria after 10 days.
