Delegates in new blows over motion to scrap pilgrims’ boards

The plenary, while considering and adopting the report of its religion committee resolved that in order to distance government from involvement in religious matters, henceforth, no government, at any level, should use public funds in sponsorship of any religious programme, especially pilgrimages for any category of citizens, including government functionaries. But trouble started when a […]

The plenary, while considering and adopting the report of its religion committee resolved that in order to distance government from involvement in religious matters, henceforth, no government, at any level, should use public funds in sponsorship of any religious programme, especially pilgrimages for any category of citizens, including government functionaries.
But trouble started when a delegate from Kogi state Chief Olusola Akanmode raised a motion calling for the scrap of state pilgrims boards.
The motion drew uproar from delegates. A counter motion was raised again. When the deputy chairman of the conference Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, who was presiding, put it to vote voice twice there was no clear decision because it was too close.
While the confusion ensued, a delegate from Kebbi state Bello Halliru said balloting on the matter has to be done since there was no clear decision on the matter.
That again raised another bouts of shouting match for and against the decision, with delegates mostly Christians saying that the matter has been rested and the pilgrims boards stand scrapped.
When Akinyemi, as he usually done to contentious issues, said the matter has been stood down, the shouting continued with Muslims and Christians delegates almost coming near blows.
Amidst the melee, Akinyemi announced that the matter will be settled tomorrow through balloting and adjourned the plenary around 5:40pm, saying that nothing could be done at that tense atmosphere.
Dr Haruna Yerima, a delegate from Borno state told journalists that those who are saying the boards should be scrapped are ignorant of the boards roles.
“About 100, 000 Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj every year. How do you allow these people to go without guides? Saudi Arabia recognize states not individuals. The boards only coordinate the pilgrimage, therefore you can’t scrap them.”
Although the adoption of the committee’s report started smoothly with delegates amending, adopting or rejecting the committee’s recommendations without any incident, the issue of pilgrims’ boards changed the trend fanning religious embers.
The plenary agreed also that apex religious bodies in the country be allowed to handle all matters relating to pilgrimage through the pilgrims commissions duly managed by them under a law to be passed by the National Assembly to regulate their functions and protect pilgrims.
It however agreed that government, in performance of its oversight responsibility to Nigerians, the federal government shall provide normal consular services for the pilgrims through the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the established Nigerian foreign missions in the relevant destinations.
Earlier, Akinyemi, said the constitution of the religion committee was the most difficult assignment in terms of membership during the inauguration of all the committees.
He said this was due to the sensitive nature of the assignment and the fact that “people can change their political views, but they may not change their religious views,” adding that the committee had handled the assignment with diligence and compassion.
The conference earlier praised committee, which was co-chaired by Bishop Felix Ajakaiye and Alhaji Nurudeen Lemu.
Twice, during the presentation of the report by Lemu, and against the conference rules of procedure, the plenary rose to applaud the committee for its sound analysis, thorough handling and simplification of knotty issues and for coming up with daring recommendations.