The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has urged the advance team for the 2023 Hajj, to demonstrate patience and ensure due diligence in discharging their duties.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, gave the advice on Sunday in Abuja during a brief farewell ceremony before departure of the team to Saudi Arabia.
The team of 21 NAHCON officials and 10 medical personnel would be in Saudi Arabia for final preparations before the transportation of the first set of Nigerian pilgrims from Nasarawa State on Thursday.
The team, led by the Deputy Director, Training, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, is expected to coordinate the reception, accommodation, feeding, transportation, health and general welfare of all pilgrims from Nigeria.
Hassan described hajj as a global exercise, whose aim was to establish unity among the Muslim community.
He enjoined the officials to take their job seriously and identify the best goals and methods to achieve success.
“You must be diligent, committed, vigilant and particularly, you must have patience and act in the right manner at all times, so that at the end, you can achieve the benefits of here and the hereafter,” he said.
The chairman said that in spite of the challenges posed by the Sudan crises, the commission was on course to despatch its inaugural flight on Thursday, May 25.
He prayed to the Almighty Allah to assist the commission in making the 2023 hajj the best ever.
Earlier, Alhaji Nura Yakasai, Commissioner in charge of Policy, Personnel, Management and Finance, said the departure of the advance team marked the beginning of the 2023 hajj operation.
He described the advance team as the foundation on which the success of the 2023 hajj would be built.
“If it is very strong, then the rest of the structure will be solid. Therefore I want to enjoin you to discharge your duties with utmost sense of responsibility.
“I want to assure you of the commission’s support for your team to achieve the desired objectives,” he said.
Also, Sheikh Suleiman Momoh, Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics and Library Services, enjoined the team to pray for the success of the hajj, when they get to the holy land
“I just have one request for you and that is, when you get to Madina, please go and pray for the success of this year’s hajj,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the team, Alhaji Tajudeen Akande and Dr Usman Galadima expressed appreciation to the management for the trust and confidence reposed in them.
They pledged their determination and readiness to make the 2023 hajj exercise more successful than previous ones.
“On behalf of the team, we want to thank the management for the support extended to us, we will put in our best to ensure we achieve success,” they assured.
