- Photo L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode; Chairman/CEO NAHCON, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi and NAHCON Commissioner of Operations, Inspectorate and Licences, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, during the Lagos inaugural flight at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.*
The Chairman/CEO, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi was in Lagos State today, Friday, 17th May to bade the first batch of the Y2024 intending pilgrims from the state farewell to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Malam Arabi who was accompanied to the Lagos airport by the National Commissioner, Operations, Inspectorate and Licenses, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi and other officials, described Hajj as a rare opportunity.
He said, “for you to be called to perform Hajj, you must be extra ordinarily lucky, but it is a rear opportunity. Allah has given you the opportunity. It may be your last opportunity, to some it may be the beginning. So what do you do when you have the last opportunity? it is to utilize it so well”.
Malam Arabi further appealed to them to make the country proud by abiding by the rules and regulations of the foreign country. He said, “do the dos and don’t do the don’ts. If you stay on that part, you have no cause to worry”.
He reminded them that they were going for a religious obligations and must therefore be patience in all circumstances. He appealed to them not to fight or quarrelbe with the officials, saying when there are issues, such must be settled amicably without rancour because we are all human. He admonished them to be good ambassadors and shinning examples for others to emulate.
While wishing them journey mercy, he encouraged them to pray for the country and its leaders, especially the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose intervention made the 2024 Hajj exercise possible for many Nigerian pilgrims.
On his part, the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode expressed his appreciation on behalf of the intending pilgrims for the Chairman’s show of love and his admonitions.
He thereafter promised the NAHCON Chairman and his entourage that the state’s pilgrims would not disappoint the country but exhibit exemplary conduct and behaviours whilst in the Holy land.
The first batch of 423 pilgrims that departed Lagos to Madinah this morning aboard Flynas flight XY8048 has safely arrived at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Madinah this evening. The second batch of another 423 pilgrims is already set for airlift in early hours of Saturday.
