Ebola: Ogun pilgrims assured of hitch free trip

Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta

Ogun State government has assured all Muslim Pilgrims of their safety against the deadly Ebola Virus, stating that, the state has purchased a screening machine for that purpose.

The state is the first to get the Ebola screening machine in the country with their personnel undergoing training on how to use it.

The state’s preparedness was revealed by the state chairman of Muslim Pilgrims Board, Dr. Isiaq Adebayo Yusuf while addressing intending pilgrims today at the secretariat mosque in Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta.

Yusuf revealed that the government of Saudi Arabia has been issuing visas to intending pilgrims.

“Let me assure you that we are fully prepared for the exercise and all our Board members are scholars per excellence. They know the rudiments of the hajj exercise and that has been the secret to our success since 2011. If you recollect, in 2011, we came first in the country and also came first in 2012 and to cap it, aside from coming first last year, all our pilgrims did not land in Jeddah as its obtained but they landed in Medina and we were highly honoured and recognised by the Saudi government.

“I want to inform you that the machine ordered by other states in the country to screen intending pilgrims has been obtained by Ogun. We were the first to get it, even before NAHCON, the body that oversees hajj operation at the National level in Nigeria got their own. That will tell you that we are not leaving anything to chance.

“We give thanks to God for all his protection over us, the board members, all the good people of Ogun state and most especially, our governor, the indefatigable Senator Ikleel Ibikunle Amosun. You can all recollect vividly in the past, how pilgrims beat board members, even the Chairman, because they were not adequately taken care of, but thank God those are things of the past.

Head of the Ogun state pilgrims, Amirul Hajj, Sheik Imam Abdul Quadri Junaid, who is the deputy Imam of Remoland expressed gratitude to the governor for appointing him to lead the delegates, assuring that the good record will be built upon.

“I am highly impressed when I got the news of my appointment as the head of Ogun pilgrims. I was weeping and several questions were coming to my mind. Why me among all the scholars in Remo, in Ogun, who could have suggested me, what did the governor see in me that impressed him to appoint me?

“I now resolved that, by the God grace, I will not disappoint him and all the intending pilgrims must adhere strictly to all the instructions that will be given to them and by so doing, we will not have any problem and I promised to do everything within my capacity to ensure that the state name did not dent,” Amirul Hajj promised.

Several speakers at the seminars which includes officials from the NDLEA, Immigration, Medical and Islamic scholars enjoined all the intending pilgrims to adhere to all instructions that will be given to them by the members and warn them not to engage in any act that can dent the image of the State,and the nation, by extension.

The Chairman revealed that 1,220 intending pilgrims will be performing this year from Ogun State and they will be airlifted in the next few days.

Some of the dignitaries at the seminar included the Chairman of the State League of Imam and Alfas, Sheik Imam Allison; Chief Imam of Remoland, Imam Liadi Orunsolu; Chief Imam of Egbaland, Imam Abd. Razaq Salaudeen; Chief Imam of Ijebiland represented by Imam Ogunse; Chief Imam of Egbe Ijebu, Khaleefat Balogun; Founder of Sa’adatul Abadiyat Islamic organisation and other numerous Islamic scholars from all parts of the state.