By JENNIFER YARIMA
The Plateau State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, PSCPWB, has commenced a three-day screening exercise for the remaining intending Christian pilgrims in the state, months after the pilgrimage was suspended due to the conflict in the Middle East.
The exercise, which is ongoing at the ECWA Headquarters in Jos, began Tuesday and is aimed at preparing pilgrims ahead of time to ensure there will be no delay in departure once clearance is granted by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC).
The Executive Secretary of the PSCPWB, Rev. Yusufu Bagu, explained that the delay was caused by the conflict that engulfed Israel and Jordan.
“The trip is delayed because of the conflict in the Middle East. There is relative peace now, they have called for a ceasefire, and we hope it will be sustained,” Bagu stated.
According to him, the Board decided to begin the screening early to avoid a last-minute rush.
“We have thought it wise to screen the intending pilgrims at this point so that when the atmosphere is calmer, we will not be rushed when communication comes for the journey to commence,” he said.
He disclosed that the National Executive Secretary of the NCPC is expected to travel to Jordan and Israel in the first week of August for an on-the-spot assessment.
“The National Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission will possibly travel to Jordan and Israel in the first week of August and, if he returns with a favourable report, the second and third batches will proceed before the end of the month,” he added.
Rev. Bagu disclosed that the screening exercise includes medical examinations to ascertain the fitness of intending pilgrims, while the Nigeria Immigration Service will verify their eligibility.
He noted that about 330 people are expected to be screened during the three-day exercise.
Pilgrims express relief, recount experiences
For many intending pilgrims, the resumption of the process has brought renewed hope.
Speaking to THE NIGERIA STANDARD, one of the intending pilgrims, Promise Biwet, expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
“I have been looking forward to this trip before the war disrupted it. This is exceptional because it is a spiritual exercise that will afford me the opportunity to see the places I have read about in the Bible,” she said.
She added: “It will obviously strengthen my faith and is different from the usual luxury travels.”
Recall that sometime in April, the first batch of Plateau pilgrims had to cut short their pilgrimage by two days and return home after hostilities escalated in the Middle East.
Some of the pilgrims who were in the Holy Land in April shared their personal experiences.
Mrs Symphorosa Jatau, a public servant, described the pilgrimage as satisfying and rewarding.
“It was satisfying and rewarding because pilgrims walked the path of our religious fathers and were exposed to the culture of the people. This helped to deepen our faith and explained some of the things we did not understand before embarking on the pilgrimage,” she said.
She noted that the trip reinforced her belief that “religion is a personal thing. It is between you and your God, and if you focus on what others do, you may end up not worshipping God in truth as you should.”
Recalling the frightening moments during the conflict, Mrs Jatau said: “For the first time, I saw missiles flying in the skies. I thought we would never make it back alive, but thank God Israeli security is top-notch and they were able to steer us to safety without any casualty. If we could learn a few security lessons from Israel, the insecurity plaguing our country would be greatly reduced.”
She urged the Nigerian government to maximise the nation’s abundant resources for the benefit of its citizens.
“Our country is richly blessed with resources. The government must therefore harness them for the betterment of the citizens. If Israel can achieve so much with the desert, then we have no excuse not to develop our country with the huge resources at our disposal,” she said.
Calls for improved security, technology
Another pilgrim, Joshua Waptu, an officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Plateau State, who worships at COCIN LCC Hwolshe Ring Road and served as one of the bus captains during the last pilgrimage, said the experience strengthened his faith.
“My faith has increased. The harmony I saw in some of the places we visited was exemplary. Our tour guide was a Muslim, yet he faithfully took us through all the Christian holy sites we visited,” he said.
He also commended the cordial relationship between the Board and the pilgrims.
“I was excited by the unity and relationship that existed between the management of the Board and the pilgrims. No one absconded during the pilgrimage,” he said.
Waptu urged Nigeria to emulate Israel’s technological advancement and security system.
“I desire that Nigeria replicates and improves on technological development, and our security should never be compromised,” he advised.
With the ongoing screening exercise and the NCPC’s assessment visit to Jordan and Israel expected in early August, the Plateau State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board said it is fully prepared to airlift pilgrims before the end of the month, provided the security situation remains stable.
The Board reiterated its commitment to the safety and spiritual welfare of all intending pilgrims.