… Begins Weekend Lectures On Saturday
By Rasaq Adebayo
The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSMPWB) has pleaded with all the intending pilgrims who are yet to complete payment of their Hajj fare to do so on or before Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
The Board Secretary, Mr. Saheed Onipede disclosed on Tuesday, adding the directive is based on the instruction from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) that all State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards should remit Hajj fare paid by intending Pilgrims by April 21, 2023.
He said: “The 2023 Hajj operation is very much around the corner and for us to meet the timeline set by NAHCON for remittances, every intending pilgrim must play their parts. The affected intending pilgrims, are those who initially paid N1,300,000.00 and N2,640,000.00 since 2019 till date and are yet to pay the balance to meet up with the approved current hajj fare of N3,200,000.00”.
While appealing to those affected to ensure that they pay up the Hajj fare on or before the deadline, he emphasised that failure to do so would jeopardise their chances of going on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with the current batches.
The Board Scribe further restated that early remittance to NAHCON would ensure that the State secures comfortable and decent accommodation, as well as other necessary amenities for better welfare of pilgrims in Makkah, Madinah, Muna, and Arafah, respectively.
Onipede, however, reiterated that this new directive is to complement the earlier statement issued by the Board in which the intending pilgrims were directed to pay NAHCON’s fare on or before the April 21 deadline while the N200,000.00 added by the State for Hadiyyah (sacrificial) ram, medical screening, Ziyyarah to historical sites both in Makkah and Madinah and others not captured by NAHCON, be paid within a two-week extension window.
In a related development, the Board has fixed this Saturday, April 29, for the commencement of weekend lectures for all the intending pilgrims which would be held simultaneously in all the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State and facilitated by the league of Ulamah (Islamic Scholars/Clerics) accredited by the Board.
According to the Secretary, the lectures were designed to enlighten intending pilgrims on the requirements for the hajj rites as prescribed by the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAW). He enjoined the intending pilgrims to ensure they attend the lectures at their various LGAs to maximise accrued benefits.
TL/TMS/KO
