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The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had canceled government sponsorship of the hajj pilgrimage for this year. According to the president, the country cannot spare the money to sponsor the pilgrims. It would be recalled that the government had been making efforts recently to save money sequel to the fall in global price of crude oil and the dwindling financial fortune of the country. The Federal Government would be able to save up to $1 million from this. Since time immemorial, the Federal Government of Nigeria had always sponsored delegates to the hajj pilgrimage and this had always cost the government lots of money each year. Buhari is however bent to change the system of things due to the dwindling economic fortune of the country.

However, the Federal Government would still provide every other needs of the Nigerian Muslims that would sponsor themselves to Saudi Arabia for the hajj. The government would stick to its traditional roles of providing security, medical and consular services to the Nigerian pilgrims while they are in Saudi Arabia. This will of course reduce the back log of expenses that the Federal Government would shoulder this year as it had always done every year. The local expenses that would be saved from this decision would amount to N30m.

This report was made public to newsmen on Monday by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity.  The presidential aid stated clearly that this decision by the president must never be seen as an opposition to any group of people or any individual; he said it is in the best interest of the country. He never stated anyway if there would be changes in this declaration in the future if the financial fortune of Nigeria changes for the better.

Malam Garba Shehu however stated that state governments are at liberty to decide if they would send delegates for hajj or not as the decisions made by the president only represents the stand of the federal government.  Malam Shehu stated that the government at the center will not be involved in sponsoring hajj delegates this year. This decision by the federal government had been greeted with acceptance from many quarters with many Nigerians hailing it as a good one, considering the present financial status of the country and the ever dwindling fortune of crude oil in the global market.  

There had been rumors that some Nigerians in top position had always used the hajj and Jerusalem sponsorship of the federal government to the purpose of corruption. Many of those who are chosen as federal government delegates would sell their slots to others and many of the top placed individuals would only pick among their friends and family during the delegate selection exercises. Lots of irregularities have plagued the system of things and this decision of the federal government is expected to put such irregularities and corrupt practices in check. Many Nigerians hope the state governments would follow suit and forget about sponsoring pilgrims to either Jerusalem or Saudi Arabia for holy pilgrimages.

By Anthony Olawale Ojo