President Goodluck Jonathan has called on all intending
Christian Pilgrims to pray for a peaceful and successful conduct of the 2015
election and the safe return of the abducted Chibok girls.
Mr. Jonathan, who was represented by the President of the
Senate, David Mark, made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the inauguration of
the 2014 Christian Pilgrimage.
The occasion coincided with the transportation of the first
batch of 250 Christian pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory who would be
visiting Israel, Greece and Rome.
He said that Christians should not forget that the main
essence of pilgrimage was to pray and be spiritually reborn in order to live
better lives and to affect the lives of the people around them positively.
“Do not forget the significance of pilgrimage, we need a
rebirth and this rebirth must first begin with us for true transformation.
“Let us all pray for the safe release of the Chibok girls
and let us also pray for the peaceful conduct of the 2015 general elections,’’
he said.
The president expressed optimism that the truce reached
between the government and Boko Haram would truly lead to lasting peace in the
country.
He assured Nigerians that insecurity would not derail the
Transformation Agenda from actualizing its purpose, stressing that God himself
was taking the lead in the fight against insecurity.
Mr. Jonathan urged Christians not to view the pilgrimage as
an avenue for doing business but should maintain a clean sheet without
absconding as it had been recorded over the last few years.
In his remark, the Executive Secretary of the National
Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) John Kennedy Okpara, said the government
of Israel has commended Nigeria for having a good record of no absconding
pilgrims in the last few years.
He expressed gratitude to God and the government for the
support the commission had received in conducting a successful pilgrimage.
He expressed the hope that upon their return, the pilgrims
would have become spiritually re-dedicated to God and would impart the good
thing they had learnt to people around them.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of the NCPC and
Primate of the Anglican Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, urged all contractors
and handlers to treat the pilgrims with respect.
“Pilgrims must also Endeavour to be their brothers’ keeper
during this pilgrimage; do not resist corrections, stay together as one,’’ he
said.
About 30,000 pilgrims are targeted for the pilgrimage.
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