The Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, on Wednesday, disclosed plans to resume pilgrimage to Israel by March, noting that the President’s wife, Senator Oluremi TInubu, will lead a contingent during Easter.
The Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, disclosed this during a visit to the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, in Abuja.
A statement by NCPC’s Deputy Director and Head of Media and Public Relations, Celestine Toruka, quoted Adegbite as saying he was delighted to learn the news that Israel would soon open its borders to international visitors.
The NCPC had last year cancelled the December pilgrimage to Israel following the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war in October.
“I am directed to inform you that our planned pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan has been postponed due to the prevailing crisis situation in Southern Israel,” the commission’s Head of Operations, Abu Okpanachi, said in a statement.
In January, the commission announced that instead of Isreal, Christian pilgrims from Nigeria would visit Greece and Rome.
However, during his visit to the Israeli envoy on Wednesday, the NCPC head, Adegbite, expressed his excitement to hear from the Ambassador that Israel would soon open its borders to international travels, and informed the ambassador that the commission would prepare to visit the country by March.
“I am so happy to hear that Israel will soon open. Yesterday during my assumption (of office), I spoke by faith that Israel would open soon, and this is a confirmation that God is working,’’ he said.
He hinted that the commission planned to take some executive Christians in government on pilgrimage to Israel, hinting that the First Lady of the Federal Republic, Senator Oluremi TInubu, would lead the contingent during Easter this year.
Adegbite explained that his visit to the envoy was to seek the cooperation his cooperation to facilitate the issuance of visas to intending pilgrims for the 2024 pilgrimage exercise.
He reiterated that Israel remained the destination for Nigerian Christian pilgrims, noting that the commission continued to pray for the peace of Israel.
“Israel is our pride in Africa and Nigeria in particular, we pray for the peace of Israel every day, and we will continue to pray for peace in Israel so that we can continue our pilgrimage exercise in the land of the Bible,” he said.
He stated that Nigerians visit Israel so well, not only because of its spiritual impact but also for agricultural purposes and exposure to the country’s advanced technologies.
In his remarks, the Israeli envoy thanked Adegbite for his visit and promised his cooperation with the leadership of the NCPC, to make visa procurement processes seamless.
Freeman said, ‘’I think you have done well visiting Israel first. I bring you good news, Israel is open and ready to take the Nigerian groups.’’
He also affirmed that the embassy had confidence in the mechanism put in place by the NCPC for the selection of intending pilgrims to Israel.
