*Photo:Lagos State Amir-ul-Hajj/Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode (middle); Special Adviser on Islamic Matters, Dr. Ahmad Abdullahi Jebe (4th right); Chairman, Muslim Pilgrims Board, Imam (Engr.) Shakiru Gafar (4th left); Board Secretary, Mr. Saheed Onipede (1st right); Board member/Chairman Publicity Committee, Hon. Lolade Shonibare (1st left); Prof. Kabir Paramole (2nd left); Dr. (Mrs.) Faosat Dabiri (3rd left); Alh. Yusuf Ara (3rd right) and Alh. Mojeed Sanni (2nd right), during the Press briefing by the Amir-ul-Hajj, on the activities of Lagos State during the Holy pilgrimage exercise, at Alsaad Flower Hotel 2, Misfalah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, June 25, 2024.*
The Amirul Hajj of Lagos State, who is the commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Ibrahim Layode has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to convene a meeting with all states to discuss the challenges faced during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage and how to avoid a reoccurrence.
He made the call on Tuesday while addressing a press conference at the Lagos State hotel accommodation in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
“We had a lot of challenges and most of them are from NAHCON,” he said.
The commissioner specifically said the caterer selected to provide meals for the state pilgrims was using his own discretion to select menu that is not favourable to the people of the south west.
He added that the pilgrims almost protested at Mina and many of them rejected the meals served and chosed to go and buy food from vendors.
Alhaji Layode also said even the accommodation provided for Lagos pilgrims in Makkah is not up to standard.
He however, said despite these challenges, he disagrees with the call for the scrapping of NAHCON as is being done by some people, saying “you can’t throw away the baby with the bath water”
Speaking further, he said “ NAHCON themselves have agreed that there have been challenges this year which I believe as a government, we need to come together to sit down on a round table discussion and point to them some of these challenges and mistakes and find solutions to them against the Hajj of 2025”.
The Commissioner expressed his appreciation to Lagos State pilgrims for their patience and endurances, stressing that he is very proud of their conducts despites obvious operational challenges.
He took the opportunity of the press conference to thank the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadri Oabafemi Hamzat for their unflinching support, especially in the area of providing the shortfall of the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) to the pilgrims and also offsetting the cost of Rams, amongst other kind gestures. Government functionaries at the presss briefing include, Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Matters, Dr. Ahmad Abdullahi Jebe; Chairman, Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Imam (Engr.) Shakiru Ayinde Gafar; Board Secretary, Mr. Saheed Onipede and Prof. Kabir Paramole (Badagry division). Others are Dr. (Mrs.) Faosat Dabiri (Lagos division); Alh. Yusuf Ara (Epe division); Alh. Mojeed Sanni (Ikorodu division) and Hon. Lolade Shonibare (Ikeja division/Chairman, Publicity committee).
