by Lawal Qudus Olajide

In all spheres of governance in Nigeria, inadequate fund has always being a militating factor to development, yet annually a significant percentage of tax payers’ fund is expended on jamboree for their political allies in Mecca and Jerusalem. On arrival, these political thugs brand their new earned title of Alhaj and JP, and subsequently help in masterminding election riggings.

Hajj is a major pillar of Islam, as you read this, thousands of Nigerians are settling down in the holy land to perform this annual rite. It is the dream of every true believer to go on pilgrimage once in a lifetime.

A significant percentage of Nigeria pilgrims are government sponsored, this in a nation that could barely meet its basic responsibility is sheer wastage of public fund. Politicians have reduced this pillar of Islam to mere political bargain currency. Deliver your ward and get 3 Hajj slots!

Millions from our hard earn fund is being used to sponsor political thugs to Hajj, some of whom cannot fluently recite Suratul Fathia. Many scholastic write-ups abound on why government sponsorship of pilgrimage is an iniquity; it is profligacy at its peak. Dr Abu-Bakr Imam Ali-Agan’s paper “THE CONCEPT OF AL-ISTITA’AH AND HAJJ SPONSORSHIP IN NIGERIA” is an exhaustive work on the topic.

HE deduced from his review of the four Islamic schools of thoughts that an intending pilgrim must certify both physical and financial capability before embarking on Hajj. The Maliki School vehemently opposes the use of Zakkah i.e. public fund for hajj sponsorship. A pilgrim is expected to have enough provision or equipped with a professional skill which can serve as his source of income, as the act of dependency or begging for survival is regarded as not certifying the concept of Al-Istitacah.

Nguvugher was clear in his paper titled ‘Nigerian Religious Pilgrimages: Piety or Economic Waste?’

He wrote “to the best of our knowledge, is correct when he submits that: Christian pilgrimage to the Holy land is not in obedience to the word of God. Although many Christian leaders and members involved in the enterprise in recent years have tried to canonize, rationalize and moralize it, they remain in want of scriptural basis to justify their claim. It does not require any rigorous Bible knowledge to recognize that such argument cannot be sustained.”

From the foregoing, it is clear that there is no basis for government sponsorship of pilgrimages; it should be strictly on individual basis. In all spheres of governance in Nigeria, inadequate fund has always being a militating factor to development, yet annually a significant percentage of tax payers’ fund is expended on jamboree for their political allies in Mecca and Jerusalem. On arrival, these political thugs brand their new earned title of Alhaj and JP, and subsequently help in masterminding election riggings.

It therefore gladdens the heart that some states are already following the right path by banning government sponsorship of pilgrimage, it is hoped that others follow suit.

—————————-

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.