The Conundrum of Pilgrimage in Nigeria; Competition or Rivalry?

By Kichime Gotau

For Islam Hijrah is a sunnah (Conditioned by Ability) So, a Hajj Commission is inevitably necessary and thus appropriate for the muslim society (ummah).

How necessary is A Christian Pilgrims Board and Commission, respectively?
-May I dare think, that it is for the purposes of emulation or political quest for the balance of power ? Orr should I say “we must do and have what others have syndrome?”

Islam is an ideological movement beyond religion, which entails a STATE SYSTEM camprised of SHARIAH LEGAL AND JURIDICAL SYSTEMS, as can be seen in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey and Egypt etc

On the other hand, A Christian state does not exist, albeit IGNORANCE make some Christians see ISRAEL and VATICAN (ITALY) as CHRISTIAN STATES (???).

The truth: While ISLAM RESONATE STATE POWER BY ITS IDEOLOGICAL STATE- STRUCTURE, CHRISTIANITY DOES NOT!

So, don’t Christians have OTHER SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS than PLACING SIGNIFICANCE ON “PILGRIMS WELFARE” BOARD/COMMISSION? Where Billions of Tax payers’ FUNDS ARE USED (WASTED) ?

THERE are thousands of talented Christian Fugitives (Prostitutes, criminals and wretched youth) handicapped by Destitution and seeking ASYLUM all over the place – WON’T A CHRISTIAN SOCIAL SAFETY NET (BY ANY NAME) ADD USEFUL VALUE TO THE CHRISTIAN SOCIETY THAN THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS (“PILGRIMS WELFARE” BOARD AND COMMISSION) whose mandate ultimately only solves an ALIEN- TOURIST interest than that of the Christian society… (?)

Are you aware that, Islam, through the SHARIAH SYSTEM AND OR HISBAH POLICE/SECURITY ETC, CREATES MILLIONS OF JOBS and opportunities for MUSLIMS NATIONWIDE (IN ALL SHARIAH PRACTISING STATES- ATLEAST 11-STATES OF NIGERIA’S 36 STATES)?
These are healthy social safety nets, that state – sponsored religious agencies bequeath…

Do you know how many Muslim youth are on educatuinal Scholarship programs across Universities all over the world from SharIah states?

Have you imagine the economic Impact of these MULTI-SECTORAL INVESTMENTS TO THE SOURCE – STATES AND TO NIGERIA AND AFRICA AS A WHOLE?

For the so-called CHRISTIAN DOMINATED STATES:
WHAT SORT AND FORMS OF REAL-SECTOR SOCIAL SAFETY NETS EXIST, EVEN FOR COMPETITIVE PURPOSES? NONE.

Today’s power is beyond population; power in this age is a measure of the POLITICAL ECONOMY of a society or say, a state, a state with robust multi-sectoral and hi-tech superiority!

Christians and Muslims MUST NOT RIVAL ONE ANOTHER , NOT THROUGH AGENCIES, NONETHELESS! NO!

WE ARE AT BEST DIVERSE FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPLIMENTARITY.

Each SOCIETY must utilize the windows and doors of opportunity available to and favourable to its PEOPLE (SOCIETY).

I am a Chtistian. I believe there are more muslims in Nigeria! this significantly does not matter to me. What matters must be our peaceful and prosperous co-existence as GOD’S ONE CREATURE !!!

I see Islam as a more Conscious Religion that strives daily to tackle social and existential threats from within and outside its locale…

I see Christians and Christianity, by my Nigerian experience as one dominated by MAGIC SEEKERS and naive population of INDIVIDUALIZED people, LARGELY MINDFUL OF: FOOD, MONEY AND WEALTH…

The degree of cohesion among Christians is better put as state of ANOMIE (DESPITE THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT BECKONS FOR UNITY).

What then is THE USE OF CHRISTIAN PILGRIMS WELFARE BOARD AND COMMISSION, AMIDST AN EPIDEMIC OF POVERTY AND MASSIVE YOUTHFUL DESTITUTION…?

A CHRISTIAN WELFARE BOARD/ COMMISSION, NOT PILGRIMS, WILL THEREFORE BE MOST APPROPRIATE TO TACKLE THE SUNDRY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF THE CHRISTIAN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA, IN MY VIEW (The board may offer some prilgrimage scholarship to the CLERGY ONLY, etc)

We must not be in nominal competition, the plight of our people is of the essence and desirous of priority and upscaling!

No agency should ne made to balance a percieved power, THAN BE MADE TO BE PRODUCTIVE FOR ALL AND SUNDRY…

Life and Development shouldnt be dependent on Competiition; it is competition that must depend on the greater good of the populace…

How long we remained without challenging our problem-bound status-quo, is the gane changer for our social security as a society !!!

Kichime Goyang Gotau (FCILG USA)