By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Nigerian Ambassador to Israel and Head of Mission, Nigerian Embassy in Tel – Aviv, Ambassador Agatha Nonyelum has commended Nigerian pilgrims for their exemplary conduct in behavior and character, as well as recording zero abcondment while in the Holy Land.

The Ambassador, who also commended President Bola Tinubu for making the 2024 pilgrimage possible, stated this in Jerusalem during the end of the pilgrimage, popularly known as ‘JP’s Ceremony. ”The Ambassador also thanked Mr. President for giving Nigerian pilgrims the opportunity to perform the pilgrimage. She charged Nigerians to depend totally on God and that when one depends on God, He cannot disappoint.She commended the Executive Secretary, NCPC, Bishop Stephen Adegbite for working so hard and prayed to God to renew his strength. “He travelled repeatedly to make sure we meet with the authorities in Israel and for our own meetings. It takes a man that loves Nigeria to be this committed and tireless.”She also commended the Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her commitment to pilgrims affairs, “Pilgrimage is dear to her heart,” she noted.Nonyelum charged pilgrims to pray for Nigeria. “We need prayers in our country, ” she said.On his part, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, NCPC thanked President Tinubu for making it possible for Christian pilgrimage to commence.Adegbite noted that Tinubu was God sent and that he would fix Nigeria. He assured that by the time Tinubu finishes, it would be clear that he is God’s sent.He said Tinubu is not a religious bigot and that whatever he has done for the Muslims he has also done for the Christians. “Mr. President is not a religious bigot. Whatever he has done for the Muslims, he will do for the Christians. That’s exactly what he has done.He also noted that President Tinubu supported all pilgrims by half the cost of the pilgrimage. That whatever anybody or the state government paid, Tinubu paid half of the fund in support.The NCPC described the First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu as a “pillar, the Esther of our time” who had been there for the Christians and prayerful a woman who believes so much in the prosperity of all.He charged the pilgrims not to look at the inconveniences or the challenge of money as that was not the main reason for being in the Holy Land. “What you have come to gain is the spirituality that you cannot quantify with money.”In spite of complaints of paucity of funds, the NCPC explained the challenges with the Nigerian apex bank, the CBN but noted that it costs an average of ₦6.8 million to put a pilgrim on the Holy Land and that the government was doing so much in this regard.He charged all the pilgrims to continue to remain good ambassadors of Nigeria.Speaking on the sidelines of the occasion, Adegbite assured that the NCPC was committed to improving the standard of pilgrimage in spite of the challenges associated with it.Praying for Nigeria and Nigerians, the Bishop said: “I am speaking to Nigerians from the Holy Land, 2025 is your year of restoration, your year of total rejuvenation, spirituality and your year of advancement. It shall be well with all of us, divinely, Nigeria will be positioned for greatness and the Lord will bless our president to reposition Nigeria and we are moving forward, forward ever for Nigeria and backward never for Nigerian. Shalom.He explained that the exercise, the 2023 – 2024 Christian pilgrimage that is taking place in 2025 would continue till May, 2025. It was put on hold because of the conflict that broke out at the time.And Plateau State pilgrims and others will commence as soon as the FCT pilgrims return, he said.