25052018 - BENUE KILLINGS: ETHNIC CLEANSING OR JIHAD? Soyinka, Northern leaders tango

26—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2018
Ramadan 9, 1439 A.H.
Why Lagos will continue to excel in Hajj/Pilgrims
management — Alarafa
•Nigerians don’t prepare for hajj until after Ramadan
THE Chief Executive Officer of
Al Kaothara AbdulSalam
Company Ltd, a Saudi based service
provider for Hajj and Umurah
pilgrims as well as Tour Operator in
Nigeria, Alhaji AbdulWaheed
AbdulRaheem has applauded the
Lagos State governor, Mr
Akinwunmi Ambode for its
continued support to pilgrims from
the state in Saudi Arabia, adding that
the state over the years had shown
capacity to deliver a robust hajj
operations and services to pilgrims.
He noted that was the reason the
state will continue to excel among
others in the management of Holy
Pilgrimage annually.
He also commended the Amir-ul-
Hajj and Commissioner of Home
Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem
AbdulLateef for his leadership roles
in the holy land.
Abdur-Raheem who is also
known as Alarafa in a chat with
Vanguard Facing the Kaaba in his
Ikeja office stated that, private
operators in Nigeria have also
helped in their various ways to
make the hajj rites easy through good
guardianship, mentoring and
services. He noted that late
payment might continue to be the
bane of hajj operations in Nigeria as
many intending pilgrims struggle to
complete their hajj fees after
Ramadan.
“It has been the culture of many
Nigerians on late payment. It may
not be their fault because, many had
to struggle to complete the money
when the registration exercise had
lapsed. It is also in our culture that
our preparation of Hajj are
heightened only after Ramadan, but
in some other countries, in fact, Hajj
preparation by intending pilgrims
start immediately one misses the
last one.
FORMER Director General,
National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA), Barrister Lanre
Sulaiman Ipiniso, has advised
parents to pay more attention
to their homes with a view to
curbing the menace of drug
abuse among children.
The legal practitioner who
was a guest lecturer at the
Nasrul Lahi-il-Fatih Society,
NASFAT Ramadan lecture held
at NASFAT village, Lagos
Ibadan Expressway, Mowe,
Ogun State recently lamented
that with the level of banned
drugs, illegal weapons and
proceeds of corruption in the
country, peace might be
elusive.
“Parents should pay attention
to their homes. Don’t use all
your time to chase money.
What happens when the money
comes but the family which
you are labouring for are in
wrecks. In Abuja, a standard
rehabilitation centre cost no
less than N6million for the first
90 days. So, don’t allow your
He noted that the fee for the last
hajj would have been more that what
it was but
for the
National
H a j j
Commission,
NAHCON
whose
ingenuity
in times
cutting
down
some
expenses
a n d
negotiating
downward
the cost
of some
services
without
losing
t h e
quality rendered did the magic.
On other services provided by his
company, Alarafa said: “I am
passionate about providing better
services for Nigerians in Saudi
Arabia because the Saudi
government have too much to
contend with and may not be able
to serve all pilgrims with their local
food. So, I want my people to be fed
their indigenous food. The stress of
getting food in Muna and Arafat
usually much. If they don’t eat good
food, it could expose them to risk of
illness and with the stress of hajj, it
may not be a pleasant story,” he
stated.
Alarafa who is married to a Saudi
woman said his sojourn in the holy
land spanning over three decades
has given him wide experience
about how factors that can bring
about hitches during hajj and
umurah pilgrimage can be curtailed.
“We also have Al-Kaothara
Alhaji AbdulWaheed AbdulRaheem
children to play with drugs
because recovering from it
takes time and money. With the
level of drugs we have and
illegal weapons and proceeds
of corruption we have in
Nigeria, it is very difficult to
attain peace. Nowhere is safe
in the presence of these three
factors.
“Drug abuse is a behavioral
problem. It means we all have
to re-channel how we want our
youth to behave. The past,
people used to smoke
marijuana, but now, if you take
urine test of people today, you
will be shocked many people
will be positive. The solution is
to continue to remind
ourselves that whatever the
situation is with you don’t
destroy yourself. When you are
high, people cannot
comprehend the realities of the
situation. Some were lured into
it because the suddenly
became so rich and they
wanted more excitement. If
you mention adversity as a
possible cause, you should
travels and tours which specifically
operates from Nigeria, aiding and
assisting
pilgrims from
home to
actualise the
dream of
performing the
holy pilgrimage.
Just like there
are choices of
food, (both
continental and
indigenous
food) for
pilgrims to
make the
pilgrims feel at
home and enjoy
every little time
of their spiritual
activities, there
are cadres of
hotels and
accommodation depending on the
choice. These are two, three, four
and five stars hotel
accommodation withing the
precinct of Haram. Alarafa also
stated that although there were
challenges about provision of these
facilities this year, adding that these
challenges were caused as a result
of late ticketing from home
authorities.
He disclosed that his Tour
Operator company will soon begin
a payment plan which will enable
intending pilgrims to actualise his
dream and benefit from the money
he saves for hajj. According to him:
“We are learning a model from
Malaysia and we will send our staff
there for training. When they return,
we will start the payment plan, but
it will benefit the intending pilgrims
a lot. The model is quite different
from the type of payment adopted
by many operators here in Nigeria.
Banned drugs: Pay more attention to your homes, Barr
Ipiniso, Ex-DG, NDLEA
•Self-restraints should not be limited to Ramadan —NASFAT President
understand that we are created
for problems. Adversities are
not completely negative, it is
to propel you.
Also, fielding questions from
newsmen at the occasion, the
President of NASFAT, Engr
Kamil Bolarinwa advised
Muslims to carry the lessons of
self-restraints
and
perseverance beyound the
month of Ramadan which
according to him will ensure
peaceful coexistence in the
country.
“This is the period of sacrifice,
this is the period of restraints,
but we should know that our
restraints and perseverance
should not be limited to the
month of Ramadan. If we can
all have these, the country and
indeed the world will be at
peace. We will live peacefully
as neighbours and our society
will be better.
“My advice for all Muslims is
not to be Muslims only in
Ramadan, the lessons of the
holy month should be carried
throughout your lifetime. and
BARKA JUMAH
Money ain't riches!
Mainly, the riches of the Lord are peace, wellness, serenity,
contentment; and such other gifts that remain inalienable
because none of these sovereign delights of status can be
diminished nor be invalidated by any cluster of force of human
authority. Earthly riches are d kingly ostentations of human
sociology of rulership arrangements of political space, the
buying powers encrusted into money as a vital crown of
spending commodity, high posts within transient executive and
municipal authorities. Money and earthly powers are flimsy,
transient and essentially worthless because the graces of God
the Almighty ain’t attached to these lukewarm influences.
Substantive powers have a firm basis in reality and it’s
enlivening force of strength are derived from the superlative
graces of God that no force can obliterate. Your personal doubt
in respect of my postulation is valid because it purely reflects
the perfect state of d infinite convoluted drama in d human
condition. Thus, I suppose that in spiritual ratings, the rich can
in fact be poor; and the poor truly rich. Have you not seen some
who are moneyed but whose existential realities remain forlorn,
empty and desultory? Yet some are dirt poor but possess a
natural state of uninhibited contentment, evident happiness;
and fullest perpetual joy! Even seeing the beauty of nature alone
satisfy these unique cluster!
May God lend to us His mercy; the may we be rich by His
graces of peace, joyous contentment & defining rights of
fulfillment.
Power is no more than mere human aphrodisiac . God alone
is He who has real & absolute powers; and the authority of
unconstrained enforcement. No tyrant in history, ever, ruled
for half a century; 50 years! God’s rule is timeless, perpetual,
immense the awesome!
He, alas, is the owner of creation itself! God be praised, forever.
Hail Him. Believe in Him, strongly! — Dr. Adewale Adeeyo, OON
Hajj 2018: FG to get waiver for Nigerian pilgrims
on Biometric data capturing —Executive Director
BY BASHIR BELLO
THE Executive Director, Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji
Muhammad Abu Rimi said the Federal government was working
assiduously to get waiver for Nigerian pilgrims intending on the biometric
data capturing.
He lamented the few number of the centres, saying only three
of Kano, Ilorin and Lagos were initially created and later upgraded to 10,
yet the Katsina pilgrims have to go to Kano or Sokoto centres.
Rimi dsiclosed that the sum of N1,463,410.00 will be paid by
intending pilgrims in the state, advising them to pay the amount to
certified banks and authorities. According to him, "National Hajj
Commission, NAHCON has fixed 2018 Hajj fare at N1,463,410.00 and
His Excellency, the Executive Governor has approved the
announcement of the said Hajj Fare for Katsina State. "NAHCON has
fixed the deadline for remittance of fares collected by the state to it on or
before the end of Ramadan. I advice our teeming depositors and others
who are yet to deposit to immediately do so between now and end of
Ramadan.
The Executive Director however, said that about 2, 225 intending
pilgrims in the state have so far deposited money for the exercise while
noting that about 4,930 hajj seats were allocated to the state.
From left: Alhaji Tajudeen Seriki, Vice Chairman, Council of
Elders, NASFAT; Alhaji Yunus Olalekan, Chairman Council
of Elders, NASFAT; Engr. Kamil Bolarinwa, President,
NASFAT; Barrister Lanre Sulaiman Ipiniso, Former DG,
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Guest
Lecturer II; Imam Maruf AbdulAzeez Onike, NASFAT Chief
Missioner and Sheikh Muyideen Saman, Chief Imam of Offa,
Guest Lecturer 1 during Nasru-l-Lahi-il-Fatih Society ,
NASFAT Ramadan lecture held at NASFAT Village, Lagos-
Ibadan expressway, Mowe, Ogun State last weekend.
From left: Alhaja Samiat Omolara, Women Affairs
Secretary, Alhaja Simbiat Agbalajobi, Member BoT;
Alhaja Hafsat Bello, Member, BoT and Alhaja Rasheedat
Babalola, Former Women Affairs Secretary at the event.