Tourism

Hajj 2023: Decentralise your medical team, Lagos govt urges NAHCON

Lagos State Government has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to decentralised its medical team to the Holy Land, even as it commended the Commission for good administration of the 2023 Hajj operations.

Head of the Lagos State Hajj team, Prince Anofiu Elegushi made the call while speaking with newsmen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after successful airlifting of all contingents of Lagos State for pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

According to Elegushi, whittling down the power from the central medical team will ensure optimal performance during the period.

Prince Elegushi explained that the state through its pilgrims board had raised the bar in the administration of Hajj exercise and would love to collaborate with other critical stakeholders for more effective deliveries.

“So far so good, we have been having a peaceful arrangement, although with little hitches, which is normal, but so far we have been able to control crowd and resolve other issues regarding the pilgrims that came up. And after all, we have been able to airlift over three thousand pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and for now, everything is okay for Lagos Pilgrims.

“NAHCON has done well, but the area I will like to talk about is the area of monopoly. I think they should reduce the power of the operation, there are some that state can do better. For example, in the area of medical, although NAHCON is always prepared, but looking at the number of people that came from Nigeria, their facilities may be overwhelmed.”

“If we can have medical from the houses where pilgrims reside, it would reduce pressure on major medical infrastructure. They should at least release some powers to the state, I am sure, things will go well if they can do that,” he stated.

Elegushi, however, reassured the pilgrims of better arrangements in the coming days.

Deputy Lagos State Hajj team, Mr Abdullahi Jebe, in his own remark, appreciated the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for ensuring that the right persons were positioned to carry out the Hajj operations for Lagos Pilgrims.

Jebe disclosed that the last batch of pilgrims from Lagos State for the 2023 Holy Pilgrimage had completed the visitation (Ziyarah) to some Islamic historical sites in the city of Madinah, saying that the eleventh batch, which consisted of 171 pilgrims, carried out the visitation between Thursday and Friday in fulfillment of the requirements for the performance of the spiritual exercise.

According to Jebe, some of the important sites visited by the pilgrims include, the Raodoh (a specific prayer location for supplications in the Prophet Mosque and offering); Masjid Qubah (the first Mosque built on earth and where the first ever Jumat prayer was observed in the entire world) and Masjid Qiblataen (a Mosque with two Qiblas).

Meanwhile, the 171 pilgrims on the last flight from Lagos have departed Madinah for Makkah to begin the Hajj rites proper.

They are expected to put on the Ihram clothes (two pairs of white towels for the males and a long gown for females) and declare their intention to perform Umrah at the Miqot.

On getting to Makkah, the pilgrims would proceed to the Masjid Al-Haram (Kaaba) to perform the Tawaf (circumambulation) and the Sae (Safa and Marwa) seven times.

Hajj al-Tamatt’u is the easiest way of performing Hajj. People who come to Saudi Arabia from other countries usually perform Hajj al-Tamatt’u. The Ihram they wear on or before Miqot is for Umrah first, after which they cut their hair and nails and change into their ordinary clothes.

On the eighth of Zul-Hijjah, they put on Ihram for Hajj at their residence in Makkah and perform the rites of Hajj. It is taken off after the throwing of the first pebbles at the Jamarat which is the day of sacrifice (Eid-ul-Kabir).

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