The Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) has said that Nigerians on pilgrimage to Israel will, apart from observing prayers, also be exposed to agricultural methods in Israel.

Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Archbishop Stephen Adegbite, gave the hint while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the commission’s readiness for the forthcoming Christian pilgrimage.

According to him, pilgrimage is a journey with the Lord for spiritual growth, and to further get mileage during the 2024 exercise, the agency has been making plans with Israel for participants to acquire farming techniques alongside the spiritual retreat. He said that this would aid agriculture development and improve food security in Nigeria.

“The retreat to the Holy land will no longer be a jamboree but will be religiously executed to achieve desired plan for the participants and the nation,” he said.

Adegbite said that the agency had keyed into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration with the theme for the 2024 pilgrimage tagged: “Renewed Hope and Satisfaction.”

The Archbishop said that members of staff and board members of the NCPC implored the stakeholders and contractors to have a changed mindset toward optimising the goals of the retreat.

According to him, the agency has visited Israel and Jordan, two of the places intending pilgrims will visit, to make arrangements for a seamless retreat. He, however, stressed that the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims was paramount in the scheme of things.

“With my visit to Israel and Jordan, our pilgrimage will go beyond spiritual retreat but will tap from those countries some of the economic development projects that made the place successful.

“One cannot dispute the success and contribution of agriculture to the state of Israel. Such economic and social variables will be tapped for domestication in Nigeria.

“I have read the pilgrimage act and will ensure it is upheld in all dealings.“Plans have been made to cater for the intending pilgrims and I will not allow anyone cheat on any Nigerian citizen over there and in like manner, will not allow Nigerian pilgrims cheat.

“We have started putting calls to state governors to support people to make the retreat, especially the downtrodden and brethren from the northern part of the country that cannot afford the journey.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission thanked President Tinubu for his appointment. He also commended the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu; the Vice President, Kashim Shettima and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, for their support. He, however, appealed to wealthy citizens and organisations to support the agency for the journey.