Pilgrimage not tourism, NCPC boss says

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, says Pilgrimage is not tourism, but rather a spiritual rejuvenation.

Adegbite said this during the airlift of the 8th batch of intending Christian pilgrims of Ebonyi to Israel and Jordan at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Wednesday in Enugu.

A statement by Mr. Celestine Toruka, Deputy Director and Head, Media and Public Relations of NCPC, said Adegbite was represented by Clement Nweke, Federal Commissioner representing South East on the Board of NCPC.

Nweke is also the leader of the state delegation of the 8th batch of Christian pilgrims to the holy land.

Adegbite assured the intending pilgrims of the opportunity of visiting many holy sites in Israel and Jordan, and would not come back spiritually unfulfilled.

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“Pilgrimage is not tourism, but a spiritual rejuvenation. You are not going for tourism, but for spiritual rejuvenation,“he said.

Adegbite commended Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi for sponsoring over 300 Christian pilgrims from the state.

He urged the pilgrims to pray fervently to God in the holy land and come back with outstanding testimonies.

The NCPC boss reiterated that Ebonyi has never had any issue of abscondment and that this current batch would not be an exception.

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He emphasized that the commission’s zero-tolerance stance on abscondment is non-negotiable, stating that everything humanly possible would be done to fish out any absconders.

Adegbite enjoined the intending pilgrims conduct themselves while in the holy land in order not to put the state and Nigeria in bad light.

Earlier, the Chairman of the state Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Fr. Godwin Uguru, urged the pilgrims to pray for the state.

He stated that the governor did everything needed to ensure a hitch-free pilgrimage.

Uguru prayed that the pilgrims would go to the holy land in peace and come back in peace.