• Japa good for evangelism, says PFN president
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Stephen Adegbite, has said no Nigerian pilgrim to Israel will abscond during the 2025 pilgrimage exercise.
Adegbite gave the assurance in a statement yesterday after leading a delegation comprising members of the House of Representatives and ground handlers to the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a bilateral meeting.
He explained that the meeting, held at the ministry’s headquarters in Jerusalem, focused on strengthening Nigeria’s bilateral relations with Israel.
“I am assuring that the commission will maintain zero abscondment of Nigerian pilgrims in Israel and uphold transparency in its dealings,” Adegbite said.
The NCPC secretary expressed gratitude for the ministry’s cooperation in ensuring a safe and secure environment for Nigerian pilgrims. He highlighted the unprecedented participation of approximately 100 members of the House of Representatives in the executive pilgrimage.
He also expressed optimism that the initiative would become a recurring event.
Responding, the Director of the West and Central Africa Division at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tania Berg-Rafaeli, commended the NCPC boss for his visionary leadership and quality guidance.
She praised Nigerian pilgrims for their good conduct and promised to collaborate with the Nigerian Embassy in Israel and the NCPC to foster robust bilateral relations.
Berg-Rafaeti also hinted at a possible Bilateral Air Service Agreement between the two nations.
IN another development, the National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has said that the ongoing japa phenomenon, the wave of Nigerians relocating abroad, carries positive dimensions that should not be overlooked.
Speaking during the 2025 Annual Convention of his ministry, which also coincided with his birthday celebration at the church in Ibadan, Oyo State, Oke noted that while God created every Nigerian with a divine purpose in their homeland, travelling abroad could also open doors for greater achievements.
According to him, beyond seeking greener pastures, Nigerians in the diaspora have the opportunity to become vessels for the spread of the gospel across the world.
“There are positive things attached to the japa syndrome. The original intention of God is for people who carry His glory to spread it all over the world by being fruitful and replenishing the earth,” he said.
