Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has charged the 297 Muslim pilgrims from the State to be good ambassadors of the state and the nation, urging them to respect the laws of the Holy Land and shun prohibited items.
Speaking at a meeting at the Government House before the departure of pilgrims to the Holy Lands of Mecca and Medina at the weekend, Oshiomhole said, “When you get there, we expect you to be of excellent conduct. We expect you to use the opportunity to pray for yourselves, your family, for Edo State, for Nigeria.”
He also charged them to pray for President Buhari.
Represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Oshiomhole who noted that the pilgrims are also representing their respective communities, instructed them not to do anything bad there; otherwise people will not only use their village to identify them, but their local government areas and state which would be in a bad light.
His words: “You are representing your state, and we are all very proud of you. And we identify with you and that is part of the reason for this kind of interaction because we are not seeing you as strangers. You are part and parcel of Edo State. And you are also representing the Governor of Edo State. Each of you is representing Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. So, you have to think of that. Then you represent Nigeria because when they want to put anything on the paper, they will put Nigeria and that will not make people look at Edo State in good light.”
