•Fixes N4.5m as minimum deposit for intending pilgrims
Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
Preparatory to the 2024 Hajj religious exercise to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has been officially allocated a total of 1764 seats by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The chairman of the Board, Dr Moruf lshola disclosed this while featuring on an Osun State Broadcasting corporation (OSBC) radio program tagged ‘Akanse eto.’
Ishola on the program explained that due to the current economic realities in Nigeria, especially the exchange rate, the fare for this year’s Hajj would be N4.5 million.
To this end, he implored all intending Pilgrims from Osun state to top up their deposits and await the next official announcement of the final hajj fare by the Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.
While promising a hitch-free Hajj 2024, Moruf Ishola told listeners on the radio program that Osun State Muslim pilgrims Welfare Board had commenced registration of intending Pilgrims for the year 2024 holy pilgrimage to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
While highlighting that all categories of age were allowed to perform Hajj operation as an act of worship to Allah, he maintained that intending pilgrims who are elderly should be accompanied by those who are relatively younger and stronger so as to assist in taking good care of them, because of the rigours of the spiritual activities .
Also speaking during the radio programme, the Administrative Secretary of the Board, Mr Muritala Fakunle, who assured that the coming 2024 Hajj would be a success story, used the opportunity to assure all intending Pilgrims who have already made some financial deposits with the Board of its readiness to fair and transparent in the final selection processes as the principle of first come, first served would be strictly enforced.
In order to ensure smooth Operations, the Board Secretary also announced that international passports of the Intending Pilgrims and their initial minimum Hajj deposit of 4.5M should be ready on or before February 5, 2024.
