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By Kehinde Aderemi
Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo is the commissioner in charge of policy, personnel management and finance at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). In a recent encounter in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the NAHCON top shot explained how the commission intended to improve on subsequent hajj operations.
Shortly before the encounter, chairman of the commission, Abdullah Mukhtar, had led officials to meet with stakeholders at the Al-Raqiyyah Hall, Ring Road, Khalidiyya 2, Mecca. The forum was tagged “2017 Post-Arafat Meeting.” At the meeting, leaders of pilgrims’ boards from different states, Islamic leaders and private tour operators discussed a number of issues bordering on ensuring more successful hajj operations in subsequent years.
Adebayo told the reporter: “Annually, the hajj commission ensures that every Nigerian that participates in the hajj rites does so with ease, and we have done that for five years. However, we do have challenges. And we are working on those areas, so that the exercise will be more successful, subsequently,” he said.
He promised that better accommodation arrangements would be made for next year’s pilgrims in Mecca and Medina: “This year, the accommodation we had in Medina was great, because the pilgrims were close to Haram. But there are limited houses around Mar’kasiya, that is, the Haram. Yet, Nigerian pilgrims were 100 per cent in Mar’kasiya. We achieved this because of our early preparations. We don’t wait till next year. Before the completion of this year’s exercise, we had formed a committee that would get a conducive accommodation for Nigerian pilgrims coming for next year’s hajj. Top NAHCON officials also stayed back to work things out.”
Annually, feeding is usually a major issue for Nigerian pilgrims. But Adebayo explained that the commission was working on partnering with Nigerians that could bring local food from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia.
“For somebody staying outside his or her country for 30 to 35 days, not eating his traditional food is a big challenge. By next year, we will introduce local food in Medina, Muna and Mecca,” he said.
He admitted that the commission needed to improve on its flight arrangements, just as he noted that it was already working on it: “We need to dialogue with our carriers, so as to ensure an effective and reliable flight schedule. Schedule is very key to hajj operation. Globally, if you are travelling, you should be able to know when you are going and when you are coming back home.
“In processing visas, the travel schedule and the number of days pilgrims are to spend in Medina and Mecca are put into the system. So, once they miss a day, it affects a lot of things. By next year, we will have a reliable travel arrangement for intending pilgrims.
“Most of the airlines think they are doing Nigeria a favour. How can you bring pilgrims from Nigeria to the holy land without a reasonable and reliable schedule? Pilgrims should know when they want to travel and when they are coming back home. The commission is working seriously on this.
“We have only one exiting airport, which is in Jeddah. The population of pilgrims from across the world this year was about 3.4 million and, based on the memorandum of understanding we signed with the Saudi authorities, and by their regulations, any country that has more than 30,000 pilgrims must stagger their outbound flight schedule over a period of one month. Therefore, it is not possible for all the pilgrims to move out of Saudi Arabia within one week. For instance, Nigerian pilgrims this year were about 95,000. To get these pilgrims out of the holy land within one week after the completion of the hajj is not possible.
“Everything boils down to early preparations. There are a lot of things that come into play when there is delay in the arrangements made for the exercise. For instance, the basic transport allowance (BTA) may not be procured on time because, without BTA, you cannot travel. Then to process the BTA for at least 500 pilgrims is no joke. It is not easy. As much as we need to prepare early for next year’s hajj, we need to get those that will be providing the various services to these pilgrims both in Nigeria and in Saudi Arabia prepared early enough, because the whole process is cumbersome. The moment you delay on your assignment, it has a multiplier effect on other people’s assignments. So, every person involved in everything that has to do with hajj operations needs to be enlightened and prepared.”
The commissioner applauded the states’ pilgrims’ boards., “They really tried this year. We are partners in progress. They have the pilgrims, while we regulate their activities. We work together as one family. Most of our activities are being done together and we carry them along in whatever we are doing.”
Adebayo advised intending pilgrims for next year’s hajj and the private tour operators to start their preparations early enough. He also urged them to pay on time to avoid delays and disappointments.
