Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged all the 1,070 intending pilgrims from the state to Saudi Arabia for the 2024 Hajj to represent the state with dignity and be good ambassadors.
Makinde stated this on Wednesday while addressing the intending pilgrims during the farewell ceremony organised for them in Ibadan.
The governor, who stressed the importance of showcasing the rich moral values of Oyo state to the rest of the world in the holy land, e joined the pilgrims to foster goodwill and promote peaceful coexistence among themselves.
He admonished them to shun behaviours and conducts capable of projecting the state in bad light in Saudi Arabia.
He stressed the need for the pilgrims to pray for the state and the nation at large, while equally cautioning them to adhere strictly to the safety protocols and guidelines in the holy land.
He assured them of his government’s support throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia, saying that their safety and welfare remained paramount to him.
In his address, Chairman, Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing), Sheikh Wahab Atere, said that a total of 1,070 intending pilgrims from the state would perform this year’s Hajj.
Atere said the first batch would depart the country on Saturday, while the second batch would move to the holy land on May 19.
According to him, all the intending pilgrims from the state have been granted Hajj visas, with no exception.
On the preparations on ground in Saudi Arabia for the intending pilgrims, Atere said arrangements had been made to make accommodation check-in easy for all the pilgrims in Makkah.
“It is on record that Oyo State is the first in South-West and the second state in the country that will have all its pilgrims in Saudi Arabia within the first week of the transport for Hajj,” he said.
Atere commended Makinde for the support which the board had received toward the success recorded so far.(NAN)
