Delta Governor pledges support for Xtian pilgrimage

Executive Secretary Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kennedy Opara (right) presenting a plaque to the Governor of Delta State, Doctor. Ifeanyi Okowa during the ES NCPC Sensitization visit to the Governor at the Government house in Asaba.

The Executive Governor of Delta State, Governor Okowa, has pledged his support for Christian pilgrimage. He made this known while playing host to the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), John Kennedy Opara, and his management team who were on a sensitization visit to the State.

In his remarks, the Governor commended the Executive Secretary of NCPC, John Kennedy Opara for his giant strides in the Commission and for the new innovations he has put in place towards self sustenance. In his words, “A lot of people now embark on pilgrimage because of your contribution in pilgrimage; there is no doubt that you have taken pilgrimage to another level”

Speaking further, Gov Okowa affirmed that because of the nature of their work, most of them do not have enough time to spend with their families; thus he posited the family pilgrimage is a good thing to embrace as it provides the rare opportunity for families to spend time together with God in the Holy land.

He seized the opportunity of the sensitization visit to encourage other politicians to embrace family pilgrimage. According to him, it is better to spend time with God, together with their families than going on robust holidays.

He assured the Executive Secretary that he would not shy away from sponsoring the poor and would further continue to stir up well meaning Nigerians to sponsor people. He promised to be in Israel for the “A day with Jesus” programme on 25th October.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Mr. John Kennedy Opara, congratulated the governor for his victory at the 2015 elections and commended him for his exemplary life. In his words, “You are a man of many colors and a child of destiny”.

He intimated the governor on the four programmes the Commission runs yearly: The Easter pilgrimage, the youth pilgrimage which is designed to ensure that the youths are captured on time; the Family pilgrimage, and the Main pilgrimage usually held between October/December. Adding that skill acquisition programme has been recently added to pilgrims’ activities while in the Holy Land, with the aim of empowering Nigerian youths due to the economic situation in the Country. He therefore urged the Governor to partner with the Commission to empower the youths in the State.

Mr. Opara informed the Governor of the Commission’s lottery Scheme through which people will be enabled to embark on Pilgrimage with little or no cost; this is one of the steps the Commission has taken towards self sustenance.

He further informed his host that 98 percent of the youths that embarked on pilgrimage were sponsored by individuals and churches, adding that this is the era of self sponsorship. He quoted from the Scriptures “I will not give to the Lord that which will not cost me something”. Thus, going on pilgrimage should be a sacrifice that would cost people something.