By Barnabas Augustine
The ground handlers of the pilgrims from Adamawa State, Tabar Tours, have crowned all 173 pilgrims with the title of Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP).
The ceremony, which was held at Tabar Hotel in Nazareth, Israel, confirmed that the pilgrims had successfully completed their tour of Holy Sites in Israel.
After the ceremony, the pilgrims departed Israel and arrived in Jordan, from where they boarded Air Anka 6K 3101to Yola from Queen Alia International Airport, Amman, Jordan, at 11:49 am Jordan time (9:49 am Nigerian time) on Monday, arriving at Modibbo Adama International Airport, Yola, at 5:45 pm Nigerian time.
Receiving the pilgrims at Modibbo Adama International Airport, Yola, the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, Professor Kaletapwa George Farauta said it was necessary to welcome them on behalf of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. She expressed optimism that the pilgrims had learned a lot and prayed for the state, country and the world.
While in Israel, speaking at the ceremony for the bestowing of the title of JP to the pilgrims, the Chargé d'Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Israel, Mr Ode Ikwe, thanked the Israeli government for maintaining a ceasefire with Hamas fighters, saying that without it, the 2024/25 pilgrimage would not have been possible.
He praised the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing resources for the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, while urging the pilgrims to continue praying for the leader to uphold the 'Renewed Hope' agenda.
He thanked the state governments of Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe for providing supplements for the fourth batch of pilgrims to Israel and Jordan to embark on the spiritual journey and joined them in prayer.
The Chargé d'Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy congratulated the pilgrims on their successful tour of the scheduled Holy Sites and wished them a safe trip back to Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Dr Stephen Adigbite, represented by the North East Zonal Coordinator of the NCPC, Reverend Dr Thomas Hamidu Ragnjiya, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the subsidy he approved to complement the sponsorship of pilgrims by the state governors to the Holy Land. He ascribed the success of the pilgrimage to the support and cooperation of the government delegations and the ground handlers.
The leader of the government delegation for the Adamawa Pilgrims, HRM Bwaltam Bentley Biyapo, the Murum Mbula, said the pilgrims had seen the locations of what they read in the Holy Book, describing the visit as an eye-opener and an enabler of strengthening of faith. He commended Tabar Tours for providing the pilgrims with good accommodation, logistics and meals.
The General Manager of Tabar Tours, Shadia Srour, thanked the Nigerian government and the states of Adamawa, Taraba and Yobe for engaging them as ground handlers for the pilgrimage in Jordan and Israel. She announced that Tabar Tours has been in the business of tourist ground handling since 1961.
Highlight of the ceremony was decoration of the pilgrims with JP badge and presentation of certificates.