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The Hajj operations in Nigeria for 1426 AH has come and gone but the sad echoes still remains with us. Over the years, handling of Hajj operations have been poor but this year became the worst. As in other years, the airlifting of pilgrims was fraught with problems and had indeed appeared doomed before it even got off the ground. Year in year out, the spotlight is always on Nigeria on how not to organise hajj operations because of a long list of twisted planning and inefficient/ corrupt practices. Where it is not old aircraft being hired to airlift pilgrims, it is the Nigerian government asking for extension of arrival of pilgrims. To put this problem in proper perspective, we need to examine how we come to this sorry pass; why officials charged with hajj operations cannot organise a decent and hitch free exercise, which has turn this journey of faith that fee-paying pilgrims (not those on government spon sorship) have planned and prayed for over the years into misery, suffering and dashed hopes. Thus, questioning the very essence of government involvement in Hajj operations. Are there references in other countries for this?
The Issues It has come to the open that the problems usually start when contracts are being awarded for airlifting pilgrims. During this period, all manners of people (contractors) queue up for the contract awards and jostle to be selected without preparedness for the task at hand and having scant regard to the sacredness and seriousness of the exercise. The only concern they have and their utmost consideration seem to be how much money to make and also looking towards benefiting from the cash discount of $10,000 the Saudi authorities is reported to pay all carriers of pilgrim for Hajj.
The question is also asked about the kind of assessment the hajj committee carry out on these contractors and the criteria used in awarding contracts for airlifting of individuals. Because in majority of the cases, individuals with no business background in aviation services get awarded these contracts to the detriment of the common good and interest. It is after putting pen to paper that the awardees start running helter skelter in search of aircrafts to hire for the exercise. Whether these aircrafts are in good shape, have valid insurance is not their business … of course they would go for the cheapest even if that will cause severe inconvenience to passengers
The current system of the appointment of Amirul Hajj is wrong headed and mostly politically motivated. It is inconceivable for a government to appoint politicians as National Amirul 'Hajj in a country that is blessed with eminent Sheyukh and Islamic scholars, where we have Professors of Islamic Studies that are world renowned. This is a clear dis-service to the Ummah. This year, the Deputy Senate President was the Amirul Hajj. Without attempting to diminish the importance of the personality or the office of the Deputy Senate President, the Hajj programme is a religious affair, and it is the Nigeria's Muslim community, rather than a political constituency that must produce the best fitted National Amirul 'Hajj even if the positions eventually goes to a political leader, it must be based on factors such as his religious credentials and actual fitness for the task in terms of hajj affairs knowledge and experience. This practice, unfortunately, was also replicated in the various States where traditional rulers were made State Amirul Hajj. These people sometimes get into petty quarrels with officials of pilgrim welfare board because of over bloated ego and clash of interest… at the end of the day, it is the pilgrims that suffer and Islam and Muslim ridiculed.
How about the manner the Hajj committees are constituted. This in itself is a major impediment. Why populate committees charged with the responsibility of organising religious exercise with individuals of questionable character whose only qualification for such office is their political leaning and loyalty. For them, the main interest for the most part, is rent-seeking and pecuniary gains. Constituting the b oard, what criteria does the government take into consideration. Why has countries like Indonesia, Malaysia with larger number of pilgrims ratio per population compared to Nigeria organise their operations successfully.
The Approach/Recommendation
It is clear that the FG Hajj committee and the Pilgrim Welfare Board have outlived their usefulness, because it has failed to give meaning and purpose to the Hajj exercise. The entire Hajj operations in Nigeria need to be reformed and we are happy that the government is looking in this direction with its promise to convene a stakeholders meeting that will examine all the issues and find a permanent solution to the perennial problems. It is also encouraging that the Senate has pledged it would probe the last exercise. The Senate should further do its part also by expediting action on the passage of the National Commission for Hajj Bill which is currently before it.
The stakeholders meeting being envisaged should be peopled with the Muslim intelligentsia. It is not a forum for religious leaders and politicians who have over the years proven not to champion the overall interest of the Muslims in their interactions with governments. The influx of uninformed persons at the front row of Muslim affairs in this country is the root of most of the problems. The Muslim Public Affairs Centre would be delighted to receive an invite to participate at this planned stakeholders forum where it hope to join others in fashioning out solutions to the problem.
Calls have been made to decentralise the Hajj operations whereby each State plans and organises its airlifting since the operation has become unwieldy for the government at the centre. Also it is clear that the FG monopoly of Hajj operation is serving more as a source for corrupt self-enrichment for some public officers than assisting intending pilgrims. The fact that a State government or two successfully airlifted its pilgrims does not put forward enough credentials for State governments to be charged with running Hajj operations because the inefficiency and fraud that permeates the exercise at the federal level can also rear its ugly head here. We have seen States that appoint incompetent people (first timers on Hajj) as welfare officers … these officers, in connivance with the old timers that have been thoroughly schooled in the corrupt practises that have become trademarks of Nigeria's Hajj operations, are the kind of people that would arrange the cheapest and worst hotel accommodation due to greed and avarice, these are the people who cannot orientate their pilgrims on the art and science of Hajj due to ignorance.
Pilgrimage is a journey of faith, which strictly speaking is a private matter between man and God. This exercise would thrive better under a private sector arrangement. Just like other programmes of the government private sector be allowed to run this affair where pilgrims will get value for money and time invested. The government can be retained to render consular, regulatory and other support services. It could also continue its sponsorship of candidates, particularly the poor but should not be concerned with organising. Some Muslim societies and independent Hajj travel agencies, like NASFAT and Hajj Mabroor successfully airlifted their groups to Hajj without government assistance whic h makes a case for call for the Hajj operation to be private sector driven, because organisations such as these will be more conscious of their responsibilities to pilgrims and the associated reputation and repeat business as against the incompetence displayed by government-appointed cronies, political patrons, rent seekers and contractors.
Before I forget - The Hajj committee or Pilgrim Welfare Board should bury its head in shame and they should be made to render apology to Nigeria and Nigerians for the incalculable suffering to pilgrim and bringing shame and ridicule to the nation through successive global advertisements of their incompetence and corruption.
===== An eye witness account The Edo State contingent arrived the Lagos camp in the night of Thursday 29th December. This was because they were informed that air lifting would be Friday 30th evening or Saturday morning. So they hurriedly left Benin City on Thursday evening. From the onset their Hajj journey started on a bad note because somewhere around Sagamu, their convoy of buses was attacked by armed robber s which disrupted the coordinated movement. It led to their arrival in Lagos in batches but fortunately no life was lost. I stayed awake on the night of 29th to monitor the situation on my mobile phone because I had a brother in the group. Between 11pm and 12 midnight he told me his batch of the convoy had reached Ojota and were waiting for the remaining buses splintered by the robbery operation in Sagamu.
On Friday morning I was over at the camp. On this day, there was much enthusiasm and hope for the pilgrims as they were promised airlifting the next day. On my repeat visit on Sunday, hope started fading as there were conflicting reports on exact date of departure and at this time, most of the pilgrims had started exhausting their supplies of food since the plan was to leave immediately on arrival in Lagos. The camp itself presented its own severe difficulties. Since it was not built living quarters, the pilgrims - Men, women and some young people were quartered in open and exposed to the elements. Only the officials had rooms where they slept in. All the others had their accommodati on under the sun, lying on the mats spread on the ground. You could see old people huddled together. As in other camps, the pilgrims were left to themselves with scant or no information as to their departure as the days wore on. Those who did not prepare for such a long stay at the camp had to be at the mercies of others for food, etc. The environmental conditions also posed health risks to the people, with several of them coming down with malaria (from mosquitoes bite), cough, tummy upset, etc..
As I surveyed the camp before I left that evening I saw the forlorn look on their faces, wh ich needed no description – despair, frustration and anger. Lagos pilgrims whose trip was handled by the State independently of the Federal government merely transited through camp on the way to Hajj and pilgrims from other Western states plus Edo merely looked on while pitying their helpless situation. Those going on Hajj for the first time merely watched their years of careful planning and saving crashing and hope dashed. Eventually and unfortunately, the Edo State pilgrims and others at the Lagos camp (except Lagos State pilgrims) did not go on Hajj. Was told that on the day the announcement was made that the pilgrims will no longer make the journey, an elderly slumped and death came calling. The man DIED with all the plans for a successful pilgrimage.
Abu Abdullah Ahmad Director Administration Department
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