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A Perspective Of Hajj 2008 By Suleiman Haruna, Garki - Abuja
It is flattering for one to have been chosen among the five million divinely invited to attend hajj 2008 out of the worlds one billion Muslims. I have since come to understand that beyond its being one of the pillars of the Islamic faith, it is indeed the greatest social rendezvous of all humanity and all time. It is the largest most peaceful congregation of people anywhere and it is the most organized and best managed event in the history of man. I am aware of India’s annual pilgrimage, which sometimes witnesses more than twenty million people, but these are mostly Indians and they do not attend the function at the same time like Muslims do at hajj.
Because of hajj, I have come to respect the Saudi government and people more. During hajj, all segments of the Saudi society are involved; their security forces control crowds to avoid stampede, their young men guide people on where to pray while the younger ones, secondary school age, manage the elderly. Like I have heard and witnessed, there are improvements and expansions especially at the mosque in Mecca every year. I have also seen technology in action; giant folding umbrellas, sliding domes, crowd water sprinklers, To these people, I do not believe that money can ever be an obstacle to any project. Talking of money, very few countries in the world have revenues per capita as high as Saudi Arabia. Apart from its abundant petroleum resources, I believe Saudi Arabia can survive on its revenues from hajj alone. It is a complete desert country that grows and even exports agricultural products.
The efficiency exhibited during hajj is exceptional. Accommodating five million people in one city at the same time, using buses to move these numbers within twenty four hours and the communications involved; for the first time, I realized what ‘cell broadcast’ on my phone meant as I continuously received direct instructions and guides from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj. All these are annual experiences that Saudis build upon every year. I have confirmed that the government is planning an underground fast rail service between Mecca and Medina. This could reduce the six hour journey to two.
I also marveled with awe at the way big countries organize their visit to near perfection. Indonesia, with 300,000 pilgrims accommodates their people in the best locations and moves them in the best transport available. So does India, Pakistan and Turkey, each with well over 200,000 pilgrims. Three days after Arafat and they begin liftoffs with jumbo jets every two minutes, such that within a few days they have all returned their pilgrims home.
Not so Nigeria, heart aches for pilgrims start right from home. Sometimes invitation to the hajj camp, which should be done after confirmation that a flight has been arranged, is done without such a confirmation and pilgrims are made to spend days waiting, despondent. When the flight is eventually available, they have to wait ages, on the tarmac, for the plane to refuel. Even inside the plane, pilgrims were treated to impossible foods. Unlike the international passengers that we were, we had to take half-done white rice with two pieces of beef, without any sauce or stew. I asked the crew why and they replied ‘this is a hajj flight and not a regular flight.’ This led me to wonder whether my fare was any less than normal, or anybody was doing me a favour. The plane did not even have the regular eye shades, blankets or ear plugs for passengers.
Surprisingly, the state and local officials who chaperoned us did such a marvelous job that I was led to believe they have learned from the mistakes of the past; Swift movements, frequent checks on us to see that we did not have any problems, adequate number of experienced preachers to guide pilgrims, and frequent messages of goodwill from political leaders and requests for special prayers for Nigeria. It was the same story for Muna and Arafat. I was particularly impressed at Muna. While other state contingents allowed free access between males and females, Kaduna state, for example, ensured that pilgrims of the opposite sex do not have entry to each others’ camps. They have to send officials or use the public address system for whoever they want to see.
Our return was billed for the 20th of December; we were therefore bussed from Medina to Jeddah on the 19th, exactly four weeks from the day we left Nigeria. Quite remarkable, considering that others stay for up to 45 days. While at the Airport, we were in the custody of federal officials as they arrange both accommodation in Medina and the flight back. It is on their instruction that pilgrims are moved out of the accommodation to the airport on flight confirmation. Here again we were told our plane is already waiting for us only to be faced with another two - day wait, in the open. Among us were professors, business men and other important persons. But we all had to sleep either on available benches or on bare floor.
I heard that sometimes Saudi officials have had to forcibly ferry pilgrims to Nigeria and surcharge the Nigerian government. In fact, the most extreme pilgrim shed has been permanently allocated to Nigeria. The place has only toilet facilities and only one food joint. I asked an experienced pilgrim why and he said it was because Nigerian pilgrims had frequent demonstrations due to delayed airlifts back. Even this year, Abuja pilgrims had to demonstrate after waiting five days without being airlifted.
Some people speculated that we were pushed out of Medina so that other pilgrims can take over our rooms; possibly, there aren’t enough hotels. I also observed that the companies invited to carry pilgrims were not the actual companies that carried them. It was third party companies that did; sort of sub-contracted. I wonder why Kabo Air and possibly Saudi Arabian Airlines cannot be contracted to do the complete airlift. I was saddened that Air Niamey could participate in the airlift, but Nigeria does not have a branded aircraft conveying its own pilgrims like most other countries. I feel that even Virgin Nigeria has better credence, by virtue of its name, to convey Nigerians to the rendezvous of ‘who is who’ among national carriers.
Talking of branding, I speak vehemently when I say that Nigeria can take advantage of hajj to brand itself before the congregation of five million; in locations visited, in transportation, in accommodation and at the pilgrims shed at Jeddah, not to mention the pilgrims themselves in what they say about Nigeria, and what they wear and use. Making a positive statement and impression about Nigeria before this congregation can only improve the nation’s image and win us more friends.
I do hope that officials would continue to learn from their mistakes so that the respect that Nigeria has earned over the years does continue to flourish. |