LUKMAN RAIMI: Dissecting worries of an international don over scandal in National Hajj Commission

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

Muslim Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Christian Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, will, however, not be forgotten for respective financial rescue they provided augmenting their $500 BTA to com9lete $800. It was even said at a point that NAHCON’s $500 did not go round as some got less, thus making it necessary for people to ask questions about Tinubu’s N90 billion subsidy.

An Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Program Leader of Business Administration at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Dr. Lukman Raimi, is currently not one Nigerian that is proud of Hajj operations custodians currently in his country, Nigeria.

This is because he sees the process now as one that is infiltrated and virtually bastardised by politicians of Africa’s most populous country, thus making the international academic personality, who looked back into the literary work of the renowned African author, Ayi Kwei Armah: “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born”, and opined that “we are in desperate need of “the beautiful ones” — individuals of integrity and moral fortitude — in every segment of Nigeria.”

Dr. Raimi’s worries stemmed from the standpoint of recent scandal involving the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) whereby the politician (president), who appointed his fellow politician (chairman/chief executive officer) to manage the affairs of the Hajj Commission, claimed to subsidise the 2024/1455 Hajj with N90 billion and that humongous amount pulled from Nigeria’s taxpayers’ hard-earned money cum nation’s God-given natural resources neither crashed the cost charged on each pilgrim nor translate to good services to the faithful from the various pilgrimage boards at home in Nigeria up to Saudi Arabia.

Despite the N90 billion subsidy, sadly, the last Islamic year Hajj operation will continue to go down in the memory of any right thinking Muslim faithful, different from thugs sponsored on Holy pilgrimage by people whose god is politics of self, as the worst ever including the reality that the custodians of the should-have-been righteous duty made pilgrim who paid minimum of N6 million to be entitled to only $500 BTA against when he paid N1.6 million and  still got $800 BTA. That is not to talk about how Lagos State Government charged N50,000 as for just yellow fever vaccination for pilgrim. At Ikeja Local Government the cost was higher – N70,000.

Muslim Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Christian Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, will, however, not be forgotten for respective financial rescue they provided augmenting their $500 BTA to com9lete $800. It was even said at a point that NAHCON’s $500 did not go round as some got less, thus making it necessary for people to ask questions about Tinubu’s N90 billion subsidy.

National Hajj Commission, which was established to provide an enablance for the Islamic faithful to fulfill the (very obligatory) fifth of five pillars of their evidence based religion in obedience of their Lord, Allah, has now turned to be a way that some mere politically minded Nigerians masquerading as Muslims have extended their politics of bad governance to religion.

By so doing, they are now believed to be making not only Nigerians facing hardship and unprecedented hunger under their leadership deserving the constitutional rights to protest but also, even the Muslims, whose religion and only means of establishing good relationship with their Lord is being tampered with by the corruption of the “unfortunate people pretending” to be good leaders of the Nigerian people.

Dr. Lukman Raimi insisted that Hajj remains sacred no matter the amount of tamperings by the politicians who are now using their contagious blood of economic and political corruption to infect the incorruptible Fifth Pillar of Islam.

“The message of “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born” resonate deeply as we consider the recent scandal involving the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

“Hajj, often referred to as the pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah, is the fifth pillar of Islam, meant to be a pure act of worship, performed with the utmost integrity and sincerity by those who have the financial means and physical capability.

“Unfortunately, politicians have historically corrupted this sacred pillar under the guise of subsidy and assistance to pilgrims. The post of Chairman of the Hajj Board is often seen as lucrative across the board,” Raimi said.

More sadly, people who attempt to corrupt the Hajj process in Nigeria currently are neither Christians nor idol worshippers but people who are probably Muslims by face but pure hypocrites in te depth of their hearts. Before they put words in the mouths of onlooking non-Muslims to – by their ignorance – rain criticisms on Islam saying religion must not be funded by state, Dr. Raimi cleared every doubt about the position of Islam to say the Islamic Holy pilgrimage does not require politicians’ subsidies.

He said, “But do we really need government subsidies and sponsorships for Hajj when Allah makes it obligatory only for those who have the means? The role of the government should be limited to coordination and travel facilitation—a role better suited for private sector Hajj operators.

“As the Quran states in Surah Al-Imran (3:97), “And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision, and residence).”

He continued, “This sacred obligation is not just a ritual but a deeply spiritual journey that every Muslim who is able must undertake. However, the recent scandal involving NAHCON has cast a dark shadow over this holy and supposedly incorruptible Hajj endeavor.

Example NAHCON should copy

“The contrast between the actions of the current custodians of NAHCON and the exemplary leadership of Umar bin Abdulaziz, the revered eighth Umayyad Caliph, is striking. Umar bin Abdulaziz is often cited as a paragon of justice and humility, especially in his use of state assets and funds.

“It is said that he (Umar bin Abdulaziz) was so scrupulous in his management of public resources that he would not even use state oil in lamps for his personal activities. Instead, he would extinguish the state lamp and light his own when attending to personal matters, ensuring that no public asset was misused for private gain.

“This level of integrity and accountability is what is expected from those entrusted with the management of Hajj operations, yet the recent actions of NAHCON officials stand in stark contrast to this ideal.”

The sad story

The don said, “Recent reports reveal that the Executive Chairman of NAHCON, along with other top officials, is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy. The EFCC has reportedly recovered a total of SR314,098 from these officials, a clear indication of financial malpractice at the highest levels of the Commission.

“The gravity of this scandal cannot be overstated. Hajj is a sacred duty, and the funds allocated for its organization are meant to facilitate the journey for millions of Muslims who place their trust in these institutions. Instead, these funds have been misappropriated by those entrusted with this sacred responsibility. The investigation also revealed that SR8,614,175.27, withdrawn from the N90 billion allocated by the Federal Government, remains unaccounted for by NAHCON.

“Furthermore, the probe uncovered past financial malpractices, including payments for non-existent study tours and services not rendered, further deepening the scandal. The corruption within NAHCON is not just a betrayal of public trust but a direct affront to the sanctity of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized the importance of honesty and integrity, particularly in matters of public trust. In a hadith narrated by Ibn Umar, the Prophet said: “When a man deceives those who trust him, his place is in Hell.” (Sahih Muslim).

“This scandal serves as a stark reminder of how easily even the most sacred institutions can be tainted by greed and corruption. It is a call to action for all Muslims to demand greater accountability and transparency from those who are entrusted with the organization of Hajj.”

In conclusion, he listed the alleged crimes and highlighted the implications of misappropriation of public funds and other corruption ongoing in the Hajj House Abuja, a thought that has led one to questioning the antecedents of the current Chairman of NAHCON including where he served before his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and what were the events that surrounded and characterised his disengagement, if any.

“The actions of the NAHCON custodians are nothing short of shameful. They have corrupted the incorruptible, turning a sacred duty into a platform for personal gain. As Socrates once said, “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”

“This quote underscores the insatiable greed that often leads to such moral decay. Similarly, the great Muslim philosopher Al-Ghazali warned, “The corruption of the worldly-minded is due to their greed for power and wealth.” These timeless words remind us of the dangers of allowing material desires to overshadow spiritual and ethical responsibilities.”

He then called that, “The ongoing investigation by the EFCC must be thorough and transparent, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. Only then can the sanctity of the fifth pillar of Islam be restored, and the trust of the millions of Muslims who undertake this holy journey be regained,” said Lukman Raimi, PhD, LL.M, MNIM, FIFP, FCEnt, FIMC, CMC.