By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had held an interactive meeting with Nigeria’s Ulama community on the importance of confronting disinformation and unsubstantiated rumours about the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Fatima Sanda Usara, the Head Public Affairs of the Nigerian Hajj management Agency, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER on Tuesday.
Speaking at the interactive session held on Monday 8th March 2021 at the Chelsea Hotel, Zakariyya Maimalari Street, the NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, revealed that the meeting was essentially to interact with them on the activities of the fourth board, seek their advice as veterans on Hajj matters, request their continuous prayers and then solicit their support for sensitization and mobilization of potential subscribers for the Hajj Savings Scheme.
“Most importantly, Chairman Kunle Hassan informed the gathering that though 2021 Hajj remains still a hope, the Commission has been in constant touch with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 to ensure early and adequate Hajj travel arrangements based on the new normal of the pandemic.
“He commended the Ulama team for the vital roles they have been playing in keeping Muslims informed about the Covid-19 pandemic, appealing to them as a body of Ulama to continue to be in the forefront of advising Muslims to adhere strictly to the Federal Government protocols on the pandemic.
“Speaker after speaker at the parley reaffirmed the importance of enlightenment on Covid-19 and other Hajj related matters. According to one of the participants, Hajj itself has gone beyond the spiritual realm to also include diplomacy, security, medical and national assignments among others. Therefore, the Ulama need to be well informed on Covid-19 protocols in order to breakdown such information during sermons in the mosques to the level of the layman’s cognition. Towards this end, another participant advised members to combine relevant medical knowledge with Islamic activism in the interest of the Ummah.
“NAHCON was advised to be pragmatic as well as commended for its recent achievements. Most speakers in the forum assured the fourth board of their support.
“Over 50 members of Ulama that cut across states, geopolitical regions and different Islamic organizations attended the meeting. The NAHCON chairman was supported at the parley by Commissioner Planning Reasearch Statitsics, Information and Library Services, Sheikh Suleiman Momoh, Commissioner, Policy Personnel Management and Finance, Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakassai, and Commissioner Operations, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa. Other management staff were also in attendance,” Fatima Usara said.
