Nigerian Christian pilgrims urged to pray for Nigerian government

Sullivan Chime

Nigerian Christian pilgrims urged to pray for Nigerian government
Cyril Okonkwo, Enugu

Nigerian Christian pilgrims from Enugu State have been urged to pray for the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to make right decisions for the interest of the people.

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, South Eastern Nigeria,made the call while addressing the intending pilgrims before their airlift to Jerusalem on Saturday , Chime said their prayers would go a long way to maintain peace and tranquility in Nigeria.

The governor emphasised that the pilgrims should be good ambassadors of the state for people to form positive opinions about the state.

Chime said: “Like most of you know that Nigeria is passing through trying times, through challenging times. I urge you to pray for the country so that God will guide our leaders to take the right decisions. Pray for the government of President Goodluck Jonathan who is the father of the nation.’’  

The Enugu State Chairman of Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rt Rev Emmanuel Chukwuma said that about 290 contingents would be airlifted to Israel from Port Harcourt Airport.

Chukwuma explained that pilgrimage was a spiritual rejuvenation and therefore, needed no negative act.

In his words, “the airport is not yet fully equipped with the facilities for night landing. The landing facilities, run-way lights are not yet fixed. The immigration point must be put in place, the custom point must be put in place, the NDLEA point must be put in place. All these are not yet there in Enugu Airport. So we want to appeal to the Nigerian government to please speed up these actions to really make it an international airport so that by next year, all these things will be put in place to lift people from here to Ben-Gurion airport.”

Mrs Anthonia Chime, one of the indending pilgrims, said that going to the holy land would help transform her life into a better person.

Another intending pilgrim, Mr Micheal Odo, thanked the Enugu State government for the opportunity given to him to be one of the pilgrims.

He said: “I feel elated by the opportunity given to me by the state government to participate in this exercise.  My promise is that I will not go there and do anything that will bring a bad image to the state and the country at large.”

Williams