On-the-fraud-in-delta-state-pilgrims-travels
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE FRAUD IN DELTA STATE PILGRIMS' TRAVELS
It is sad, and rather unfortunate that what is supposed to be a life time experience for Christians to have a taste of the holy city of Jerusalem and the sacrificial lifestyle lived by Christians of old, have been turned into a money making venture by some opportunist-persons in Delta State.
Since after the first tenure of former Governor James Ibori's administration, when those slated for the annual Pilgrimage in the State were given 1,000 US Dollars as basic allowance for each pilgrim; the Delta State pilgrimage has been turned into a money making project by heartless members of the Delta State Pilgrim Board, as well as past and present Delta State Governors. Though, what each pilgrim usually sign for is 1,000 US Dollars, but in reality, what each pilgrim is given is 500 US Dollars, half of what is budgeted.
According to my source, it was revealed that in Ibori's first tenure, the numbers of Delta State pilgrims were Three Thousand plus, but in Emmanuel Uduaghan's administration, the number of pilgrims were reduced to Two Thousand plus. And the money for each pigrim was reduced from 1,000 US Dollars to 500 US Dollars. But what they always signed for was 500 US Dollars.
In the present Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration, the number of pilgrims were reduced to 1,000. And this fraudulent practice of giving the pilgrims something different from what they signed, is still on till now. Okowa's administration still gives each pilgrim 500 US Dollars, but each pilgrim signs for $1,000. The question is not even the reduction of numbers of pilgrims, but the evident fraud in the Delta State pilgrim travels.
In my view, a pilgrimage is supposed to be a personal spiritual journey and experience to the holy cities of the two major religions in the world. But the Nigerian Government has made it a Government affair because it is an avenue to steal public wealth. Is it not shameful that heartless politicians and clergy men/pastors, are now using the name of GOD ALMIGHTY to steal public wealth. Even those who signed for $1,000 and were given $500 are part of the fraud themselves because they encourage it. Will God bless anyone who compromises to cheat like this in the name of going for pilgrimage? I doubt it because God cannot be mocked. You can't cheat in the name of God and go scot free.
If they like, let them visit Jerusalem and Mecca one million times with pretence of serving God, they are deceiving themselves and not God and the public. The past and present Delta State Governors/officials, and Pilgrim Board members, as well as the pilgrims themselves, have sinned with this act of not being honest with what they received and what they are expected to give. But if they like, let them visit Jerusalem five hundred million times, they will not receive the blessings of God. Visiting holy places under ‘deception’, is a sin before God.
Zik Gbemre.
April 22, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
ON THE FRAUD IN DELTA STATE PILGRIMS' TRAVELS
It is sad, and rather unfortunate that what is supposed to be a life time experience for Christians to have a taste of the holy city of Jerusalem and the sacrificial lifestyle lived by Christians of old, have been turned into a money making venture by some opportunist-persons in Delta State.
Since after the first tenure of former Governor James Ibori's administration, when those slated for the annual Pilgrimage in the State were given 1,000 US Dollars as basic allowance for each pilgrim; the Delta State pilgrimage has been turned into a money making project by heartless members of the Delta State Pilgrim Board, as well as past and present Delta State Governors. Though, what each pilgrim usually sign for is 1,000 US Dollars, but in reality, what each pilgrim is given is 500 US Dollars, half of what is budgeted.
According to my source, it was revealed that in Ibori's first tenure, the numbers of Delta State pilgrims were Three Thousand plus, but in Emmanuel Uduaghan's administration, the number of pilgrims were reduced to Two Thousand plus. And the money for each pigrim was reduced from 1,000 US Dollars to 500 US Dollars. But what they always signed for was 500 US Dollars.
In the present Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's administration, the number of pilgrims were reduced to 1,000. And this fraudulent practice of giving the pilgrims something different from what they signed, is still on till now. Okowa's administration still gives each pilgrim 500 US Dollars, but each pilgrim signs for $1,000. The question is not even the reduction of numbers of pilgrims, but the evident fraud in the Delta State pilgrim travels.
In my view, a pilgrimage is supposed to be a personal spiritual journey and experience to the holy cities of the two major religions in the world. But the Nigerian Government has made it a Government affair because it is an avenue to steal public wealth. Is it not shameful that heartless politicians and clergy men/pastors, are now using the name of GOD ALMIGHTY to steal public wealth. Even those who signed for $1,000 and were given $500 are part of the fraud themselves because they encourage it. Will God bless anyone who compromises to cheat like this in the name of going for pilgrimage? I doubt it because God cannot be mocked. You can't cheat in the name of God and go scot free.
If they like, let them visit Jerusalem and Mecca one million times with pretence of serving God, they are deceiving themselves and not God and the public. The past and present Delta State Governors/officials, and Pilgrim Board members, as well as the pilgrims themselves, have sinned with this act of not being honest with what they received and what they are expected to give. But if they like, let them visit Jerusalem five hundred million times, they will not receive the blessings of God. Visiting holy places under ‘deception’, is a sin before God.
Zik Gbemre.
April 22, 2020.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes