By Jessica Dogo
Abuja – Rev. Tor Uja, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) has called on all Christians to still show love and commitment and not to embark on reprisal attacks to the killings in the country.
Uja made this call during the pilgrimage leaders meeting comprising the state chairmen and secretaries, held at the headquarters on Friday in Abuja.
He advised that Christians should not go back to the primordial level to descend on perpetrators, adding that they should stand up to a Christian character, which was love.
“We want all Christian leaders in this country including those who have been affected negatively by the crisis not to embark on reprisal attacks.
“We should not go to the primordial level of descending to the level of those who are killing but we should stand up in the height of Christian character to show love and show commitment to our nation.
“ It will not amount to much until all the perpetrators of evil are arrested, persecuted lawfully and also punished lawfully. The level of punishment does not diminish the act of love.
“In fact, punishment is an act of love; it helps people to decapitate and come down from their level of ego and to learn how to live a realistic life,’’ he said.
Rev. Uja described the pilgrimage leaders meeting as crucial because of the agreement they made by setting up a new template of influencing Christian values in Nigeria and the world.
He, however, reminded Christians that whatever circumstance Nigeria was faced with, it was still the greatest Christian confession on earth.
“This meeting is crucial because of the agreement we have made and to also set a new template of influencing the world with our Christian values as God has put in us here in Nigeria.
“It is important we remind ourselves that whatever circumstances we face in Nigeria, it is still the country of the greatest Christian confession on earth.
“God has given us biblical values that we are able to propagate around the world and to say also that Christian pilgrimage is not just an adventurous journey.
“It is not even to identify sites as we travel to Israel but very importantly an opportunity to learning, sharing our values and to let the world know what God is doing in Nigeria,’’ Uja said.
Also speaking, Mr Daniel Shawulu, Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board (BSCPWB), gave a highlight of the strategic meeting that the pilgrimage leaders had before now.
Shawulu noted that the strategic meeting had proffered some solutions for every welfare board to take it back to the lower level to work on and explore.
He said that the leaders also discussed areas of challenges, pilgrimage security; medicals provisions and the pilgrimage reporting as all these would help to know the way forward.
He, however, noted that the committee also discussed that states would be charged to pay $ 5,000 for any pilgrim that absconds during pilgrimage.
“This is not just an NCPC decision but also a national and international issue, which we have to adhere to.
“After every pilgrimage, we are enjoin to submit report of the challenges, the successes and everything must be submitted to the NCPC,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission would commence the Jerusalem pilgrim conference so that pilgrimage would be taken to a new level in Nigeria. (NAN)
