>
Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board (Muslim Wing) has fixed the sum of N2.6 million as the initial deposit for 2023 pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, on Saturday, said that the Chairman of the Board, Prof. Sayed Malik, made the disclosure at the Hajj Camp, Olodo, Ibadan.
The chairman specifically stated that the amount is fixed pending the announcement of the actual fare by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
According to the statement, the 150 intending pilgrims who could not perform last year’s exercise due to the limited seats allocated to the state, would be given priority.
He enjoined all intending pilgrims who want to go with the state’s Pilgrims Welfares Board for this year’s exercise to start paying the stated amount into any of the designated bank accounts of the board.
While informing members of the board about the critical issues and other important matters relating to the 2023 Hajj operation discussed during the first pre-Hajj visit to Saudi Arabia, Prof. Malik disclosed that NAHCON has allocated 1441 seats to Oyo State for this year’s exercise.
Recall that NAHCON along with states’ chairmen and secretaries of Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board across the nation recently arrived from Makkah where they were embarked on pre-Hajj discussion with the Saudi authority.