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All intending Christian pilgrims from Osun State to Jerusalem have been charged to see their pilgrimage as purely spiritual exercise and not for international business transactions.
This charge was given by Osun State deputy governor, Otunba Titi Laoye-Tomori, while addressing the 471 pilgrims from the state heading for the holy land on Tuesday, as the state pilgrims' camp at Abeere, Osogbo, the state capital.
The deputy governor added that their pilgrimage to the holy land is a spiritual exercise, which would afford them the opportunity to visit sacred sites both in Israel and Egypt.
She also urged them to use the pilgrimage to pray for themselves, Nigeria and the state of Omoluwabi.
Otunba Laoye-Tomori therefore urged the pilgrims to be orderly, honest and maintain their integrity throughout their stay in the holy land.
Earlier in his address, the State Secretary of the Pilgrims' Board, Pastor Sola Agboola said the total number of this year pilgrims was 471.
Giving the breakdown, he stated that Osun State government sponsored 250 pilgrims, while the local government in the state sponsored 162 pilgrims and self-sponsored pilgrims, were 59 in number.
Delving on the theme for this year's pilgrimage; "Pilgrimage, a tool for national transformation", Pastor Agboola said that pilgrims from Osun State should use the period to be transformed not only spiritually, but in their conduct.
He also urged the state government to commence the screening of the next year's intending pilgrims to the holy land, as early as March, for the purpose of thorough screening.
Pastor Agboola then urged the pilgrims to see the exercise as spiritual and time for fervent prayers for themselves, Osun State and Nigeria as a whole.
Some of the pilgrims included Superior Evangelist Abraham Aladeseye, Otunba Jumoke Ogunkeyede, Prince Felix Awofisayo and others
Osun Defender