The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission NCPC, Rev Yakubu Pam has stressed the need for the Media to promote Peace in their reportage.
He disclosed this on Sunday, 23rd June ,2021 in Jos during a Thanksgiving Service organised by the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Plateau State chapter, held at the Church of Christ In Nations, COCIN, Wholshe, Jos.
The NCPC Chief Executive who was the guest preacher at the thanksgiving service affirmed that the country was facing different threats to peace such as insecurity, kidnapping and all form of criminalities.He added that the issue of agitations by various ethnic nationalities, sensational headlines by the media, hate speeches and unguided reports in the social Media are all threats to the peace of the nation.
The Executive Secretary preached on ” the role of the Media and peace building: the Biblical perspective”
The guest speaker likened the role of a preacher of the gospel with that of a Journalist as both are enjoined to preach peace in their service to God and humanity.
The NCPC boss took his Biblical references from Isaiah Chapter 52 verse7, Psalm 68 verse11, Songs of Solomon, Chapter 2 verse 8, Mark Chapter 13 verse10, Romans chapter 10 verse 15 and Ephesians Chapter 6 verse16. The Lord spoke variously on the importance of publishing and preaching peace through what we say as preachers and what we write as Journalists.
He frowned at the way and manner the social media operates which goes against the ethics of Journalism practice.
Rev Pam commended the Media in Plateau State for their professionalism and balanced analytical reportage. He gave them a thump up for doing well .
He admonished the Journalists to be careful of what they report and the religious leaders too should be careful of what they preach.
He cautioned that we are in a perilous time and should be circumspect not to use our callings to disrupt peace in the society .
In his charge,the COCIN President, Rev. Dr.Dachollom Datiri, represented by the Deputy General Secretary of COCIN, Rev. Dauda Jimra said journalism is a sure weapon to change the world. He enjoined them not to be silent at a time like this .
According to him,” Be the Esther of our time and use your profession to change the world”.He further stated, ” be strong and be courageous even at the point of death” .
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Correspondent Chapel, NUJ Plateau State, Mr Gyang Bere, thanked God for his mercies and faithfulness in the lives of the members of the Chapel.
He explained that they had to thank God for the lives of nine of their late colleagues who died in auto crash in 2005 in the line of duty and the lives of their colleagues who survived the fatal accident.
He said the Chapel under his leadership was inaugurated in July last year, but has been able to make an indelible mark within one year of service.
The highlight of the thanksgiving service was the dedication of a brand new car for the Correspondents’ Chapel which the NCPC boss , Rev Yakubu Pam prayed for the car .
It would be recalled that the Correspondent Chapel officially commenced their Programme on 20th May in Jos with a maiden training workshop for their members titled,” the role of ICT in promoting peace Journalism in Nigeria”.
The workshop was chaired by the Hon Commissioner for local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Plateau State, Mr Sylvanus Tapgun.

NCPC MEDIA and Public Relations

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission, NCPC Rev Yakubu Pam has assured the states Pilgrimage Leaders and Managers of a hitch free 2020 Pilgrimage exercise to Jordan.
He made this known recently in Abuja during a meeting with the Conference of States, comprising states Chairmen and Secretaries of the states Pilgrims Welfare Boards, and FCT.
According to the NCPC Chief Executive,” the Commission was working round the clock to ensure a smooth airlift of intending Pilgrims to Jordan “
He explained that the official commencement of the Pilgrimage exercise was earlier scheduled for 29th May in Jos, but he said that the date would no longer be feasible due to operational reasons. However, he was optimistic that the flag off would take place in early June.
He urged them to join forces with the Commission to ensure that the planned Pilgrimage to Jordan is realised. He further admonished them to shun anything that would jeopardise the chances of executing the Pilgrimage programme to Jordan.
In his remarks at the meeting, the NCPC Director of Operations, Rev Amos Yohanna, hinted that each intending Pilgrim was expected to undergo three levels of COVID 19 tests forty eight hours before departure. He further explained that two of the tests would be done in Nigeria and one on arrival at the Amman International Airport, Jordan.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the Conference of States, Rev Isaiah Magaji, said they were prepared for the journey to the Kingdom of Jordan.He assured Rev Yakubu Pam of their unalloyed support and cooperation.

NCPC MEDIA and Public Relations

Christian Pilgrimage is essentially meant for prayers to be offered at the Holy Sites, which is why it is a spiritual journey that evokes our consciousness as humans who yearn to understand the existential nature of our spiritual being.
So man continuously seek the face of God as long as he lives because the Holy Bible makes us to understand that we are all pilgrims on earth, and we must return to our creator once we are done with the assignment the Lord has called us for.
Christians are desirous to have this spiritual experience of a life time in the Biblical Holy Sites where the Prophets and our lord Jesus Christ walked and lived all through their ministry on earth. Indeed, Christians are eager to follow the footsteps of our Fathers in faith and walk through their path.
Jordan as a pilgrimage destination is replete with many major Biblical sites without which the Bible will be incomplete as many Prophets in the Old Testament began their ministry journey from there before crossing over to Israel.
The avalanche of Biblical Holy Sites in Jordan is awesome; it is better experienced than imagined.
The kingdom of Jordan by all intents and purposes is undoubtedly a home to some of the most influential Biblical leaders of the past: Abraham, Job, Moses Ruth, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and Paul to mention but a few.
Jordan remains the Holy Land visited by all of these great individuals, it breathes with the histories recorded in the Holy Bible.
Through the words of the Prophets Abraham, Job and Moses in the Bible’s Old Testament. It is imperative to affirm that the original Baptismal site where Christ was baptized is in River Jordan.
It was in Jordan where Prophet Moses journeyed with the Israelites where John the Baptist heralded in the New Testament of the Christian Faith and where Jesus Christ started his ministry with his baptism.
Without mincing words, Jordan is richly blessed with immense Biblical history. This is where Jacob wrestled with the Angel of God, where Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt, where Job was tested and rewarded for his faith and where Elijah ascended to heaven.
Jordan is also the land through which Moses led the Israelites on their flight from Egypt, the site of Jesus’ baptism, the gathering grounds of the first disciples and where the Holy Trinity – The Father, Son and Holy Spirit manifested himself.
Jordan as a pilgrimage destination is the land of miracles, where God appeared to the prophets in form of whirlwinds; a cloud of light, an angel or a voice that commanded them to do His will. With a Jordan pilgrimage, pilgrims will have the opportunity to visit Mount Nebo where Moses view the promise land as well as the Dead Sea.
It is therefore instructive to assert that the Establishment Act of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission empowers it to organise, coordinate and supervise the movement of Christians from Nigeria to perform Holy Pilgrimage to the Holy Sites in the world. It is in pursuit of the provision of the Act that the Commission introduced more pilgrimage destinations over time such as Rome and Greece to accommodate St. Paul’s second missionary journey in Greece and also make provision for the catholic faithfuls to visit St. Peters Basilica in Vatican City as well as having Papal audience.
NCPC has continued to explore more Holy Sites over the years to accommodate the yearnings and aspirations of Christians who want to reconnect to their faith. For example, the Commission has licensed and registered the Knights of St. Mulumba of the Catholic Church to enable them perform pilgrimage at the shrine of Mulumba in Uganda in reverence to the martyrs of Uganda.
The Commission will as part of its mandate continue to explore various Holy sites in accordance with its enabling Act.
With the advent of the COVID 19 global pandemic in 2019, pilgrimage generally has been adversely affected. For instance, in 2019 about 4.5 million pilgrims visited Israel prior to the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the following year-2020, Israel recorded zero pilgrims which has never happened since 1,600 years ago.
This situation has greatly affected the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims who have not been able to perform pilgrimage to Israel close to two years running.
NCPC with its proactive and dynamic leadership of Rev. Yakubu Pam decided to consult widely with the strategic stakeholders including state pilgrimage leaders and relevant government and non government bodies to take a holistic look at the situation on ground relying heavily on its enabling Act.
After due consultation with the relevant stakeholders, the Commission had approval from the Presidency to embark on State of Readiness visit to the kingdom of Jordan. This strategic visit commenced on 11th April, 2021 and lasted for one week. The delegation comprised state Chairmen and Secretaries of States Christian Pilgrims Welfare Boards, the Chairman of the NCPC Board, Rev. Yomi Kasali, and the Executive Secretary of NCPC, Rev. Yakubu Pam as well as few other board members of the Commission.
The visit was a double edged mission as the Commission’s officials and relevant officials from the Aviation Ministry inspected the pilgrims Aircraft which would be used to airlift intending pilgrims to Jordan for the 2020 pilgrimage Exercise.
The seven day State of Readiness visit to the kingdom of Jordan by NCPC and Christian stakeholders was revealing and amazing so much so that at the end of the fact finding visit, virtually all the stakeholders, particularly the states pilgrimage leaders endorsed and approved the participation of their states in the Jordan pilgrimage.
The life we live is a very dynamic world; the only constant thing is change. The COVID 19 pandemic has introduced a new normal in the world affairs and our Christian pilgrimage is not an exception.
It is instructive to affirm that the decision to embark on Holy pilgrimage to Jordan is a collective decision of strategic Christian Stakeholders after assessing the viability and spiritual relevance of the Holy Sites in Jordan.
To this effect, the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission has commenced vigorous screening of intending Pilgrims to Jordan across the States which is still ongoing. The Commission has successfully screened intending pilgrims of Plateau State, Ekiti, Osun, Enugu, Nasarawa, Lagos and FCT amongst others.
It is equally germane to state that during the visit of the NCPC and its Stakeholders to Jordan on 11th April, this year, Nigerian private pilgrims on pilgrimage were on ground to perform their Holy Pilgrimage.
In the same vein, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has sponsored about 41 members of his Church to Jordan for the purpose of pilgrimage. The members it was learnt departed Nigeria on 17th May, 2021 for Jordan. This is to say that the Nigerian Pilgrims are already at home with the pilgrimage opportunities available in Jordan.
Jordan as a new pilgrimage destination by the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission is a welcome development and should be embraced by all stakeholders. We can appreciate the genuine concern of our revered Christian leaders, the Commission and its Stakeholders are strategizing to have a hitch pilgrimage exercise to Jordan by the end of the month, but at the end of the day every Christian pilgrim will have reason to appreciate the Commission for embarking on such a soul inspiring journey of a life time.
The Pilgrimage to Israel is however not cut off completely, but will under conducive circumstances continue with Jordan as addition.
As NCPC prepares to flag off the 2020 pilgrimage exercise by the end of May, all hands must be on deck to make the Commission’s debut pilgrimage outing to Jordan a huge success.

Celestine Toruka
Head, Media &Public Relations