As Ondo State Government vaccinates a total of 510 intending pilgrims for 2023 year, the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria, FOMWAN has called on women intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia in Mecca to dress holy and let their spiritual lives affect their behavior.
The Ondo State Amirah (President) of the association, Alhaja Medinat Omikunle gave the advice on Thursday May 25, 2023 during the inoculation / sensitization programme organised by the Muslim Welfare Board held in Akure.
Omikunle charged them to sow a befitting flowing wears with their state identification material which they will always put on while at the holy land.
While advising them on uprightness and dedication to prayer and service to God at the holy land, she said they should not allow unwholesome activities to take away the purpose of the pilgrimage.
” You are not going there for infidelity or snatching people’s husband or to get engaged or accepting to marry and abandon your spouses at home,” she stated.
Sensitizing the intending pilgrims, three Resource Persons, Imam Hussain Imoyemi, Abdulganiyu Bature and Imam Abdulrofil Lagbaji, urged the intending pilgrims to abide with tbe rules and regulations governing the Saudi authority.
They educated them on the pilgrimage rites they are expected to perform as well as the historical places to be visited while at the holy land.
The resource persons who took time to explain the items and what they should travel with, said liquid substance, kolanut, bitter kola, palm oil and drugs among many others were not accepted.
According to them, those who are on drugs were urged to submit them to the health department of the board officials for approval who will administer the drugs for them while on pilgrimage.
The team leader from the PortHarcourt Service, Akure station of Federal Ministry of Health, ADNS Folake Ojo said the intending pilgrims were vaccinated with Meningitis vaccine, Yellow fever and Oral Polio to protect them from any contagious disease while on holy pilgrimage.
She said the Oral Polio vaccine will protect them for two years, the yellow fever for a life time and that the Meningitis vaccine will cover the period of five years.
In a brief chat with the state Chairman of the Muslim Welfare Board, Alhaji Dikrullah Chandy Adams, said the intending pilgrims will leave Akure on Saturday June 3rd, 2023 for Ilorin where they will be airlifted on Sunday June 4th 2023 to Saudi Arabia, Mecca for the holy pilgrimage.
The occasion also featured interview session and distribution of customized materials and bags to intending pilgrims.
