By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, has disclosed that 2,150 intending pilgrims from the State have fully paid for this year’s Hajj exercise.

Alhaji Abdulkadir, who disclosed this on Sunday at the enlightenment programme and special prayer organised for the intending pilgrims, held at the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, revealed that only less than 30 people have not made complete payments so far.

The Executive Secretary, who admonished the intending pilgrims to know that Hajj is not an avenue for tourism, but a vital pillar of Islam that requires good intention, charged the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of Kwara and Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, who is the Amirul-Hajj for this year, appealed to the intending pilgrims to be patient and dissociate themselves from social media, which has been identified as a huge distraction for many Pilgrims.

Oba Yahaya Alebiosu commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for providing the necessary facilities to ensure a hitch-free Hajj exercise.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Professor Mashood Mahmud-Jimba, appealed to the intending pilgrims to follow the rules of the Board for a successful Hajj rite.

Similarly, in his lecture, the Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, represented by Imam Kamaldeen Sofiulahi, charged the intending pilgrims to have the fear of Allah before, during and after the exercise.

Leading other Muslim scholars at the special prayer, the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulhamid, prayed for a successful Hajj exercise, which he said could only be attained by the will of Allah.