Let’s take a trip to the Middle East – Saudi Arabia and Israel (Jerusalem) to be precise. You would discovered a lot of religious monuments that has a historical meaning. From the Middle East let’s move to the European continents – Greece, Rome and Italy, you would also discover religious memorials that would make your journey an eventful one. It is said to boost your spiritual enlightenment and to bring you much closer to your creator. The secret of it also is to boost the economy of the nation involved because you are seen as a tourists not just a Pilgrim. When you visit these nations you are either given the name JP, Alhaji and Hajiya. A prove of this is found in their glittering gold teeth which comes with a sense of religious respect among family, friends, relations and the society at large. But what impact has it done to our social and economy development?
Nigeria is among the nations of the world that record the highest in pilgrim sojourners. Every year a huge numbers of people take a trip to the ‘Holy Land’ either sponsor by the government or individual. Among the nation yearly budgets is that of Pilgrim exercise which many has lobby to be part of the benefit whether they have been in the country before or not. Some don’t even mind taking a trip every year even at the expense of those who have never gone there. It is known historically that religion supports development. Its initiates peace, unity and create a sense of belonging among the people. Those who are attached religiously to their belief would definitely not want a distant relationship with their creator it is said that ‘sin’ hinders such relationship.
Today in Nigeria we have witness thousands of her citizen taking a journey to the ‘Holy Land’, we have also witness more than a thousand running to the church altar for a dedication or rededication or relationship with their creator. On Fridays we have seen road been blocked to restrict the movement of cars and pedestrians in other for prayers to be offered. These people are those we find in all government offices of the nation many are political and leaders. They hold big offices and key positions in the country and yet things are dead in their hands. They can revive their spirit but they can’t revive their nation. Can a man be spiritual incline and his environment is like that of a ruin and deserted land? What profit would it be for us to boost that we have the world record of being the most religious people and yet we top corruptions in the world. It appears to me that the pilgrim visit is made for fun and not for religious purpose because if it is truly for what it is meant for it should tell on our nation development. This is due to the fact that the monuments we see where done by those who supported peace and development they left behind memories that is meant to guide us and give us a positive belief that we too can do it.
Nations that are fast growing today are not those who are attached to some kind of religious beliefs or spend huge amount every year for their citizen to go on pilgrim rather their utmost focus is for the nation to reached its full potentials, these are nations we spend much to go on vacations to enjoy this potentials that we can bring to our nation. If we have so many religious people in this nation and yet corruptions lingers and most governmental offices are dead then I think the nation need to cut away budgets for religious travels.
Religion is now like a club to many. In many offices we found leaders who belongs to a religious groups or worship group yet this are people who would request for a bribe before they can offer any help. These are those who would embezzle billions of naira meant for the development and for the safety of the citizen for their selfish purpose. They are those who have denied opportunity to many Nigerians killing the dreams of many. Their hearts are so cold that I wonder if there is any softness in them at all. Yet we find them in religious gathering as head and title bearers. I would say Pilgrim has not played a positive role to our economy at all it has been a waste of public fund. If it has not played any positive role to our social and economy development why should the exercise continue.
What do you say to this?
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