The National Conference has resolved that in order to distance government from involvement in religious matters, henceforth, no government, at any level, should use public funds in the sponsorship of any religious programme, especially pilgrimages, for any category of citizens, including government functionaries.
It was also agreed that apex religious bodies in the country be allowed to handle all matters relating to pilgrimage through the the Pilgrims Commissions duly managed by them under a law to be passed by the National Assembly to regulate their functions and protect pilgrims.
It however agreed that government, in performance of its oversight responsibility to Nigerians, shall provide normal consular services for the pilgrims through the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the established Nigerian foreign missions in the relevant destinations.
In arriving at these decisions, the Conference relied on the recommendations of the Committee on Religion, which had Bishop Felix Ajakaiye and Alhaji Nurudeen Lemu as co-chairmen.
Twice, during the presentation of the report by Lemu, and against the conference rules of procedure, the hall rose to applaud the committee for its sound analysis, thorough handling and simplification of knotty issues and for coming up with daring recommendations.
The Conference Deputy Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, said the constitution of the Committee on Religion was the most difficult assignment in terms of membership during the inauguration of all the committees.
Akinyemi said this was due to the sensitive nature of the assignment and the fact that “people can change their political views, but they may not change their religious views,” adding that the committee had handled the assignment with diligence and compassion.
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