Two months down the line , the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, new management under the leadership of Ambassador Ismaila Abba Yusuf has kept to his new mandate of not only reforming the crises ridden organization that believes in business as usual, but kept to its modus operandi by carrying out reforms in the best interest of the current administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, RHA of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Appointed at a critical time of leadership gap, the administrative, technocratic and wealth of experience garnered both locally and internationally has assisted in no small measures, that guided the preparatory stages cum the airlift of pilgrims to the holy land in the performance of the sacred exercise for 2026.
The new leadership which commenced the inaugural flight for 2026 at Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja on Sunday, the 3rd of May , 2026 began the program seamlessly without hitches.
Aside the inauguration ceremony that was hitherto marked with series of red tapism and delays, this year started immediately with the practical airlifting of pilgrims along with technical, health and other logistics in place both in Nigeria and the holy land that ensured the prioritisation of the welfare of Nigeria pilgrims.
Without reservation, the accredited airlines for the period of exercise are already on ground to comply with the timetable and schedules of movement from various airports in the country, that will address an uninterrupted exercises.
Various committes charged with series of assignments locally and internationally during the exercise are already on ground to handle the needful and arising circumstances and also any eventualities desiring bridging and urgent attention.
With a round peg in a round hole , the usual overlapping posture of staffers of the organization was no longer visible , avoidable sharp practices usually prevalent in the previous exercises and system was no longer visible and feasible.
Sticking to the commencement period to the
holy land and departure time after the sacred exercise, has been the bane of orientation and reorientation under the new leadership of Ambassador Ismaila Abba Yusuf.
With the pilgrims expected to spend both the minimum and the maximum period at the holy land, no doubt the new management has perfected arrangements to ensure the safety , security, health and welfare of the Nigeria pilgrims.
With the determination and compliance of the new leadership to the Saudi Authority’s lay down procedures, in line with code of conducts, ethics and required provision by the Nigeria contingent.
Glaringly , with the ongoing reforms and restructuring been executed by the new leadership, no doubt, the 2026 operation will be hitch free and inline with the mandate of the government and new leadership.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
