Pilgrims from Osun State on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj have protested the poor quality of food the State Pilgrims Welfare Board was serving them.
Recall that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) announced the fare for pilgrims travelling from Cross River to pay N2,943,000.00, those from Osun will pay N2,983,000.00 while pilgrims from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states will pay N2,999,000.000.
Politics Nigeria, however, learned that pilgrims from Osun State have been complaining about the poor quality of food served by the caterers hired by the State Pilgrims Welfare Board since they arrived in Saudi Arabia.
To express their displeasure, the pilgrims, on Sunday in a viral video, were seen dumping food packs given to them in front of room 211, said to be occupied by the state Amirul Hajj, Dr Maroof Ishola.
It was also learnt that the rising tension about the welfare of the pilgrims became aggravated when some of them visited Lagos camp and discovered those in the camp were getting better food.
One of the pilgrims said, “We are rejecting food given to us. We are at the door of Osun Amirul Hajj. We are rejecting the food given to us. The food is poor; we can’t continue such after paying a huge amount for this pilgrimage.”
Meanwhile, the board’s management has said it was aware of the protest and already had a meeting with the caterers and the representatives of the pilgrims to address the situation.
A statement signed by the Administrative Secretary of the Board, Bolaji Sanni, obtained in Osogbo on Sunday, further read, “At the meeting “were the State Government officials, some representatives of the pilgrims, as well as the Head of the Catering team for the service provider.
“The meeting discussed the lack of adequate local Yoruba delicacies in the food menu of the service provider and the need for its inclusion in subsequent meals. The meeting also discussed changing the caterers if no improvement is noticed.
“It should, however, be noted that this problem is not peculiar to Osun state, and one can not rule out the possibility of fifth columnists blowing the situation out of control for obvious political reasons.”
