From Tongnaan Bawa Jos
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has described his administration’s sponsorship of Muslim pilgrims for the annual Hajj as an investment in peace, religious harmony and inclusive governance rather than political patronage.
Mutfwang said the policy reflects his administration’s commitment to building a Plateau State where citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs or political affiliations, can participate equally in the development of the state.
The governor stated this on Thursday while receiving the report of the 2026 Hajj operation at the New Government House, Rayfield, Jos.
He said the responsibility of government goes beyond providing infrastructure and economic opportunities to creating an environment that promotes peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and shared responsibility among citizens.
Governor Mutfwang explained that pilgrimage should not be viewed merely as a journey to the holy land, but as an opportunity for spiritual reflection, moral renewal and a deeper understanding of the equality of all human beings before God.
“For me, sponsoring pilgrims to Hajj or Jerusalem is to deepen the fear of God in the hearts of our people, so that we will know that when the chips are down, we are all human beings before God. None of us is superior to the other,” he said.
The governor said the continued emphasis on Muslim-Christian differences in Plateau State had not helped the people, urging citizens to replace suspicion and division with a stronger sense of shared destiny.
“For too long, people have promoted the Muslim-Christian divide on the Plateau, and it hasn’t helped us,” he said.
Quoting the popular admonition that people must either learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools, Mutfwang declared that the people of Plateau had no reason to remain divided.
“There is no foolish man on the Plateau. We will continue to live as brothers,” he said.
The governor said the appointment of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, as Amirul Hajj demonstrated his administration’s commitment to bipartisanship and inclusive governance.
He noted that although they belonged to different political camps at the time of the appointment, the decision was guided by the larger interest of Plateau State.
“We thought that we must demonstrate our commitment to bipartisanship, our commitment to inclusion and our commitment to making sure that Plateau people are seen as one,” he said.
Mutfwang commended Wase for his leadership of the 2026 Hajj delegation, describing him as a committed Plateau citizen whose performance demonstrated that public responsibility should be defined by competence, integrity and commitment to the common good rather than political affiliation.
Addressing concerns about public expenditure on pilgrimage, the governor urged critics to consider the programme’s contribution to peace, social stability and moral development.
“For us, it is an investment in peace and stability of our state,” he said, stressing that sustainable development cannot thrive amid religious distrust and communal tensions.
He also highlighted the moral benefits of pilgrimage, recalling the example of a Plateau woman who found and returned money belonging to another pilgrim during the 2025 Hajj.
According to him, such acts of honesty and integrity represent some of the important outcomes government hopes to encourage through pilgrimage.
The governor further commended the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for strengthening its processes and closing loopholes that previously enabled individuals to manipulate or sell Hajj slots for personal benefit.
Earlier, the Amirul Hajj, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, presented the report of the 2026 Hajj operation and commended the Mutfwang administration for what he described as unprecedented support for Plateau pilgrims.
Wase disclosed that the state sponsored more than half of the 1,334 pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj, in addition to providing substantial operational and logistical support to the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board.
He said Plateau State was recognised by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for its performance and support to pilgrims, while Governor Mutfwang received an award in recognition of the state’s contribution.
The Amirul Hajj attributed the success of the operation to effective collaboration among the Pilgrims Welfare Board, Ulamas and other stakeholders, as well as improved religious orientation and mobilisation across the state’s senatorial zones and local government areas.
The 2026 Hajj operation, the governor said, has further reinforced his administration’s commitment to inclusion, peace and social cohesion as essential pillars of sustainable development in Plateau State.