'Even there's ashawo joint close to Mount Sinai' – Melaye kicks against govt sponsoring pilgrimages
Former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has criticised the Federal Government’s expenditure on sponsoring Nigerians to religious pilgrimages in Mecca and Israel, arguing that the funds should instead be channelled towards addressing the country’s developmental challenges.
Melaye made his position known during an interview shared on social media, where he questioned the government’s involvement in religious activities, insisting that matters of faith and an individual's relationship with God should remain personal.
The former lawmaker maintained that churches, mosques and wealthy individuals should take responsibility for sponsoring religious pilgrims rather than relying on public funds.
He argued that religious institutions and financially capable individuals were better positioned to support people wishing to undertake such spiritual journeys.
"That is the function of churches. That is the function of billionaires who have made money who can sponsor people on religious pilgrimage. And there's no hadith in the Quran, there's no chapter of the Bible that says if you did not go to Mecca or if you did not go on Umrah, or if you did not go to Israel for pilgrimage, you will not make heaven," Melaye said.
Questioning the justification for spending public money on religious trips, he pointed to the poor state of critical infrastructure and essential services across the country.
"Then why will government be spending billions of naira that is supposed to be meant for development? Our roads, you know their state in this country. Our hospitals, you know their state in this country. Why can't we prioritise our spending?
"What is the business of government with religion? That we are spending hundreds of billions annually to send people to Mecca and Jerusalem? And you go and pray and come back and continue in your sin," he added.
Melaye also made a controversial remark about the environment surrounding some religious pilgrimage destinations, using Jerusalem as an example to question the sincerity of some pilgrims.
"Even Jerusalem that you are going to, just close to Mount Sinai where you go to pray, there's an 'ashawo' joint by the edge there," he stated.
Emphasising that he considers himself a spiritual person, Melaye maintained that personal faith should not take precedence over the government's responsibility to provide essential services and promote national development.
"I'm a spiritual person, but my spirituality and celestial relationship with God is personal. You cannot make what is meant for the development of the people and then place it on religion. It's myopism. So those who want to insult say you don't touch churches, you don't touch mosques are being myopic.
"They are being intellectually stagnant. United Nations is successful. They don't say prayers. I've gone for many United Nations, including United Nations General Assembly. There's no opening prayer. There's no closing prayer. And they are successful. You know why? Religion is personal. It's individualistic," he said.
The former senator further stressed that individuals would ultimately be accountable for their relationship with God, arguing that government resources should be directed towards economic growth and improving the living conditions of Nigerians.
"Because I repeat, on Judgment Day, it shall be you and your God. Federal government will have no role to play. We need to reprioritise. We need to build our economy. We need to build our technology. We need to build our education. We need to build our industries. We need to build the small-scale industries in this country. That is what government should be about," Melaye said.
He concluded by urging the Federal Government to reconsider its spending priorities and focus more on infrastructure, education, technology, industrialisation and economic development.
‘Even there’s ashawo joint close to Mount Sinai’ – Melaye kicks against govt sponsoring pilgrimages