Bode Olagoke
There was a serious tension yesterday at the ongoing National Conference as delegates nearly exchange blows over a motion that the pilgrims’ welfare boards should be scrapped.
The motion came after the plenary had finished voting on the recommendations of the Committee on Religion which was silent about on the board.
A delegate from Kogi state, Mr. Olushola Akanmode had moved a motion which was seconded by Chief Charles Uwensyi-Edosomwan (SAN) that the board would not be necessary again and should be scrapped.
He said the motion was important because the conference had voted in favour of stoppage of government sponsorship of pilgrimage at all levels.
Presiding officer and deputy chairman of the conference, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi put the contentious matter into vote, and majority of the delegates voted in favour of the motion.
But the a counter motion was immediately moved and seconded by delegates who were not comfortable with the position, which practically threw the plenary into confusion as delegates were shouting on top of their voices against each other.
Notable among them were Mr. Yinka Odumakin and Nasiru Kura, who nearly exchange blows but for the quick intervention of some delegates around them.
Blueprint observed that the issue divided the conference along religion, regions and ideology, with delegates from the North canvassing the retention of the board while their counterparts from the South were vehemently against it.
Meanwhile, the conference has agreed to ban sponsorship of pilgrimage by government at all levels, adding that all the religious businesses in the country should be made to pay tax.
The conference unanimously rejected a proposal that Friday should be declared a work-free day like Sunday.
The conference agreed that Nigerians that want to convert to any religion should not be criminalised, and that clerics that preach hatred should be criminalised.
The conference also voted that government should begin to pay unemployed and disable people welfare allowances for a specific period of time.
The delegates voted against a proposal that any government official who uses government fund for religious crusade or mass wedding should be impeached and banned from holding public offices.
They agreed that the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should be strengthened to carry out its duties, especially to promote ethical values and respect for elders among the citizens.
