Sustaining a Culture of Excellent Pilgrimage Services in Lagos

For many Christians in Nigeria, a pilgrimage is not merely a journey; it is a deeply spiritual encounter. Traveling to holy lands such as Israel, Greece, or Rome connects believers to the birthplace of Jesus Christ and the cradle of the Christian faith. These sacred experiences often leave pilgrims with renewed conviction, spiritual clarity, and testimonies that transcend ordinary worship.

Recognising the significance of this spiritual quest, the Federal Government, through the National Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), has institutionalised the organisation of pilgrimages. In Lagos State, this responsibility falls on the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSCPWB), an agency that has become a national model for seamless travel arrangements, strong welfare support, and spiritually rewarding experiences.

In March 2025, the Lagos pilgrimage story gained fresh momentum with the appointment of Dr. Okudero Gbolabo Omoniyi, Ph.D., as the substantive Board Secretary. In just six months, his leadership has injected energy, innovation, and purpose into the Board’s operations, earning commendation across government circles, faith-based organisations, and among intending pilgrims.

Dr. Okudero’s approach has been both outward-facing and inward-looking: strengthening partnerships at the federal and state levels, while also re-energising the Board’s staff and programmes with a renewed spiritual focus.

One of his earliest moves was to lead a high-powered delegation to the NCPC headquarters in Abuja, where he held strategic talks with the Executive Secretary, Bishop Stephen Adegbite. The meeting not only secured NCPC’s backing but also reinforced Lagos’s reputation as a dependable partner in pilgrimage operations.

Within the Board, Dr. Okudero has emphasised unity, spiritual depth, and purpose. Weekly fellowship programmes—now restructured to include fasting and monthly vigils—have become platforms for staff to intercede for Lagos State, intending pilgrims, and the Board’s future.

This blending of administration with spirituality, observers note, reflects a deliberate strategy: to make the Board not just a travel organiser, but a spiritual hub that mirrors the values of the pilgrimage it promotes.

Public awareness has also received a major boost. In his first quarter in office, Dr. Okudero spearheaded a media engagement drive across platforms such as Lagos Television, Eko FM, Lagos Traffic Radio, and FRCN. These appearances were not perfunctory publicity calls; they were opportunities to explain, educate, and inspire Lagosians about the significance of Christian pilgrimage.

This outreach was soon extended to faith-based organisations across denominations—from the Catholic and Anglican churches to Pentecostal ministries like RCCG, CLAM, and others. By meeting church leaders where they are, the Board has repositioned itself as a close partner in spiritual growth rather than a distant government agency.

Beyond the church, the LSCPWB under Okudero has actively courted government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). Visits to key offices in Alausa have opened new opportunities for collaboration, with civil servants now acting as ambassadors of pilgrimage services in their communities.

Local government engagement has been particularly strategic. At the May 2025 conference of the 57 council chairmen, facilitated by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Board secured commitments to expand outreach to grassroots communities. Tourism officers in LGAs and LCDAs have also been trained to act as frontline promoters of pilgrimage opportunities.

If the first six months are a window into the future, the outlook for Lagos pilgrimage services is unmistakably bright. With improved coordination, deeper community penetration, and a revitalised workforce, the LSCPWB is setting a new benchmark in pilgrimage management.

For Dr. Okudero, the mission is clear: to sustain a culture of excellence in pilgrimage services that is spiritually rewarding, administratively efficient, and globally recognised. And for Lagosians who long for a transformative encounter with their faith, the Board under his leadership promises not just a journey abroad—but a life-changing spiritual rebirth.