By George Onah
Port Harcourt—The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission has told Christian pilgrims to consider pilgrimage as a tool for nation building, which could serve as a veritable instrument for national re-branding.

“If all we do is to go to Israel or Rome and enjoy the beauty of these lands, their technology and long religious history and wonder and return home to tell good stories, then we have not achieved much,” said Chairman of the commission, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, in Port Harcourt last weekend.

Archbishop Okoh told delegates of the 2009 pre-pilgrimage retreat from across the nation that all pilgrims must help to advance national cause or interest to justify government’s huge financial outlay on pilgrimage.

Okoh, who is the primate-elect, Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, said pilgrims have opportunity to compare the age and development level of their host country and return home with a challenge of what to do to contribute to government’s development efforts.

He said pilgrimage has become a source of inspiration for development by capturing the spirit of hard work.

He said deep spirituality could become a vehicle for national rebirth, adding that through this means, men and women acquire inner spiritual power with which to fight corruption, encourage accountability and enthrone righteousness.

The cleric said:   “If we can find in our faith what the security service have failed to achieve, then it is worth our while to invest heavily in it. A religious man is a man of hope and faith.   As long as God lives, there is hope.

“The situation in Nigeria calls for a renewal of faith and hope in Nigerian nation. Many of our country men have become nonchallant or cynical when the future prospects of our country are under discussion.

“But this is a great evil; we must do everything to prevent further slide into hopelessness and cynicism. Our spiritual power can serve this purpose to reaffirm our faith in the corporate progress in our country.”