Jonathan, 19 governors leave for Israel next week

President Goodluck Jonathan and 19 state governors will be departing Nigeria next week for Israel as part of the 2013 Christian Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

President Jonathan disclosed this on Sunday at the inauguration of the October/December Christian pilgrimage to Israel, Rome and Greece, which took place at the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Jonathan, who was represented by Senate President David Mark, evaluated the history of pilgrimage in Nigeria and submitted that spiritual exercise has lost its real essence as many Nigerians now see it as a leeway to engage in commercial activities.

The President is of  the view that despite religious inclination of many Nigerians  , they have continued to negate the spiritual essence of the trip.

He implored Nigerian pilgrims  to use pilgrimages as avenues to seek divine intervention in the affairs of the country.

He said: 'In recent times, pilgrimage has lost its essence because many people have commercialised it.

'The current situation in the country demands that we all join hands to fight terrorism. We must not allow terrorism to derail us from delivering the dividends of democracy.

'We are fighting a serious battle but we are not alone. Christ is with us and so we must put on the whole armour of faith.'