There was excitement among pilgrims under the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board at the Nama Al-Asriya Hotel in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday following what they described as an improvement in the quality of food they were served since Tuesday evening.
The pilgrims’ feeding generated controversy on Tuesday following reports on complaints some of them raised on the quality of the food they were served and accommodation provided for them at the hotel.
A Facebook user, one Babagana Digima, had earlier on Tuesday posted a picture of the Akamu and Akara allegedly served the FCT pilgrims, lamenting that, “After paying N8m for Hajj see the breakfast that our pilgrims are being given! This is what was given today 28th May 2024.
“In fact some pilgrims have already started begging to get money to buy food because even their remaining $300 that was promised to be paid to them in Saudi (out of $500) is not forthcoming from the authorities!”
Most of the FCT pilgrims who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday at the hotel confirmed that starting from their dinner on Tuesday night, the meals they were served were of high quality and commended the leadership of the board for their prompt response to their (pilgrims’) complaint.
“I discovered that when I went for my evening food (dinner) yesterday night, the quality has improved,” one of the pilgrims informed.
According to him, the controversy generated on the social media ought not to have happened if there was enough explanation made to the pilgrims, adding that, “it all turned out well to the benefit of all of us, including our officials.”
Attempts made to get officials of the FCT Pilgrims Welfare Board to speak on the issue proved abortive as those approached declined to talk, claiming that it is only their director who can speak to the press.
This notwithstanding, a source who strictly pleaded anonymity because he did not have permission to talk to the press, described what happened on Tuesday as unfortunate.
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According to the source, it was only pilgrims at the Nama Al-Asriya Hotel who complained about their meal on Tuesday, adding that other FCT pilgrims at other hotels within Makkah did not have any cause to complain.
“The controversy generated on yesterday (Tuesday) made it looked like it was the entire FCT pilgrims that protested against the food they were served, otherwise it was only some pilgrims from here (Nama Al-Asriya Hotel) that complained.
“The good news is that they are happy now. They had their breakfast today and nobody complained that the food served is not good,” the source said.
Meanwhile, while reacting to the Facebook post by Babagana Digina, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) described it as fake news.
A statement made available to Tribune Online on Tuesday by the commission’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara, stated that the Facebook user was not even present in Makkah.
“Our attention has been drawn to a fake news on the Facebook page of one Babagana Digima, purportedly on the kind of breakfast being served Nigerian pilgrims after paying N8m as Hajj fare.
“After addressing the shared story from its root, we believe ethical journalism would not permit a sensible practitioner to lift a story solely from a Facebook source.
“What is more unfortunate is that the Facebook reporter is here in Nigeria, not in Saudi Arabia.
“Upon citing the story early this morning (Tuesday morning), NAHCON immediately drew the attention of the originator of the story privately and publicly to the inaccuracy of his claims to allow him to correct the wrong impression assuming he posted it innocently, unfortunately, he did not.
“Still several testimonies were posted on his page by pilgrims on ground in Makkah disclaiming the allegation with pictorial evidences, while NAHCON staff on the platform also provided a clear description of the actual meal that was served, proving that the picture was doctored and that it was a fake news conclusively,” Usara stated.
She then urges the public “to ignore the fake news being circulated pertaining the FCT pilgrims’ breakfast. The story is not only false but also appears to be malicious.”
