It is very unusual for me to join issues with people especially when it has to do with issues of religion. As an ardent Christian, I respect people addressed as clergies because in my church, the Catholic Church, we are taught to love and respect the clergy and that forms foundation upon which the Catholic Church is built. But for purposes of putting the records straight and attempting to effect a positive change as to attract the respect of non Christians to the religion, I would want to reply to these blatant denial of basic truth by Mr. Celestine Toruka, Deputy Director Media, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission as follows:
1. That my write up as referred to in this article titled ‘ ADAMAWA STATE CHRISTIAN PILGRIMS WELFARE BOARD NEVER PAID ANY MONEY TO THE NCPC AS ALLEGED’ is purely my personal experience while on pilgrimage to Rome with the sole intention of having the NCPC learn from their mistakes and improve upon subsequent planning for pilgrimages and has nothing whatsoever to do with any feud in any quarters.
2. That in the write up, I was careful not to make any frivolous and spurious claims whatsoever. Indeed, the only amount of money referred to in my write up was the sum of thirty-four thousand, five hundred Euro (€34,500), which I was a witness there of. I can say and emphasize without any fear of contradiction that the said amount was disbursed to the Director of Finance of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission.
This is from the background of the fact that I was keeping the money in trust for the Director of Finance, Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board until I was asked to bring the money for hand over. I was one of those, who confirmed the said amount alongside the Director of Finance Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board before it was handed over to the Director of Finance, NCPC.
As I stated in my previous write up, there was no official receipt to issue at the spot but a written acknowledgement was made as evidence for the receipt of the funds, which I also instantly took a phone photograph of, knowing that an occasion like this may arise some day, which I have gladly attached to this humble response.
I do not have knowledge of any other payments made at any given time and for whatever purpose, expecially the seventy-six thousand eight hundred and ninety euro (£76,890) and the sixty-one thousand eight hundred and ninety euro (£61,890) mentioned in your write up, I cannot speak about them, but the thirty-four thousand, five hundred Euro (€34,500) which I was a party to, I will do all within my powers to prove it beyond reasonable doubt. And in your own case, May I respectfully request that you check your records and see if in conscience you can make a bold claim that you never received in CASH the thirty-four thousand five hundred euro (£34,500) in Rome on 29th May, 2022.
3. The trip took place five months ago, but this isn’t the first time, I will be writing about it. Shortly on arrival in Nigeria after the trip, I made a publication on the trip where some of these issues were raised. The deafening silence of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) has informed the repeat of this writing since as I said earlier, the intention is to stir a positive change in the organisation of pilgrimages. I am, therefore, very glad that the issue is being talked about now.
I will really appreciate it if Rev Yakubu Pam and his team would rather than pick holes in this write up take note of the issues raised and make conscious efforts at making a positive difference in subsequent exercises.
Let me categorically state that I am not afraid of making available any information I have as regarding this matter. All I want is that the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission must be alive to it’s responsibilities to the Nigerian Christian community.
David Simon Dzalla
