By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Professor Stephen Adegbite, has declared the 2025 Lagos State Christian pilgrims a historic delegation, describing their journey to the Holy Land as one that coincided with a defining global moment for Nigeria.
Adegbite made the declaration in Nazareth, Israel, during his sermon at the Sunday service of the 2025 pilgrims held at Tabar Hotels, where he told the gathering that Lagos pilgrims were “privileged witnesses to a rare chapter in Nigeria’s international recognition.”
According to the NCPC boss, the Lagos contingent stands out among all pilgrimage batches so far because they were in Israel at the very moment Nigeria gained renewed global visibility and honour on the world stage.
“You are the best group so far,” Adegbite told the pilgrims. “It was during your batch that Nigeria was recognised globally.”
He linked the historic moment to the international recognition accorded to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who was honoured by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, at the annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.
“That recognition,” Adegbite said, “placed Nigeria in the global spotlight as a nation of faith and values, and it happened while you were here walking in the footsteps of Christ.”
The NCPC Executive Secretary charged the pilgrims to see their journey beyond sightseeing, urging them to embrace the Word of God as the foundation of Christian faith and national renewal.
Quoting John 3:16, Adegbite reminded them that love, sacrifice and obedience remain the pillars of Christianity, stressing that pilgrimage without spiritual transformation is incomplete.
He also used the occasion to commend the Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board for what he described as exemplary organisation and leadership throughout the exercise.
Adegbite singled out the Board Secretary, Mr. Okudero Gbolabo Omoniyi, praising him as “a round peg in a round hole” and “a tested and trusted leader” whose administrative discipline ensured a smooth and successful pilgrimage.
In his response, Omoniyi expressed deep appreciation to the NCPC boss, describing Bishop Adegbite as a model of purposeful and principled leadership worthy of emulation.
He announced that the Lagos pilgrims would formally receive the revered “Jerusalem Pilgrim” title on Monday, February 9, 2026, marking the spiritual climax of their journey through the Holy Land.
According to him, the pilgrims will spend an additional night in Nazareth before proceeding to Jordan, after which they will depart for Lagos State, concluding what he described as a life-changing spiritual experience.
The atmosphere at the service was marked by gratitude, reflection and celebration, as pilgrims absorbed the weight of being part of a pilgrimage that intersected with a moment of national pride.
As prayers echoed through Nazareth, Bishop Adegbite’s message was clear: the Lagos pilgrims did not just travel to Israel, they stood at the crossroads of faith, history and Nigeria’s renewed global relevance.
