Osun State’s pilgrims participating in this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia have taken a stand against the substandard meals provided by the state organizers during their stay in the holy land.
In a widely circulated video, protesters can be seen rejecting the dinner that was served at their hotel in Madinah, loudly expressing their dissatisfaction with the quality of the food, which they believe does not match the fees they have paid.
A pilgrim named Adekunle Abdulrauf, who spoke via a WhatsApp video call on Sunday, revealed that for the past three weeks since their arrival in Madinah, they have not enjoyed a single high-quality meal. “The protest was triggered by the fact that food vendors were no longer permitted to enter the camp, leaving us with no other options,” he explained.
“Another significant catalyst was the unfortunate death of two pilgrims from our state. Some people believe it may be linked to the poor quality of meals served to us since our arrival in the holy land.”
Another female pilgrim, who identified herself as Laitan, acknowledged that the accommodation provided to the group was acceptable, but she criticized the low quality of the meals. “We have been complaining for days, and nobody paid attention to us. That’s why we decided to protest after food vendors were no longer allowed to sell their products to us,” she said. “We have visited camps in other states, such as Oyo and Lagos, where some of us even received food from friends. Nigerian delicacies and a wide variety of options are readily available there.”
Responding to the situation, the Administrative Secretary of the Osun Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bolaji Sanni, issued a statement on Sunday assuring that the board is taking steps to address the issue.
“Following this development, a meeting was held this afternoon to assess the situation and identify the root causes of the problem in order to find a permanent solution,” the statement read.
“The meeting involved State Government officials, representatives of the Pilgrims, and the Head of the Catering team for the Service Provider. The lack of adequate local Yoruba delicacies in the food menu of the service provider was discussed, along with the need to include them in future meals. The possibility of changing caterers if no improvement is observed was also explored.”
Sanni further highlighted that the problem extends beyond Osun State and suggested that certain individuals with political motives might be exaggerating the situation.
“It should be noted that this issue is not unique to Osun State, and it cannot be ruled out that some individuals may be inflating the situation for obvious political reasons,” the statement emphasized.
“The Management of the Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board is fully committed to ensuring that its pilgrims receive the appropriate value for their money. This commitment has been evident through the smooth journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, visits to historical sites, securing accommodations close to the Grand Mosque, and the constant presence of medical and relevant personnel to attend to the needs of the pilgrims.”
