By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has announced a subsidy package for Muslim pilgrims from the state participating in the 2025 Hajj, as part of his administration’s commitment to supporting religious activities and the welfare of the faithful.

Speaking during his visit to the construction site of the state’s first Hajj Camp, the governor expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, disclosing that the project, which he flagged off last year, is now 70 percent complete and will be ready by October 2025.

Adeleke, who was received with singing and dancing with noted that the 2,000-seater auditorium and administrative block at the camp would end the state’s long wait for a befitting Hajj facility since its creation in 1991.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor recalled his shock last year when he discovered that Osun lacked a Hajj Camp, prompting him to swiftly initiate the project and instruct the contractor to deliver before the end of 2024.

Addressing 1,221 intending pilgrims from the state who are set to journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025, Adeleke urged them to conduct themselves with dignity and serve as good ambassadors of Osun.

He also used the occasion to appreciate the support of the Muslim Ummah under the leadership of the State Grand Imam, Sheikh Musa Animasahun, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to religious harmony and infrastructure.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Sheikh Maruf Ishola, commended the governor for introducing six different subsidies for the pilgrims. These include transportation, free medical services, and special provisions for the Sallah celebration on the Day of Arafah.