The Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council (ASTRUC) has expressed willingness to work with the state Pilgrims Office for a healthier spiritual life among the youth.

The traditional ruler of Obosi and Chairman of ASTRUC, Chidubem Iweka, made the commitment when he received the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Pilgrims, Odira Ezeh, in his palace in Obosi on Wednesday.

Mr Ezeh visited the traditional ruler to seek support of the council and make them strategic partners in the effort toward repositioning pilgrimage administration in the state.

Mr Iweka said there has been a serious setback in the spiritual life of the youths in the last three years because some of them had taken to idol worship and fetish lifestyles in the guise of embracing traditional religion.

The traditional ruler commended Mr Soludo for his determined fight against fake traditional rulers, saying fetish practices and money rituals were not the tradition of the people.

He said the pilgrimage was a crucial spiritual movement that could help the society regain its spiritual values and promised that the traditional rulers’ council would work with the pilgrims’ office to achieve its objectives.

“We have had a serious spiritual setback in recent times because our youths have gone into worship of idols; many of them are into Okeite and Eze-nwanyi in the guise of traditional worship.

“I must commend the pilgrims’ office for what it is doing. I shall invite you to our next meeting where you can address all the traditional rulers; we will give you 100 per cent support,” he said.

Earlier in his address, Mr Ezeh said the visit to the ASTRUC chairman was to intimate them on its programmes and the investment opportunities within the pilgrims’ subsector.

He said they were committed to building a pilgrims’ office that was transparent, accountable, efficient and people-oriented, in line with the vision of the administration to give fair opportunity to everyone irrespective of their economic status.

“It is the earnest desire of the governor that the ordinary trader, the rural farmer, the widow and the less privileged in our communities have the opportunity to undertake a pilgrimage to the Holy Land without financial burden.

“We, therefore, humbly seek your partnership in mobilising traditional rulers across the state to work closely with the pilgrims’ office in sensitisation, identifying deserving pilgrims and promoting values of faith, integrity, unity and responsible citizenship,” he said.

Mr Ezeh said the pilgrims’ office under the supervision of the deputy governor would continue to provide purposeful leadership toward repositioning pilgrims’ administration through the development of exchange programmes and upgrading of the Blessed Iwene Tansi Shrine, Aguleri, to an international holy site.

(NAN)