The Companion-an association of Muslim men in business and the professions- has described as malicious, an online publication alleging it organised a phantom reception in honour of the ex- chairman and CEO of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NACHON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan.
A release by the National Amir of the Muslim group, Engr Kamil Olalekan and the Public Affairs Secretary Muideen Adeleke, described the author of the publication as misguided.
The statement said the entire write-up was fabricated by an unscrupulous clique who had been wowed by the unprecedented achievements of the avid Islamic scholar and successful legal practitioner, while he held sway at NAHCON.
The Companion contended that, despite the fact that his appointment coincided with the outbreak of the global pandemic, Covid-19 in 2020, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan hit the ground running and raised the bar of hajj administration in Nigeria through the introduction of a number of reforms.
It stresses that, contrary to the figment of warped imagination of the writer of the report that the reception was bankrolled by Alhaji Hassan, a four-man Committee which midwifed the independently raised the funds and invited the guests that attended.
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“It is ludicrous that the online media threw all cautions into the winds by publishing tissues of lies and also made no efforts to reach out to the man in question in line with the spirit of balancing, before rushing to the press,”said the statement
The Companion reiterated that the group will always be proud of the sterling achievements of the immediate past Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, adding contrary to the unsubstantiated report published about him, his exploits are already in the public domain for posterity.
It disclosed that a cross-section of professionals, clerics, academics, captains of industries as well as leaders of Muslims in the South West who attended the well-deserved reception in Lagos, extolled the virtues of service to Islam, dedication and patriotism demonstrated by Alhaji Hassan while he was in the saddle as NAHCON Chairman.
