Performing hajj is the greatest blessing for every Muslim. The 2023 hajj was concluded on Friday with over two million Muslims from around the world engaging in the last pillar of Islam in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Out of those millions of Muslims, there were few celebrities from the 95,000 Nigerian pilgrims who were blessed to perform hajj this year.
Muslim News Islamtainment presents some beautiful pictures of celebrities, mostly from the Yoruba genre who performed hajj. In the same light, we dispel the widespread rumour about those who didn’t make the divine journey this year, while their fans erroneously think they did due to misinformation from bloggers posting their previous hajj pictures.
1. MERCY MEENAH AIGBE
Popular Nollywood actor, Mercy Meenah Aigbe who recently embraced Islam, is unarguably one of the luckiest pilgrims that made this year’s Hajj, alongside her husband, Alhaji Kazim Adeoti, a popular filmmaker and owner of Adekaz Productions.
The actor, director, fashionista and businesswoman posted a series of pictures starting from airlifting at Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos to many historic places visited during her stay in the holy land.
She has since been thanking Allah for blessing her with Islam and showing gratitude to the lucky man in her life, alhamdulillah.
2. MADAM SAJE
Fausat Abeni Balogun famously known as Madam Saje, a veteran Nollywood actor’s observance of the 2023 Hajj ended the controversies about her current religious belief, as some of her fans initially thought that the native of Oke Ode suburb of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State had ceased practising Islam.
In the video, the thespian showed how excited she is for being part of the pilgrims that made it to Hajj 2023, She expressed happiness of being a Muslim.
3. ALHAJI ABDULGANIY YINKA QADRI
For Lagos pilgrims, the presence of the veteran Nollywood actor, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Olayinka Qadri in their midst is a thing of joy at the Hajj2023, as he joined them to participate in all the rites including the special prayers on the Arafat Day.
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The filmmaker shared series of pictures and videos accompanying them with supplications seeking Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and blessings.
Yinka Qadri, one of the leaders of the Odunfa Caucus theatre group, had a nice time, relating freely with pilgrims, many of whom are his fans, during their ziyaara (visitation) to historic places in Madinah.
4. SAIDI BALOGUN
Multi-talented actor, Saidi Balogun is also in the holy land for the Hajj 2023 as he recounted his memorable experience in Mina, Haram, etc with series of pictures and videos posted on his social handles during the Hajj rites.
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He was among the few Nigerians that defied the extreme Saudi weather conditions and went to Mount Arafah to offer prayers.
5. KEMI AFOLABI
This isn’t the first time popular Nollywood actor, Kemi Afolabi will be performing Hajj but this year’s pilgrimage meant a lot to her, as she seized the golden opportunity to pray for good health, happiness and peace on the plain of Arafat, and Haram.
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Recall that the filmmaker recently revealed that she is suffering from an incurable disease called lupus. While in the holy land for Hajj 2023, she prayed to Allah to grant her good health, peace of mind, and happiness in this life and hereafter. May Allah answer her prayers and yours, too. Ameen.
6. WASIU KAYODE AS-SIDIK
Alhaji Wasiu Kayode As-Sidik popularly known as Baba-N-Waka needs no introduction in the Islamic-themed song industry. He is a veteran and one of the few that has shaped what’s today known as Islamic song in Nigeria.
The Egba-born singer was with the Lagos entourage that performed the 2023 Hajj, and his presence is greatly felt among the pilgrims.
7. KEMI KOREDE
Kemi Korede as she is popularly known is a Nigerian actress cum producer, who has so much influence on many of her social media fans.
The creative, talented and hardworking actress posted series of videos on social media praying fervently on mount Arafat, alongside million of other pilgrims that made it to this year’s Hajj.
8. CUTE ABIOLA
Popular online comedian and comic actor Abdulgafar Ahmad, better known as Cute Abiola came to the holy land but couldn’t perform Hajj rites, after his pregnant wife, Khubrah Mosunmola, who came with him, deliver a bouncing baby boy, in Makkah, on June 23, barely 3 days before the commencement of Hajj rites.
Muslim News findings revealed that the skit maker, who also doubles as SSA to Kwara state governor AbdulRahman AbdulaRazak, later returned to Nigeria with his family, and on Eid Al Adha day, he observed prayers in Ilorin, Kwara state capital with a resounding reception from his numerous fans.
+ 6 Nigerian celebrities who local blogs erroneously said performed Hajj
Although, there are different reports on social media claiming that the Nollywood actors mentioned below also performed the Hajj2023, Muslim News Islamtainment can authoritatively confirm the story to be untrue!
In what looked like a copied and pasted story which has generated thousands of comments on social media, many bloggers misled fans to believe that their favourite actors are currently in Makkah to perform Hajj.
Our Correspondent also gathered that some of the actors posted pictures and videos of their previous Hajj and Umrah experiences at a time their colleagues were performing Hajj rites without stating that they were reminiscing the good old days.
1. Femi Adebayo
2. Wale Akorede (Okunnu)
3. Adekola Tijani (Kamilu Kompo)
4. Rukayat Lawal (Iya Ibadan Sneh)
5. Adedoyin Kukoyi
6. Ibrahim Yekini (Itele)