Following the announcement by actress Tonto Dikeh of being the brand ambassador of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, the group has denied the claim saying it was a misrepresentation of what it represents.
Tonto made the announcement on her Instagram page saying that she was now a new ambassador for peacebuilding.
She wrote this;
I AM NOW A PROUD NIGERIA CHRISTIAN PILGRIM COMMISSION(NCPC) AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE BUILDING••
Yesterday 25th February 2021 your Director, Socials & Empowerment @cymsnigeris was warmly received by Rev. Yakubu Pam, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) at his Headoffice Abuja, where we had an extensive deliberation on NCPC vision, dissecting the values for National development and youth involvement in peacebuilding in line with the NCPC’s mandate.
I was Accompanied by Amb. Chris Odey @goodwillambassadorevents The Tonto Dikeh Foundation, Project Coordinator,
As a humanitarian, I also felt a few youths must have a feel of this laudable initiative through The Tonto Dikeh Foundation in partnership with NCPC where 10 Nigerians will be sponsored on this year’s Pilgrimage activities sponsored by @officalthetontodikehfoundation
Finally, I wish to announce my position as the new Ambassador of the Commission for Peace Building.
Need your prayers as we embark on Peacebuilding across the six (6) geopolitical Zones of the Nation because peace is indispensable.
Yours in Nation-building
King Tonto Dikeh,
CYMS’s Director,
Socials & Empowerment.
But the commission denied giving her an ambassador role and stated that the ‘Executive Secretary of NCPC never appointed King Tonto Dikeh an Ambassador of Peace for NCPC and this was not part of her visit therefore this claim by her is spurious, unfounded and should be discarded and seen by all Nigerians as a figment of her imagination.’
The Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission NCPC wishes to state in categorical terms that King Tonto Dikeh paid an official courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission Rev Yakubu Pam on 25th February 2021 at the corporate headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.
As the founder of Tonto Dikeh Foundation, she expressed her willingness and interest in partnering with the Commission in the area of peacebuilding.
She equally cashed in on the visit to commend the NCPC boss for his positive and relentless peace initiatives across the country.
However, we are suddenly inundated with claims from King Tonto Dikeh herself that she has been officially appointed as Ambassador of peace by this great Commission. This claim has gone virile in the media.
The Commission frowns at this claim which is a clear misrepresentation of what transpired.
The fact remains that the Executive Secretary of NCPC never appointed King Tonto Dikeh an Ambassador of Peace for NCPC and this was not part of her visit therefore this claim by her is spurious, unfounded and should be discarded and seen by all Nigerians as a figment of her imagination.
Nevertheless, we appreciate her desire to partner with us in our peacebuilding initiatives and the area of pilgrimage sponsorship to the Holy Land.
Signed:
Celestine Torula
Head Media and Public Relations NCPC
26th February 2021.
