On July 4, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Plateau state-born cleric, Rev Yakubu Pam, as the third executive secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC). The appointment, however, took effect from June 26, 2020. ADOYI M. ABA in this piece takes a look at the rise of the man who is saddled with the unique responsibility of steering the affairs of this regulatory body for Christian pilgrimage in the country.


It would be unfair to say that Rev Yakubu Pam’s appointment is akin to a bolt out of the blue as he had held various positions and performed admirably in his home state of Plateau in particular and Nigeria in general, spiced with global experience.

 It was, therefore, a big sigh of relief among staff of the Nigeria Christians Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) and, indeed, majority of the nation’s Christians when it was confirmed that he had been chosen by the president to take NCPC to the next level.

Upon assumption of office on July 7, 2020, the man often referred to as a quintessential leader, reconciliator par excellence, teacher, consummate administrator, advocate for peace, detribalised Nigerian and leader in the vineyard of God wowed management and staff the Commission when he promised that he would ensure unity and transparency as he strives to achieve his targets.

Looking at his credentials, it is clear that Rev Pam has all it takes to surpass whatever his predecessors achieved during their tenures. 

The man, Pam Rev Pam, of Berom extraction, was born on February 20, 1960 at Gyel, Jos South local government area of Plateau state. He attended Gyel Local School Board (LSB) between 1972 and 1979; Government Teachers College, Zawan from 1981 to 1986. He later proceeded to the Northern Nigeria Bible School, Saminaka, Kaduna state for his diploma in Theology between 1988 and 1991. In 2002, Rev Pam further enrolled into the Evangel Theological Seminary, Jos, for his degree in Christian Education, which he obtained in 2004.

In 1987, Rev Pam was a PTA teacher with the Local Primary School at Tachei, Gyel, Jos. As a church pastor with the Assemblies of God Church from 1988 to date, he held the following positions: sectional leader; district coordinator, Sunday school, and district superintendent, Jos Mainland of the church in Plateau.

The revered cleric was in 2003 elected chairman, Plateau state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), a position he held till 2006. And in 2008, Rev Pam was elected the chairman, CAN, North-central zone. The zone comprises Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Kogi and Kwara states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He held the position till 2015.

Prior to his emergence as the third substantive executive secretary of the NCPC, he was the indefatigable chair of CAN for the 19 Northern states and the FCT, having been elected into the position since 2016. He is likewise a member of the President-in-Council of the association. He was elected the national vice- president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) for North-central from 2013 till date.


This vibrant, but soft-spoken administrator has been a member of the United Nations Youth Assembly New York, USA from 2007 till date. And having held many strategic positions in Plateau, he was expectedly appointed the chairman, Plateau State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board in 2018. This was in addition to being a member of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Council; member, Plateau State Education Board from 2004 to 2006 and member, Plateau State Tsunami Fund Raising Committee from 2004 to 2005. He’s also a member of the Arewa Elders Forum and Zumunta International, USA.Notably, this quintessential clergyman has traversed the length and breadth of the globe, having visited the State of Israel, United States of America, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and the Netherlands, among other countries. Rev Pam is a writer; he co-authored the book, Fighters of Peace. He’s married to Pastor Lucy and they are blessed with four children.


Disposition, strengths, expectations

He is expected to bring his humble and calm disposition to bear in the onerous task of re-branding the Commission to reflect its evaluation as an agency established to supremely spread Christianity’s high values. This, Blueprint believes, this cleric can do, given his successful sojourns in the sometimes troubled waters of CAN. He’s, therefore, a square peg in a square hole by all standards.

Consequently, when at his inauguration on July 7, 2020, he promised to ensure unity amongst the staff of the Commission and transparency in his dealings, everyone present knew he meant it. Perhaps, he is aware of the fact that to succeed in an organisation of the shape of NCPC that attracts the attention of members of the public as a result of its divine bias, transparency and staff unity are key. And considering his background, he is eminently qualified to make it big at NCPC and thereby prove to President Buhari that he made the right choice for him. It is believed that Rev Pam would not leave anything to chance in his determination to achieve his set targets by ensuring enhanced organisation, effective team work, leadership and providing the right attitude among the staff.For the new NCPC boss, it should be time to carry everyone along in order to make the Commission great again; time to make Christian pilgrimage (as a tool for moral, spiritual transformation) what it ought to be; time to the Commission to provide excellent services and administration to the nation’s Christians who perform pilgrimage to global Holy Sites; time to provide a hitch-free pilgrimage exercise throughout the year; time to ensure enhanced welfare of staff and pilgrims as well as responsible leadership at all levels, and above all it’s time to say au revoir to pilgrim abscondment.

Rev Pam’s pedigree leaves no one in doubt that here is a man that has the capacity to take the Commission to greater heights and thus announce Nigeria’s greatness through pilgrimage. By so doing, the amiable executive secretary would have etched his name and the corporate image of the Commission on the sands of time.