The Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter has stepped up its efforts towards promoting development in the larger society, especially in the post COVID-19 era as it recently held her annual state Congress focusing on the role of Muslim Women in Development.
The event with the theme
"Towards Inclusive Development In the Post Covid-19 Era: Prospects, Challenges and the Roles of Muslim Women In Africa tagged Ijebu 2021 was held between the 16th-19th December,2021.
It had members of the Association from the four zones of Ogun State including, Remo, Ijebu,Yewa and Egba in attendance, even as it commenced with sensitization on COVID-19 protocol as well as general health status of members, after a special prayers with the complete recitation of the Holy Qur'an was rendered.
Part of the objectives of the conference was to ensure peace and stability in the country.
The Chairman of the occasion, Otunba Jimi Lawal, in his welcome address,praised FOMWAN for their immense contribution in propagating Islam and activities of the womenfolks in general.
He recommended that FOMWAN should intensify her efforts by focusing more on Educating Muslim children, most especially the less privilege as well as do more in the area of women empowerment.
The Chairman promised to assist in the area of the Muslim female students wearing hijabs where necessary.
In her welcome address, Alhaja Kudirat Yeni Rabiu the Amirah of FOMWAN Ogun state and the chief Hostess stated the achievements of Ogun FOMWAN within her three and a half years tenure in the area of women and youth empowerment.
Part of her achievements is the sending of 27 Da'wah Officers and members to attend 'a two day' training course on Mainstreaming Shari'a Intelligence in collaboration with IET at Professor Balogun institute of Arabic and Islamic Center, Abeokuta; Scholarship for Muslim pupils and students and distribution of hijabs to female youths; Free distribution of nose covers to members and market women; visitation and gifts to orphanages and correctional centers and the building of mosque for the female inmates at the Ijebu-Ode correctional centre in collaboration with other sisters organization in the area of community and humanitarian development.
She also mentioned some of the challenges being encountered by the organization,while calling for assistance of the well meaning individuals in the society.
In a Keynote address Professor Sheriffdeen Tella of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Abeokuta
highlighted how COVID-19 started, its effects and ways by which the society can bring out opportunities for economic development.
He concluded by advising that FOMWAN should encourage members and others to intensify effort in harnessing the opportunities of the post COVID-19 era as much as possible.
In a lecture, a Director at the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, Abeokuta,Ogun state,Alhaja Oloko while taking the gathering through the topic" Seizing Opportunity for Upskilling in the expanding remote learning environment" described remote learning as a distance learning with different types of technology such as Zoom, Microsoft, Skype and so on.
She enlightened the gathering on the Opportunities COVID-19 has brought to the nation's economy despite its negative effects.
Consistency, she said Persistent, Effective time management, Appropriate communication skill, Basic technical skills and Personal Motivation were identified to be the instrument of seizing opportunities in COVID-19.
According to her, to be able to implement the above opportunities parents should encourage their children to be involved in route learning in order to be prepared for future emergency.
Also, a Lecturer from the Department of History in the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye ,Ogun State, Mrs Lasisi in her lecture discussed extensively on the topic "Emerging Business Opportunity in the Post-Covid Era: Women inclusive".
She cited Qur'an 4v32 to the effect that women also have independent economic empowerment.
The Guest Lecturer enumerated various business opportunities open to Muslim Women and emphasized that women should make choices within the limit of Allah (S.W.T), their talents and the dictates of the culture of the society.
Conclusively, she stated that choices should be guarded by Taqwa, the fear of Allah and warned that Muslims should always think of the consequences of engaging in any business activity.
In the same vein, an erudite scholar and an Associate Professor from the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) Dr. Jimoh Owoyele shared his personal experience with the youth in his lecture on Societal Decadence and its consequence on the Youth and National Development.
He took the gathering through various social decadence prevailing in our society, saying the sole panacea to all these problems listed was enuciated in Q66v6 wherein Allah (S.W.T) instructed believers, thus "O ye who believe, save your souls and that of your household from a fire whose fuel is man and Stone; the Angels...,......"
Conclusively, he advised parents to be making unscheduled visit to their wards in school and to make sure that they enrol their children into Arabic Schools at the early age of these children, so that they will always remember Allah and will never depart from the path of Allah (S.W.T) and His Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
In another lecture delivered by Dr.Oyesanya Sodiq,a lecturer at TASUED on the theme stated that the people mostly affected by the pandemic were the Women, the Children and the Youth. He equally enumerated challenges faced by women before Islam and emphasized that Islam is the only religion that advocated inclusive development and rights of women which ends women slavery.
The National Amirah of FOMWAN,Hajia Rafi'ah Idowu Sanni ably represented by the former National Da'wah Officer, Hajia Tawakalit Oderinde in a goodwill message appreciated the guests for supporting FOMWAN at all times and calls on the state government to allow the Muslim Women the right to use of Hijab in schools and places of work.
She also charged members of FOMWAN in Ogun State not to relent on their oars in contributing to developmental efforts.
Award of Excellence were thereafter presented to some dignitaries - Alhaja Shukurat Tolulope Kunle Agboluaje, Alhaja Chief Muinat Abisola Badmus, Alhaji Lukman Adebayo Oloko and Alhaji Mustafa Adetunji Oloko fca, while three best performing local government also received a meritorious Award, even as scholarship and grants were given to indigent students and widows courtesy of Lateefah Moyosore Durisinmi Foundation (LMDF).
FOMWAN Health Team with the Medical Team from state hospital were on ground to check the sugar level and blood pressure of guests and members at the occasion.
The conference thereafter proffer the following recommendations: that COVID-19 had not been completely eradicated, therefore everyone should endeavor to abide by the rules of wearing nosemask and ensure frequent washing of hands with soups and sanitizers;FOMWAN should not rest on its oars, but improve more on her Visions and Objectives most especially in the area of scholarship for Muslim Children,women Empowerment, Humanitarian and Community Development; FOMWAN as an association for all Muslim Women should intensify on the need for searching for knowledge which is incumbent to all Muslims through workshop and training
Other recommendation include that:FOMWAN members should consistently and persistently identify and seize opportunities in COVID-19;encourage their children to be involved in route learning in order to be prepared for future emergence;Muslim Women should be alive to their
responsibility in monitoring their children to curb and correct these children from departing from the path of Allah.
Other dignitaries at the occasion include, Professor Lasu Gbadamosi, Dr. T. M Salisu, Professor Fola Lasisi, Alhaja F.M Kareem, Alhaja L.A Ahmed, ,the Royal Father of the occasion, HRH Oba Adedotun Odunneye Odusanya ,Olu of Odosenlu-Alaro, and the Chief Imam of Odosenlu-Alaro Central Mosque who led the spiritual fathers.
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