10th Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio Week 1445/2023 flags off in Sokoto
*Former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar is Chairman closing event
*Where Dr. Zakir Naik of Malaysia delivers year’s lecture
*With Sokoto Governor, Dr. Ahmad Aliyu, as chief host
*Event ends Nov 2 with Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar’s annual awards
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The 10th edition of an annual event in memory of late Amirul Mu’mineen of the Sokoto Caliphate, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, has been flagged off in Sokoto State.
Last year, America-born Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, who flew in from his base in Ontario, Canada, to deliver the ninth Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio Week grand finale lecture. Asides Dr. Quick, a renowned scholar and PhD holder in ‘Aspects of Islamic Social Intellectual History in 19th Century Hausa Land: Uthman Ibn Fodio’, other scholars who featured in the success of the 1444/2022 edition of the Usman Dan Fodio Week included Professor Mohammad Taofeek Ibrahim, a former Vice Chancellor off Al-Hikmah University, Iloriin, Professor S. O. Raibiu of the Factulty of Law, Usmanu Dan Fadio University, Sokoto, and Professor Chika Umar Aliyu of the Department of Economics Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto and Dr. Salisu Bakori of the Centre for Islamic Propagation, Katsina State and many more.
Flagging off the week-long event for this year was the press conference held on Saturday October 14, 2023 at the Islamic Education Trust (IET), Sokoto and addressed by Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mallam Muhammad Lawal Maidoki, the Sadaukin Sokoto and Executive Chairman of Sokoto State Zakat and Endowment Commission (SOZECO).
Maidoki, who gave the highlights of what the event for this year will entail, noted the virtues of the late commander of the faithful and visionary leader in whose honour it is organised, Sheikh Bin Fodio.
He stated the role of the leader in the reformist expedition that ushered in the new era of the then independent empire whereby he took the then warring Hausa State and some of its neighbours out of their conflict situation and kept them united under the umbrella of the Sokoto Caliphate, the largest political entity in the 19th century in sub-Saharan Africa.
“This political stability was achieved through a just and peaceful leadership that was based on the Islamic principle of worshiping Allah sub’anahu watahala the most high alone as taught by the messenger of Allah, peace be unto him, Anabi Muhammad Salallahu wasalam. It has also been established that it was based on tidings to all creatures of Allah sub’anahu watala.
“Therefore, this focused and visionary leadership laid by Sheikh Usman Bin Fodio and the overall leader of the Caliphate, his brother Sheikh Abdullah Bin Fodio, the chief ideologist of the Caliphate and his son, Sultan Muhammadu Bello, the master strategist of the Caliphate and other jihad leaders and other lieutenants helped one another to achieve piety and stability in this part of the world.
“There are also flagbearers in different parts of the continent, may Allah sub’anahu watahala be pleased with them and unite us in paradise,” Maidoki noted while also referencing the intellectual development that the Sheikh Bin Fodio had brought to the Caliphate, sustained by his eldest son, Sultan Muhammadu Bello as it had continued until the present day Sokoto Caliphate under the leadership of his one of his descendants across successive generations, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.
According the planning chairman, this year’s Sheikh Usman Bin Fodio Week would feature among other laid programmes and activities, the preliminaries 1: quiz and essay competitions (Arabi, Hausa and English), which started same day of the press conference at Government Girls College (GGC), Sokoto, on Yaom as-Sabt Rabi’ul Awwal 29, 1445AH equivalent of Saturday October 14, 2023 CE.
The preliminary quiz competition was to test participating students from schools in areas including the lives and contributions of Sheikh Usman Bin Fodio and Mallam Abdullahi Bin Fodio as outlined in the book, “Daular Usmaniyya” volume 1 and 2 by Sheikh (Dr.) Muhammad Isa Talata Mafara.
According to the programme of events, essay topics for the academic area include “The Jihad of Sheikh Usman Bin Fodio and his reform in Hausa Land”, “Towards a drug free society: The role of youths”, “Utilizing social media for Islamic propagation and personal development”, “Religious and societal reforms brought by the Jihad of Sheikh Usman Bin Fodio”, and the “Safety consciousness and its importance in curbing insecurity”.
Coming next to the quiz competitions will be the pre-symposium workshop on book review holding on Yaom al-Ahad Rabi’ul Thanni, 1445AH equivalent to Sunday October 22, 2023CE, then next with symposium among others.
The grand finale of all the event will be the closing ceremony that will hold on Yaom Al-Arba Rabi’ul Thanni 7, 1445AH equivalent to Tuesday November 2, 2023CE at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Sokoto, where Dr. Zakir Naik from Republic of Malaysia will be the guest lecturer, with the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Dr. Ahmad Aliyu, being chief hose and Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto being the royal father of the day.
Chairman of the closing ceremony on Tuesday November 2 will be General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with special guests including Dr. Ahmed Aliyu, Governor of Sokoto State; Alhaji Nasir Idris, Governor of Kebbi State; Alhaji Dauda Lawal, Governor of Zamfara State; Alhaji Muhammad Goronyo, Minister of …; all former Governors of Sokoto State; all serving Sokoto State’s national and state assemblies’ members; all Sokoto State commissioners and District Heads from across Sokoto State.
Activities of the 10th Sheikh Usman Bin Fodio Week 1445/2023 will put brought to an end after the two major activities of finals of quiz competition and presentation of Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar annual awards of excellence to recipients.
The DEFENDER reports that the 10th edition of the week has been put together by the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) in collaboration with the Sultanate Council, Sokoto and support of the Government of Sokoto State.
