MSSN, with others, have won several battles including victory over UI School hijab ban – Ex-High Commissioner

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

Immediate past Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Isola, while congratulating the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) on the occasion of its 70 years of establishment, says the nation’s most versatile Muslim students body has done greatly well at 70.

The diplomat, who is also the Baba Adinni of Yoruba Land, Edo and Delta, gave the commendation at a ceremony celebrating the platinum anniversary of the MSSN, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Saturday June 1, 2024.

Represented at the occasion by Alhaji Kamaldeen Akintunde Esq, Secretary General of the Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC), the former Minister of Iron and Steel Development hailed the group over its numerous achievements in enabling Muslim children’s accross Nigeria understand their religion and role they are required to play as Muslim youths in the Nigerian society.

In his goodwill message read by Akintunde, who is also a former Natiinal President of the National Council of Muslim Youth of Nigeria, Sarafa Isola, also a former Secrtary to Igun State Government (SSG), said, “There are several battles which MSSN, in collaboration with other strata have won, latest of which is the legal victory on the ISI Hijab case and similar others in the parts of country.”

He seized the occasion to urge Muslim students to avail themselves of the opportunities in the the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which he said, “will go a long way to providing assistance to indigent students in their quest for knowledge.”

He said, “In congratulating the MSSN on this occasion of its 70th Anniversary, I want to pay special tribute to the founding fathers for their collective efforts, their vision and mission which have remained cardinal and a compass to the past and present leadership in the pursuit of the mission. In this connection, kudos is due to the past and especially the present leadership for sustaining the tempo, product of which we are witnessing here today.

“As we celebrate and that we will continually celebrate our achievements, it is not enough to celebrate success, we must learn lessons in failures.”

He continued saying, “Therefore, MSSN may have to review, restructure and strategise as it takes important choices in the collective effort to advancing the cause of the Ummah.

“There are several battles which MSSN, in collaboration with other strata have won, latest of which is the legal victory on the ISI Hijab case and similar others in the parts of country.

“May I therefore charge the leadership to pursue the attainment of its goals and objectives within the ambit of the law of the land and without undermining the teachings of our faith and ethical standard.

“In concluding this speech, I wish to commend the government of Ogun State for sustaining the religious harmony and peaceful co-existence of all faith groups. Suffice it to note that this could not have been achieved but for the free practice of which past and present administration have sustained.

“The Nigerian Education Loan Fund will go a long way to providing assistance to indigent students in their quest for knowledge. Therefore members of MSSN should avail themselves of the opportunity and apply for the loan as a worthwhile initiative or undertaking.

“Finally, as we celebrate, MSSN will be wishing the country well as it recently marked the 25 years of unbroken democracy, just as it should felicitate the Governor of Ogun State who observed his 64th birthday a couple of days ago.”

This online newspaper notes the significance of the MSSN even in Ambassador Sarafa Isola’s Abeokuta, on Saturday, having had its bigger share in Islamic and administrative history of Nigeria, being that the first man to found MSSN along with others, late Dr. Lateef Adegbite, came from there; Abeokuta has produced two Nigerian Presidents, two Secretary General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in succession, two Nigerian High Commissiiners to the United Kingdom (late Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN) and Ambassador Sarafa Isola), and one World Court Judge (Ajibola), among others, just like, from other part of his Ogun State, two Nigeria’s Vice Presidents have been produced.

Other speeches delivered at the event attended by Senator representing Ogun Central, Alhaji Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, among other Muslim dignitaries, included the welcome address by the Ogun State Amir of the MSN, Mallam Abdulfatah Akanni-Sijuade Adigun.

According to Adegun, “With a shared purpose, a group of visionary students in the city of Lagos came together precisely, seventy (70) years ago to project their faith, identify, promote and preserve the values of Islam in a one-sided religious society, while serving their community, and developing their members.

“Today, we stand on the shoulders of those pioneers, carrying forward and consolidating excellently on their legacy of faith, unity, and service. Over the past seven (7) decades, the MSSN has grown from strength to greater strength, evolving into a beacon of hope and inspiration for Muslim youths across Nigeria.

“Our organization has played and is still playing a pivotal role in nurturing future leaders, fostering academic excellence, and championing social justice causes,” he said.

He said, “The society has produced many stakeholders and professionals that made meaningful impacts across the country with progressive development in all spheres of life. The likes of Dr. Jubril Oyekan, Professor Oloyede, Dr. Dhikrullah Hassan, Sen Shuaib Salisu, Prof. Taofeek Abd Azeez, Prof. Musa Olomu, Prof. Abdulateef Sanni, Professor Afis Oladosu among many others in the South, with their counterparts in the North, such as Sen. Ibrahim Shekarau, Dr. Lawal Maidoki, Prof. Sheu and many others are illustrious products of the MSSN. They all excelled in different areas of life as good representatives of the MSSN with sterling examples for successive generations.

“The MSSN today is a father, or if you like, grandfather to notable national and international organizations which it birthed at different, but critical times of its very robust evolution. These include NACOMYO, WAMY and IIIT, all of which have grown to become strong and vibrant bodies complementing Islamic activism, and cementing the brotherhood bond among the Muslims.

“We are proud of the historic journey we all have made via the vehicle of the MSSN, which not only built, but also equipped with us with the essential ingredients to positively impact our society. The MSSN is a potent tool for the promotion of national unity and cohesion, national integration and patriotism. Through her public-oriented activities, proper orientation is being passed to future leaders who will bri0ng the needed transformation into the country through morality, right attitude and dignity of labour.

“As the giant of Africa, Nigeria is blessed to have the MSSN as the fountain head of religious activism, patriotism and productivity which are giant instruments of national development, progress and peace,” the MSSN state Amir said.

He identified with the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the reintroduction of the student loan which, like Ambassador Ishola said, will go a long way in facilitating increase access to educations, and complement the efforts of low-income parents whose earnings are already hamstrung by the nations economic downturn.

“We call on the agency directly in charge of the scheme to work out modalities on how Muslim Students will benefit from this initiative without paying interests on loans advanced to them. We also call on the various state governments to domesticate the good gesture of the government at the centre, so that the impact becomes widely felt across Nigeria.

Our governments must continue to reward academic excellence generously to motivate and inspire students at all levels of educational ladder. There must be provision of scholarship to indigent and deserving students to boost their morale and give education its pride of place. A situation where governments splash millions of naira on frivolous reality show winners, but offer peanut in appreciating first class graduates leaves much to be desired, and should therefore be halted.