By Fasilat Lawal

Members of Nasril Lahi‘l Fatih Society, NASFAT, have been advised to remain focused and committed to societal development through their efforts at giving back to society.

President of NASFAT, Alhaji AbdulRauf AbdulWaheed stated this while virtually declaring open, the NAZOCC Retreat and Training at NASFAT Oyo Zone One Secretariat, Samonda, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Alhaji AbdulWaheed who explained that the training would broaden the knowledge of the participants on Islamic tenets, urged them to pass on what they have learnt to other members at their various branches. 

“We should have people that understand the society very well as part of your membership and you can also increase the mode of your operations. I implore all NAZOCC members to have the capacity to key into the project of empowerment that we have started.”  Alhaji AbdulWaheed stressed.

In an address of welcome, Vice President Two, of the zone, Alhaji Maruf Ajiroba described the training as an avenue for participants to acquire more knowledge on skills and technology as well as the aims and objectives of NASFAT. 

“The retreat is centred on how we can take our NAZOCC members in Nigeria and Diaspora to train them and make them know the ethics of NASFAT, we also want to expose them to all the do’s and don’ts of NASFAT”, he explained.

Alhaji Ajiroba noted that poor leadership has become a major concern on the continent, calling for urgent training of leaders to make them better and bridge that gap.

“Key issue that we discussed is the current mantra of NASFAT which we called LEAD, the L stands for leadership if you look at the country and Africa generally, we have concerns about some of the leaders, they did not come from another country to lead us, but are the product of our society…and that is why we feel we need to do training in the area of leadership”. Alahaji Ajiroba explained.

He said NASFAT has agencies saddled with the responsibility of empowering widows and youths in clusters across the country as a way of complimenting the government’s efforts towards cushioning the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy. 

“Eidyaah stand for our empowerment. Any environment we are in and life is giving out, you will see that there will be fewer security issues, whereby people can get shelter and food on their own without the assistance of anyone, that is why empowerment is key”, he said.

Alhaji Ajiroba, however, called for peaceful co-existence among members for mutual understanding that would further move society forward.

Highpoint of the programme was the formal inauguration and posting of Desk Officers to Zones by the Secretary of the Zonal Coordinating Committee, Alhaji Hakeem Akano who charged them to be committed to their responsibilities with the fear of Allah. 

Two members, Hajiya Shakira Adekunle and  Alhaji Abdul Wasiu representing the West Coast of Ghana lauded the organizers for the training, saying it had broadened their knowledge more and promised to educate their members at their various zones. 

Some members of the society in Nigeria physically attended the two-day training while those in the Diaspora joined virtually.