Re-visiting Islamic organisations in Nigeria

Islam, as a way of life, encompasses all the ramifications of the entire gamut of human life.  Effective and result-oriented Da’awah, collection and distribution of Zakkah, appointment of Imams and taking care of Masjids, a comprehensive prayer timing and moon-sighting, performance of pilgrimage to Makkah  among others Islamic activities may require the establishment of organisations […]

Islam, as a way of life, encompasses all the ramifications of the entire gamut of human life.  Effective and result-oriented Da’awah, collection and distribution of Zakkah, appointment of Imams and taking care of Masjids, a comprehensive prayer timing and moon-sighting, performance of pilgrimage to Makkah  among others Islamic activities may require the establishment of organisations and institutions to that effect.
The imperative of standing in unison for virtue propagation and vice prevention has been emphasised in the Glorious Qur’an. Allah says: “And there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency. Such are they who are successful.” (Q3:103).
Islam recommends division and specialisation of tasks. The Glorious Qur’an has said: “Nor should the believers all go forth together: If a contingent from every expedition remained behind they could devote themselves to studies in religion, and admonish the people when they return to them, that thus they (may learn) to guard themselves (against evil).” (Q9:122).
In Nigeria, there are many Islamic organisations.  The organisations are mostly Da’awah-based. With the aim of serving the greater goal of Islam and perhaps for administrative convenience, some organisations are formed based on certain considerations like gender, youth, scholarship, operations and locality.
The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) Nigeria Office, Kano has noted with dismay the melancholic and despondent position as dominant feature that characterise some Islamic organisations in Nigeria. The Institute, therefore, organised a one-day national workshop on November 16 with the theme “Islamic Organisations and Institutions in Nigeria: The Challenge of Sustainability.”
Delivering his remarks, the National Coordinator of the IIIT Nigeria Office, Dr. Salisu Shehu, said “while appreciating the impressive performance of a number of them (Islamic organisations and institutions), much is left to be desired about many of them. A persistent challenge that confronts most Islamic organisations has been that of survival and sustainability. Similarly, most of them simply exist for the sake of it and make little or no impact within the circumscribed areas of their operation.”
According to him, “many of them (Islamic organisations and institutions) are crisis-riddled, many are half-dead, many have no focus, many are epileptic, many have very low out-put. The weaknesses and shortcomings are just too numerous to mention. We believe that there are factors that are responsible for the success of a few exceptional ones that are doing well, much as there are factors that have caused the pathetic situation that characterises the condition of most of them. It is against the backdrop of this critical examination of the conditions of Islamic organisations that this workshop was conceived.”
Attended by a number of Islamic organisations, Da’awah workers, academics, youth and student groups, government policy makers, civil society organisations, the mass media and opinion leaders, the workshop maintained that Islamic organisations should be established with sincerity of purpose and for the attainment of the pleasure of Allah.
Three resource persons who presented papers at the workshop included Professor Kilani of Al-Usrah Foundation in Port Harcourt, Malam Nuru Lemu of the Islamic Education Trust, Minna and Dr. Uthman Zhunnurain of the School of Health Technology, Funtua. Professor Umar Mukhtar Bunza of the Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto, Dr, Muhammad Babangida and Dr. Salisu Shehu thoroughly discussed their presentations.
In his presentation, Professor Kilani enumerated what he termed as “the critical success factors” of their organisation to include the aqeedah, the people, the idea, decision making and financial management.  He noted with pleasure that Al-Usrah which was formally inaugurated on June 12, 1994, “has grown in prominence to become one of the foremost Islamic organisation in Rivers State, Nigeria.  In the last 20 years, Al-Usrah has established primary and secondary schools and is in the process of setting up a university at Iropora in Ekiti State,” adding that members of the foundation have launched many thriving businesses in Port Harcourt and other parts of Nigeria.
The workshop reviewed the need for Islamic organisations to have comprehensive plan for economic dependence, effective administrative system, and efficient utilisation of modern information and communication technologies.
In a communiqué read at the end of the programme, the workshop noted that “for any Islamic organisation to be sustainable, it has to nurture and train the younger generation for successful continuation of the activities of the organisation.”