AMIR AMJN

After successfully graduating the pioneer set of beneficiaries of the Women Empowerment Programme (WEP), the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria in collaboration with Humanity First Nigeria and Canada has inaugurated the second batch of trainees. A total number of 22 female candidates had been admitted to undergo a three-month residential Vocational and Manpower Training Programme at Jamia Ahmadiyya Ilaro Ogun State. It would be recalled that the Muslim organization kick-started the skill acquisition programme last year with a view to promote poverty alleviation programme and ameliorate the economic condition of the people. Unlike the first batch of trainees, the second batch will not only be trained on sewing and crafts making but will also undergo training in Catering.  Ten candidates will be trained in Fashion Designing.  Seven candidates will focus on Hand Crafts while five candidates will garner catering skills.  Their graduation has been fixed for April 2020. In his keynote address at the programme, the Amir (National President) of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Alhaji (Barr.) Alatoye Folorunso Azeez described the training as a blessed and divine arrangement devoid of worldly motives, promising that male counterparts will soon benefit from the scheme. “VMDC is one of the Skill Acquisition Programmes of Humanity First International.  Hence the collaboration between Humanity First Nigeria and Humanity First Canada to empower the youths.  Notably, it is the implementation of one of the instructions of the Supreme Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – working towards financial independence. “It should be pointed out that the scheme is a divine one with so many blessings.  Jama’at programmes had been blessed in so many ways.  By having adequate financial provisions, we will be able to serve Almighty God better.  The next two batches may likely be for the male wing.” While appreciating the major financiers of the programme, Barrister Alatoye urged the beneficiaries to be diligent, disciplined, obedient and also show respect to their tutors and Lajna Imaillah (Female Wing) leaders.  He vowed that the Jama’at will continue to support them even after graduation. Objectives of VMDC The Chairman VMDC, Alhaji Mufadhil Bankole who serves as the Naib Amir (Deputy National President) Finance and Administration, in his welcome address, reiterated that the major objective of the Scheme is to provide the needed skills for our teeming graduates thereby making them financially independent and reducing the number of unemployed youths. ”The primary responsibility of every government is to make adequate provision for her citizens in the area of food, health, and shelter.  But it is not the case in our country.  This is why we have many unemployed graduates to the extent that graduates now resort to motorcycle operators while some engage in fraudulent acts. “Shall we all fold our arms and watch as the problem multiply year-in year-out.?  That is what prompted the decision of our immediate past National President, Prof. Mashhud Fashola to establish what is then called Economic Empowerment and Development Committee (EEDC).  The main aim of the promoter was and still to assist some of our members to acquire some skills.  Skills that do not require so much capital to set up and become self-independent at least to meet up with some basic needs.  The programme commenced on 10th January 2019 with 12 students in the field of fashion design and art-craft and concluded in April 2019.  Alhamdulillah. “As a result of the success recorded in Batch One, the Humanity First Nigeria in collaboration with Humanity First Canada whose objective is to identify the less privileged with the aim of assisting them, decided to partner and key into the project by sponsoring the 2nd Batch that we are inaugurating today.” Alhaji Bankole thanked the Amir for his support for the programme both financially and morally and advised the students to take very good care of all the equipment and tools so that subsequent members will also benefit. Activities of Humanity First International The Chairman, Humanity First Nigeria, Dr. Yaqeen Habeeb who was ably represented by the National Secretary, Alhaji Dauda Raji gave a brief profile of the non-governmental organization as well as its numerous activities globally. He said the organization was established in the United Kingdom in 1995 and it has spread to over 52 Countries of the world with the objectives of strengthening people’s capacity to enhance themselves, providing relief to people affected by disasters and promoting peace and understanding among the people. Activities of the body, according to him include women empowerment, knowledge for life, the gift of sight, water for all, medical services, disaster service, food for life, orphan care, among others. He said more than 10 orphans had benefitted from the organization while two schools were recently commissioned in the remotest parts of Oyo State, namely, Iye-Osa and Igbo-Oruwo.  Alhaji Raji also disclosed that the body had been offering free cataracts surgical operations since 2017 and between 15 to 20 patients had benefitted.  Underwater for life, he stated that the organization recently sunk water borehole at Okooko and Igbo-Oruwo in Oyo State and that four boreholes will soon be provided in other remote areas. He thus used the occasion to solicit donations from well-wishers and philanthropists towards the continuous provision of humanitarian services by Humanity First Nigeria. Other personalities at the event include General Secretary AMJN, Alhaji Abbas Iromini; Head of Programmes MTA International Nigeria Studios, Maulvi Nurudeen Okubena and Sadr (National Leader) Lajna Imaillah Nigeria, Hajia Fagbolade Taofeeqah.

The Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria presents Jama’at Literature books to High Chief Bashorun, representative of Alaafin of Oyo, during the visitation of Amir Sahib and his entourage to the Palace in Oyo.

The Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Alhaji (Barr) Alatoye Folorunso Azeez held a meeting with Oyo Circuit members after inspection of ongoing Ahmadiyya Mosque Isale Oyo, with him, Naib Amir Finance and Administration, Alhaji Mufadhil Bankole; General Secretary, Alhaji Abbas Iromini; Maulvi Nadimu Ahmad; Circuit Missionary Oyo, Maulvi Abdul Rasheed Sanni; Circuit Circuit President, Musibaudeen Ogunrinde and others, during the inspection of on-going Mosque in Oyo.

The 2022 annual Islamic Conference (Jalsa Salana) of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, UK, holds on 5th to 7th August in Islamabad, Alton, UK. Due to COVID-19 constraints, the event is not open to external guests across the world, except for selected leaders of the Ahmadiyya Community and those residents in the UK. The Amir (National Head), Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat of Nigeria, Barrister Alatoye  Azeez Folorunso is among the special dignitaries attending the conference in London. However, members of the public are welcomed to join live proceedings of the programme which can be watched at various homes and Ahmadiyya mosques across the world via the Community’s satellite television channel, the Muslim Television Ahmadiyya, (MTA International) Also, Murhi International Television, MITV, and Gaskiya Cable TV will join other 20 television channels across Africa to broadcast the Islamic Conference live for three days. In Nigeria, the Ahmadiyya Headquarters’  Central Mosque at Ojokoro, Lagos, and others across the country will play hosts to members and guests for the three-day proceedings. According to the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Promised Messiah (as), the primary purpose of the Islamic Convention, which commenced since 1891 in Qadian, India, but now spread across the world, is to enable every sincere individual to personally experience religious benefits, enhance their knowledge, promote mutual understanding and strengthen fraternal ties within the Islamic  Community. He said the gathering is not an ordinary human assembly, but a phenomenon that is based purely on the Divine Help for the propagation of Islam, translating to an affirmative action the declaration contains in Quran chapter 4 verse 115 that, “There is no good in many of their conferences except the conferences of such as enjoin charity, or goodness, or the making of peace among men. And whoso does that, seeking the pleasure of Allah, We shall soon bestow on him a great reward.” The high points of the gathering are addresses to be delivered by the  Supreme World Leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, Hazrat Masr r Ahmad, khalifatul Masih, V, goodwill messages from world leaders, prominent scholars, and very important guests for three days, and the global acceptance of new members and renewal of commitment to Islam and e Ahmadiyya community – “the Global Bai’at”, a tradition noted in Islam – that will be performed by His Holiness on Sunday. Other soul-inspiring topical issues in Islam and the global progress report of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will also feature during the conference. The live streaming of the Conference proceedings can also be watched or followed on the social media platforms such as www.alislam.org, www.mta.tv/africa, www. Youtube.com/africa Facebook Twitter, and Instagram. You can listen to  online radio proceedings in www.voiceofislam.org Qasim Akinreti Ph.DHead, Media Team,Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Nigeria