Aregbesola commends Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation

THE Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has urged well-meaning individuals, corporate bodies and non-governmental organisations to emulate the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) by partnering with the government to empower citizens with a view to banishing poverty from the society.

Governor Aregbesola made the plea at the 2017 zakat distribution ceremony and project inauguration of ZSF in Ede town, where no fewer than 163 indigenes of the state benefitted from the disbursement of N15,745,000.

ZSF is a non-profit organisation that specialises in collecting and administering zakat and sadaqah (compulsory and voluntary tax for charity) from the rich for onward distribution to the poor in line with Islamic injunction.

The governor, represented by Mr Bashir Lawal, commended the foundation for what he called its laudable projects, saying societal development should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the government.

“Poverty alleviation or eradication should not be abandoned to the government. ZSF must be commended for its persistence in good work, particularly in the renovation of government hospitals, provision of essential materials, drilling of boreholes to communities and empowerment of the downtrodden. The good job has continued despite government minimal encouragement due to economic downturn.

“It is our hope that government shall surely reciprocate the good gesture of the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation in the State of Osun in the very near future,” he said.

The programme benefitted indigent persons, elderly people, organisations, hospitals and community projects such as drilling of four boreholes.

The Executive Director of ZSF, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, explained how the disbursement was made.

“Of this figure, community projects gulped N7,650,000, while N3,085,000 was spent on economic empowerment of individuals. Other projects included institutional support in the sum of N680,000,00, debt relief of N500,000, education support, N345,000.00, orphans support N230,000 and welfare support in the sum of N560,000,” he said.

The foundation also renovated the Obada Maternity Centre in Ede South and provided potable water for Temidire Arulogun community, among others.

While appreciating those who have been supporting the foundation to continuously provide for indigent people, Olagunju implored Muslims across the country to emulating the ZSF by assisting the underprivileged in their own little ways.

 

Clerics counsel Nigerians on charity

Speaking at the event, a notable cleric, Dr Abdullah Uthman Ayolo urged Nigerians to embrace the use of charity as a veritable means to eradicate poverty and liberate the underprivileged from the menace of poverty.

Ayolo, who is the mudir (director) of Offa Islamic Foundation, described giving of zakat as sacrosanct in Islam and urged well-to-do Nigerians, particularly Muslims, to always pay the charity tax from their wealth, once it reaches the measure.

He also advised Muslims who are not capable of giving zakat to, at least, give sadaqah (voluntary charity) to the underprivileged, especially those in their families and among friends, stressing that Allah shall reward everyone for their good deeds in this world and the hereafter.

 

Beneficiaries commend ZSF

The Amirah of the Osun State chapter of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Alhaja Suabat Babalola-Adubi, whose organisation’s orphanage got a sum of N250,000, appreciated the gesture of ZSF and prayed for the continued success of the organisation.

Two of the beneficiaries, a tailor, who is a widow, Waliyat AbdulRazaq and a trader, Nafisat Wahab, commended the organisers of the programme for empowering them with money and tools of trade. They prayed God to reward the foundation accordingly.