Tinubu, scholars urge MSSN to reclaim leadership role amid evolving global challenges

THE First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on Muslim youths across the country to rise to the challenges posed by an increasingly dynamic and competitive global environment.

Speaking as the special guest of honour at the recently concluded four-day National Higher Institutions Convention of Muslim Students (NHICOMS), organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mrs Tinubu urged young Muslims to remain steadfast in their faith while striving to meet modern demands.

Represented by the Special Assistant to the President (Public Affairs and Strategy, Office of the First Lady), AbdulWahab Alawiye-King, the First Lady emphasised that global challenges require youths to assume leadership roles with integrity and purpose.

“In the emerging global context, Muslim youths must rise as leaders, thinkers, change-makers and pilots who navigate with faith, integrity and purpose,” she said.

Reflecting on the convention’s theme, ‘Changing the Narratives in an Evolving World: The Muslim Youth as Pilots’, she described it as timely and thought-provoking, given the current pace of global transformation.

Mrs Tinubu commended MSSN for its enduring role in shaping responsible, spiritually conscious and academically driven young people.

She pledged her continued support for the organisation.

However, several Islamic scholars and clerics at the event expressed concern over what they described as the MSSN’s waning influence in shaping public discourse and driving impactful societal change.

Among them was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, who lamented the diminished vibrancy of the MSSN compared to its earlier years.

He recalled how the organisation had historically influenced national narratives through strategic academic and social engagement.

He criticised the current structure of the organisation, which he said is increasingly dominated by older individuals rather than students, contrary to its founding principles.

“If we want MSSN to remain relevant and champion the cause of youths, it must be led by the youth. The idea of MSSN was initiated by secondary school students. Why then is it difficult for those in polytechnics and universities to lead?” he said.

Welcoming participants, the 38th National Amir of MSSN, Mustapha Tajudeen, urged Muslim students to pursue sound knowledge, uphold Islamic values and build strong identities to effectively confront challenges in education, entrepreneurship and leadership.

He noted that participants came from various higher institutions across the country and urged them to prioritise merit and taqwa (God-consciousness) in their pursuits, aiming not just for personal success but for the betterment of the Ummah.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Yusuf Ali (SAN), echoed similar sentiments, urging students to rediscover the vibrancy and honour once synonymous with the MSSN.

“Students used to be catalysts of beneficial change. In 1981, when the College of Arabic Studies was to be established, it was students who took the lead,” he recalled, saying, “We must retrace our steps and reclaim our relevance as Muslim students.”

The guest lecturer, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, represented by Prof. Rafiu Adebayo, described the convention’s theme as a clarion call.

He urged Muslim youths to rise above academic, infrastructural and policy challenges facing the nation.

He also cautioned against rigidity in religious expression, advising students to reflect Islam’s flexibility to encourage understanding and inclusivity.

In his remarks, the Grand Khadi of Kwara State, Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen, called on students to remain committed and proactive in addressing the socio-political challenges facing the country.

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