The Sokoto State chapter of the National Council of Muslims Youths Organisations (NACOMYO) an umbrella body for Muslim youths organisations in the state has been organising the Annual Sheikh Usmanu Bn Fodiyo week for several years now.
The purpose for this important week is to remind youths in particular and the public in general about the life and contributions of the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in order to learn some lessons from his reform agenda toward resolving societal challenges.
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The annual Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo Week, comprises series of activities ranging from live programmes on both radio and television, quiz and essay competitions, symposia and lectures by prominent scholars in both Islamic and western education among others.
This year’s annual event with theme ‘Promoting Unity, Development and Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria and West Africa: Leassons from the Life of Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo’ start on Thursday, October 27, 2021.
Daily Trust observed that the series activities for the week were conducted concurrently at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa and Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Institute for Qur’an and General Studies Sokoto.
Speaking at the pre-event press conference, the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the 8th Annual Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo Week, Sadaukin Sokoto, Malam Muhammad Lawal Maidoki, said the annual week was organized by NACOMYO, Sokoto State chapter, in collaboration with the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Women in Da’awah (WID), Initiative for Muslim Women of Nigeria (IMWON) and Alkhidmatu Khairiyyah Foundation (AKF).
Malam Maidoki explained that the participants were drawn from Islamiyyah and secondary schools, tertiary institutions, Islamic organisations, youth organisations from various emirates from within and outside the state.
He added that the resource persons on the other hand, were selected from the academia, youth organisations as well as public and private sectors.
He said: “It is a well known fact that the 19th century Jihad of Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo in most of the northern part of the country as well as parts of Niger, Benin and Cameroon brought unity and political stability in the hitherto warring pre-jihad kingdom.
“This reform was based on the Islamic principles of worshiping Allah the Almighty alone and shunning all forms of polytheism; strictly abiding by the teachings of the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in all spheres of life and shunning all forms of innovation; as well as treating all creatures of Allah with justice and kindness.
“The reform provided a fertile ground for spiritual, intellectual and economic development in the caliphate, the light of which radiates in Nigeria and the sub-Saharan Africa in general. It also forms some of the strongest pillars of present-day Nigeria.
“Nigeria in particular and sub-Saharan Africa in general are bedevilled with myriad of challenges such as insecurity, sub-optimal performance in educational, economic, health and many other spheres of life. These are similar conditions to those of the pre-jihad kingdoms.
“As history is the memory of nations, it is imperative to study the life and contributions of the great reformer, Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo, and draw lessons therefrom relevant to solving the current challenges by Allah’s leave,” he also said.
Malam Maidoki noted that it was fortunate that this year’s Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo week coincided with the 15th Anniversary of the incumbent and 20th Sultan of Sokoto on the throne, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III.
“Unarguably, the incumbent Sultan over these years has immensely contributed to the promotion of unity and peaceful coexistence in the country and beyond,” he said.
On the first day of the programme, Daily Trust observed that series of radio and television programmes were aired at intervals by both public and private radio and television stations in Sokoto State.
Scholars from different parts of the country featured in the series of programmes in celebrating the annual week.
On Friday, October 29, 2021, two lectures ‘Gudummuwar Daular Usmaniyya wajen hada kan Musulmin Najeriya da Afirika A Jiya da Yau’ and ‘Role of the Flag Bearers in consolidating the ideals of Sokoto Caliphate’ were delivered at the two designated venues of the annual event by Sheikh (Dr) Muhammad Isa Talata Mafara and Honourable Bello Idris (member, Sokoto State House of Assembly).
On Saturday, October 30, 2021, two other papers titled ‘His Eminence Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar 15 Years of Leadership: Progress and Prospect’ and ‘Gudummuwar Daular Usmaniyya Ga Inganta Karatun Allo; Muhimman Darussa Ga Dukkanin Al’umma Domin Inganta Tsarin Almajiranci a Najeriya’ were presented. The first paper was jointly delivered by Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola (Lagos State) and Dr Umar Mustapha (Borno State) while the second was presented by Prof Salisu Shehu, vice chancellor of Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.
Sunday, October 31, 2021 was set aside for the symposium among various Islamic and youth organisations drawn from within and outside the state.
At the event, the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Usmanu Danfodiyo University chapter, made a presentation on the topic ‘Role of Youths in Reviving Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo’s Legacy of Self-Reliance’, while the society’s Sokoto State University and its Ali Umaru Shinkafi Polytechnic counterparts served as discussants.
The second topic titled ‘Curbing the Menace of Drug Abuse Among Youths: Lessons from Sheikh Usmanu bn Fodiyo’s drug-free society was presented by the students of School of Psychiatric Nursing, Kware, with students of School of Nursing and Midwifery, Sokoto, School of Nursing UDUTH Sokoto and Sultan Abdur-Rahman School of Health Technology, Gwadabawa participated as discussants.
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