Communiqué after the National Training Seminar

The National Seminar was conceptualised by Nawair-ud-deen Society (National Headquarters) under the Leadership of the National President — Alhaji Asiwaju Rasheed Yussuff (FCS) — and the Spiritual Leadership of Fadeelat Sheikh Younus Kehinde, the National Missioner and Chief Imam of Nawair-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, organised by the National Training Centre, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The 2-day Seminar was designed for Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and General Secretaries at Branch, Zone and National level. We had participants from Ogun, Lagos, Northern Zone with FCT Abuja, Yewa, Ondo/Ekiti and Kwara Zones.

Presentation of Lecture Papers were made with Analysis followed by Interactive Sessions and a Mini-Conference where issues on the papers presented and other challenges facing our great Society were efficiently dissected and a way forward proffered.

The following topics were treated: Leadership Styles and Approaches — Prophet Mohammed's legacy and Ideal of Smart Leadership & Ethics; Pathway to Administrative Success — Secretarial roles and Responsibilities; Advocacy, Membership drive and Funds Raising Strategies; Planning and Execution of Society / Organizational Programmes & Activities and the NUDS Constitution; SCUML & NUDS Websites — Importance and Benefits; National Financial Projections and Income Generation.

The participants discussed at length the various issues raised by the Facilitators and Discussants, as well as having a free floor to ruminate on issues affecting Nawair-ud-deen Society.

3.1 The Leaders of the Society were urged to cultivate the habits of fairness, justice, trustworthiness, financial prudence, realizing one's limitations, consultation, deputation, non-autocratic leadership and mentorship of their followers, with Organization Objectives strictly adhered to. The Approach to Leadership Roles and Style of Leadership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad were also exhibited, worthy of emulation.

3.2 Competency and Intellectual capacity should be the major yardstick in Leadership selection. Appointment of Officers at all levels into Executive and Committees must be based on Merit and not sentiment.

4.1 The Seminar called for due recognition of General Secretaries in NUDS and granting them the wherewithal to operate effectively as life wires, decision makers and managers of the Society and Secretariat.

4.2 Creation of Secretaries' Offices and cabinets in all our Branches and Zones for smooth operations.

4.3 Every Branch and Zone should implement the Constitutional provision of Secretariat Imprest. Roles of Secretaries are germane to the progress of the Society and success of any Leader/Chairman.

5.1 Advocacy as an integral part of membership growth should be adopted with structured interactions, interpersonal relationships, application of present-day technological devices and an approach based on Dawah methodology.

5.2 Membership drive is a task for all the leaders and followers in the Society, with empowerment and welfare packaged incentives to improve and maintain our membership strength.

5.3 Networking is very vital — knowing ourselves, our professions and where we operate, for the mutual benefit of members.

5.4 The need to expand our frontiers beyond where we are. More Branches should come up in Abeokuta and Abuja FCT, while other areas where Nawair-ud-deen is foreign to the people should be worked upon. Efforts should also be made to re-invigorate Zones and Branches that are struggling to be active. Specifically, Edo Zone requires urgent attention.

6.1 Zakat is one of the pillars and fundamentals of Islam. We therefore called for its implementation at the Zonal or Branch level, for the improvement of the living standard and welfare of our members.

6.2 Investment and tapping of all feasible sources of income generation is pivotal to the developmental growth of Nawair-ud-deen Society; hence efforts on it should be intensified.

6.3 Branches and Zones should operate legitimate (Halaal) based businesses to boost revenue generation, such as sales of water, sinking boreholes for communities for commercial purposes, operating business centres, car wash centres, transportation business, event planning and hall decoration, hall and premises rentage, etc.

6.4 We should strategize on Annual Dues, Ramadan Contributions, Voluntary Donations and self-pledged levies on specific projects and programmes, organising special prayers, etc.

7.1 The Participants were strongly urged by the National President to ensure the establishment of standard and curriculum-based Arabic and Quranic Centres (Ile Kewu) in all our Branches for the younger ones and adults, to enhance members' knowledge of the Quran and Islam. A good example is Lagos Branch, who are really making it in terms of income generation.

7.2 Establishment of Jamma Ratibi in our Mosques as partners and stakeholders in Mosque Maintenance and Management.

8.1 Establishment of functional Nawair-ud-deen Nursery and Primary Schools in all our Branches and Zones for membership drive (catch them young) and income generation.

8.2 Concerted efforts should be embarked upon, including those already in progress, for the take-over of all Nawair-ud-deen Schools in our Zones from the Government.

8.3 A special call was made to the National President and members of the National Executive Council to fast-track action on the proposed Nawair-ud-deen University, Abeokuta. It is a veritable avenue for our children and the generations yet to be born to advance their educational pursuit in Nigeria.

9.1 Participants pointed out the untapped vast land of the complex and called for it being put into productive usage. The following ideas were suggested: building a guest house, event/party ceremony centre, fish pond to be constructed in accordance with professional advice and specification, business centres, shopping mall, etc.

9.2 Optimal use of the main building of the National Mosque was strongly agitated for, and consequently the following were called to be operational in the building: National Training Centre with facilities for training; Arabic and Quranic School; religious programmes, etc.

10.1 NUDS Branches and Zones should prioritize members' welfare to ensure that members stay put in NUD. Participants called for the establishment of Hospitals/Clinics and Health Centres in their domain.

10.2 Policy decisions should be made by NUDS on the care for Orphans, Widows and Widowers in our midst, with a view to giving them hope and a sense of belonging.

10.3 The forum was duly informed of various opportunities of empowerment for members to key into, especially in the transport sector, domestic services and computer literacy or technological know-how.

11.1 The importance, relevance and benefits of SCUML (Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering) were emphasised, with particular attention to proper management and accounting for the money collected from the public (Jammat) as part of EFCC watchdogs.

11.2 The use of the website to promote our organisation and also as a source of self-empowerment was analysed for the participants.

11.3 Awareness was given to participants on useful Islamic programmes and social links/websites for our children and young ones in the blessed month of Ramadan.

11.4 Opportunities abound for our children to write programs / be programmers, qualifying them to earn good income and a better life.

11.5 All branches who have competent professionals in IT & Web design as members are welcome to join our NUD Digital Services under the leadership of Alhaji Engineer Wasiu Oseni (Chairman, NUDS Ikotun-Isheri Branch, Lagos Zone).

12.1 All Chairmen at Branch and Zonal level are urged to be closer to Government in their Local Government Areas and State respectively, by sending congratulatory messages to them on assumption of office, paying courtesy visits and inviting them to our programmes and projects.

12.2 We should strive further to ensure that we are considered for Government grants, aids and support, adding that we must request for big projects and plans that shall be all-encompassing and last longer in benefits, growth and progress for Nawair-ud-deen as a Society and the Muslim Community at large.

13.1 Women's Affairs in Nawair-ud-deen were also examined by the Participants. A resolution was made calling on our Women's Wing to gear up and harness the opportunities available for our women's folk in areas of networking, partnership and collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs at Federal and State level. Similarly, Women Affairs Departments at Local Government level, with a view to taking advantage of their policies and programmes for women in the areas of training, empowerment, capacity building, grants, aids, etc.

14.1 The issue of the Nawair-ud-deen Youth Wing was brought into serious focus as it relates to functionality, freedom of operations in the hands of the parent body of some branches, Rules and Regulations for the Youth Wing, internal wrangling amongst the Youth Wing, the National Youth Centre Project at Osogbo in Osun State, re-invigoration and other challenges. Therefore, a passionate call was made to allow the Youth to operate unhindered in all the branches based on the NUD Constitutional provisions and Structure.

14.2 On the threat of succession and continuity problems in Nawair-ud-deen Society nationwide, various ways forward were proffered. Amongst them are synergy between the Youth Wing and the parent body based on trust, reliability and mutual understanding, and encouraging our children and younger ones to join Nawair-ud-deen.

14.3 The way forward also entails every Branch and Zone ensuring that the Youth Wing thrives via budgetary provisions to empower them as service providers. (Nawair-ud-deen Smarters Guide can be used as a pilot project.)

14.4 The National President capped it all by declaring that all these problems still lie with the Youth Wing members, charging them strongly to be available and ready to take up the tasks, adding that there should be no excuses.

15.1 The next phases of the Training Schedule of the NUD National Training Centre, Abeokuta are: training for Treasurers, Financial Secretaries and Auditors in the last quarter of 2022; and training for Chairpersons, Vice-Chairpersons and Secretaries of the Women's Wings at Zonal and Branch level in the last quarter of this year or the first/second quarter of 2023.

15.2 We thank the National President, Alhaji Asiwaju Rasheed Yussuff, for giving us an enabling environment to fix the Seminar and for his physical presence at the training and presentation of certificates to all participants.

15.2.1 We highly acknowledged the presence of the National President; National Vice-President (Northern Zone) Dr. Amoo; National Secretary Alhaji Prince Fatai Ayodeji; and the Zonal Chairmen in attendance.

15.3 We implore all participants to take the Seminar as a train-the-trainers workshop, with a view to training others at their various Branches and Zones who were not opportune to attend.

15.4 The proper implementation of this communiqué will not only serve as an input but would as well improve the operational standards of our great Society. Indeed it is a good platform for capacity building and growth of the Society.

15.5 I thank all our members who contributed to this great task of communiqué drafting.