Like Shettima, Like Maidoki: Nigerians Have No Business Being Poor — Lawal Maidoki
Like Shettima, Like Maidoki: Nigerians Have No Business Being Poor — Lawal Maidoki
From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The Chairman, Sokoto State Zakat and Endowment Agency, (SOZEA) Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, Sadaukin Sokoto, says Nigerians have no business being poor.
Maidoki said this was sequel to the abundant natural endowments, human and natural resources, vast fertile land and uncountable blessings bestowed on Nigeria.
He stated this on Wednesday in Sokoto at the closing of a Four-day Training and Capacity Building Workshop on Zero Out-of-School Children Model, Visa-Vis Alnizamo as adopted and domesticated from the Indonesia Pondok Model, Almajiri School, in Sokoto State.
Maidoki said, “Nigerians have no business being poor. This is sequel to the abundant natural endowments, human and natural resources, vast fertile land and uncountable blessings to Nigeria.
“It is to harness them efficiently and utilize them equitably and prudently.
“The institution of Zakat and Endowment must also be allowed to work efficaciously so that affluence can go round and the rich helps the less-privileged.”
It could be recalled that Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, has repeatedly maintained that Nigerians have no business being poor due to similar reasons.
Maidoki, who is the lead driver of the Alnizamo Model, recalled how his partnership with the Indonesian educationist started after a visit to Bogor, Indonesia.
He said the Indonesian Pondok Model has ensured that no child is found on the streets begging in the name of studying the Qur’an, as they are treated as guests, loved, cared for and empowered.
He disclosed that Yobe State Government has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Yayasan Ashiriyyah Nurul Iman Islamic Boarding School, Bogor, and is recruiting five staff from Indonesia to run a similar school in the state.
He added that there are many requests from across the country, including Kano, for replication of the model.
Maidoki described the founder of the school, Dr Umi Waheedah Bint Abdulrahman, as instrumental to many good things in Nigeria, including inspiring the establishment of the National Commission for Out-of-School Children at the federal level.
He noted that Dr Umi’s model only admits orphans, the very poor and abandoned children and does not collect fees from those who can afford to pay, while combining Qur’anic education with skills and entrepreneurship.
In her remarks, the International Resource Person and Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan Ashiriyyah Nurul Iman Islamic Boarding School, Bogor, Indonesia, Dr Umi Waheedah Bint Abdulrahman, said Islamic leadership is about sacrifice and sustainability.
She said, “If you are chosen by Allah to become an Islamic leader, you have to be responsible for the Islamic education for all Muslim children.”
Dr Umi Waheedah said Islamic education is the best form of education as it combines knowledge, emotional and social quotient and spirituality.
According to her, Islamic education teaches wealth creation through business to fight poverty.
She advised proprietors of Almajiri and Islamic schools not to depend solely on Zakat and charity but to establish businesses to sustain their institutions.
“Everywhere I travel, I always say business fights poverty. If you want to have an education institution or an institution for social or community development, you must have business,” she said.
The Indonesian scholar also urged Islamic school leaders to always seek help from Allah through Tahajjud and prayers in times of challenges, rather than depending on individuals.
She said she was happy to be part of the capacity building programme and expressed willingness to return to Nigeria to meet all Almajiri leaders across the country.
She commended the commitment of stakeholders in Sokoto and urged them to be proud of Almajiri and Islamic education.
