An appeal has been made to members of the Muslim Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (MUTAN) and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) to foster stronger collaboration in protecting the interests of Muslim students.
This call was made by participants at a MUTAN/MSSN parley held recently in Ikotun, Lagos State.
In a lecture titled ‘Sustaining Cordiality between MSSN and MUTAN’, the Coordinating Director of Education Quality Assurance, District IV, Alhaji Abdulfattah Salvador, emphasised the need for greater cooperation between the two bodies.
He expressed concern over the duplication of programmes and efforts by both organisations instead of embracing synergy.
‘Unity is the foundation of strength in Islam, and it is through collective effort that we achieve progress,’ he said, quoting Qur’an 3:103: ‘And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.’
Alhaji Salvador noted that the two organisations complement each other, with MUTAN members contributing maturity due to their advanced age, and MSSN members bringing in the dynamism of youth.
In a second lecture titled ‘Beyond the Paycheque: Building Resilience Through Multiple Streams’, Mrs Kafilat Salahudeen urged Muslims in paid employment to utilise their spare time after office hours to pursue additional income-generating activities.
Salahudeen, a recently retired Lagos State government official, highlighted possible ventures such as running extra lessons for students, merchandising and engaging in e-commerce.
She also encouraged Muslim teachers to make use of the MUTAN cooperative to access interest-free halal capital.
Adding his voice, the MUTAN Chairman for Education District I, Mr Ademola Adefajo, reiterated the call for greater collaboration between members of both organisations.
He particularly urged MUTAN members to be active in the association by attending meetings and participating in its activities, stating that better outcomes could be achieved through collective effort rather than individual action.
The event also featured the conferment of awards of honour for distinguished service on Alhaja Lateefah Raji, a retired school principal, and Mrs Kafilat Salahudeen, a retired director.
In her appreciation remarks, Alhaja Raji urged members of both MUTAN and MSSN to prioritise the welfare of students in all their engagements.