MSCON 7.0: EXCITEMENT AS MST UNITES MUSLIM WOMEN AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO FOSTER GROWTH, SISTERHOOD (PHOTOS)
By: Ajape Sefiu A.
An organisation dedicated to amplifying the voices of Muslim women, Muslimah Speaks Tribe (MST), on Saturday, hosted its 7th annual Muslimah Speaks Conference (MSCON 7.0).
This year’s event started with 6-day virtual sessions which was hosted online between December 1 to 6, 2024, with the final day held offline on Saturday at Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos State.
Speaking at the conference, the Chief Imam, Lekki central Mosque, Imam Ridwan Jamiu, encouraged Muslim women to embrace submission to their husbands while simultaneously pursuing their personal and professional goals.
Jamiu stated that there’s nothing wrong in being a strong and fulfilled woman, but that shouldn’t be at the expense of disrespecting and undermining your husband.
“Be financially okay, there is nothing bad in that, but be submissive to your husband, because it is part of your worship and you will benefit from it.
“You may be taller than your husband. You are not superior to him. You may be richer than your husband. You are not superior to him. You may be more educated than him. You are not superior to him. But as long as you raise your husband, he is the leader. He will be with you. And then you’ll be rich. You will not be poor.
“Being submissive to him is part of your worship”, he added.
MSCON 7.0 is aimed at bringing together esteemed and influential Muslim women from Nigeria, sharing their wisdom and experiences on navigating careers, leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal growth—while staying rooted in faith and values.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Convener, Muslimah Speaks Tribe, Mutiat Olagoke, while giving thanks to Allah for witnessing the day said, “Alhamdulillah! after days of inspiring virtual sessions, we are blessed to gather here today, in person, to celebrate our shared journey of growth, sisterhood, and self-leadership.
The MST convener said this year’s theme “Calls us to reflect deeply on the unique roles Allah (SWT) has destined for us and challenges us to rise confidently to meet them with excellence, purpose, and unwavering faith.
Mutiat while highlighting the importance of women taking key leadership roles said, “Today’s program has been thoughtfully designed to inspire, equip, and connect you with tools and insights that align with your goals as a Muslimah navigating the demands of our time.
She went further, “Beyond the talks, workshops, and panel discussions, we hope you’ll find opportunities to engage, collaborate, and network with like-minded sisters who share your values and aspirations.
On his part, Chief Imam/ Head of Mission, Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, while speaking on whether humans have control over their destiny, said, “Your destiny is not in your hands.
He went further, “Allah is Al-Qadir, the one who decrees. Al-Qadir, Al-Muqtadir, that’s Allah. He is the one who has the power, and he decrees.
“In the womb of your mother, 40 days as semen, after 40 days as a clot of blood, the next 40 days as a lump of flesh, and after the next 40 days an angel is sent.
The Sheikh added that Allah has power over “All that you are going to need for your entire life, how you will live, how you will die, what you are going to do, the things that you succeed in, and the things that you fail in. Everything that you are going to do. And to write. Whether you are going to be successful or you are going to be a failure.”
The first panel session moderated by Alhaji Ibrahim Salami focused on “Inspiring her path: a male perspective on empowering women to lead with purpose.
The session saw the likes of Alhaji Luqman Obileye, Alhaji Sulaimon Arigbabuwo, Mr. Sikiru Salami brainstorming on key issues in promoting women’s equality and inclusion in some areas in society.
Salami while moderating the session further discussed topical matters with the panelists.
Furthermore, the second panel session focused on Leading from within: a woman’s perspective on leading with faith and purpose.
This session was moderated by Barr. Nyma Akashat-Zibiri, while Engr. Nimat Muili and Pharm. Hafsah Ameen-Ikoyi were panelists.
In her keynote address earlier, Ustadha Fatima Aiyegbajeje, Director, Recite and Ascend Academy, spoke on “Leading path as women and navigating life’s journey with the guidance from the Quran and Sunnah”.
She said, “Allah did not favor them above us in any way. Men and women are equal in the sight of Allah.
Going further, Fatima said, “Islam honours women in whatever role that she decides to play. And whether it is that she’s a wife, or she’s a mother, or she’s a sister, or she’s a daughter.
“Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and His Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, they have shown us, and we’ll see examples in the life of the women who live in the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
“Islam shows us, and we see that in the examples of women that are fast, that there are so many roles that we can fit into. But all of these roles, from the beginning to the end, are such that we must be guided by what are considered the limits of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.
This year’s conference themed; “Lead Your Path: Shaping Your Destiny with Faith & Self-Leadership” emphasized on the power of personal growth and decision-making rooted in faith.
It also inspired Muslim women to take control of their journeys by aligning their actions with their values, developing self-leadership skills, and confidently navigating the challenges of both personal and professional life.
The event concluded with the distribution of gifts to participants, followed by closing remarks from Kaamilah Kareem, Protocol Lead, Muslimah Speaks Tribe.
Also present at the event are vendors who have set up stalls to display an assortment of products for sale, ranging from handcrafted items and unique merchandise to locally made goods.
These vendors added spice to the lively atmosphere of the gathering by showcasing their creativity and entrepreneurial efforts, allowing attendees to browse, shop, and engage directly with sellers.
