The Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) has felicitated with the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) as it clocks 68 years, having been established on April, 18 1954, in Lagos.
A statement issued in Abuja, on Monday, by the National President of MMPN, Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said that the MSSN had come a long way in bringing together Muslims from various backgrounds.
Balogun said that the society trained its members over the years in line with the teachings of Islam for national unity, cohesion and development.
According to him, the MSSN’s main focus was Allah’s divine injunction as contained in Qur’an 3 verse 103 thus :“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah, all together and do not become divided.”
” This was the tenet of the forefathers of MSSN as they ensured the unity of purpose and spoke with one voice as an Ummah, even though this could not be said of today’s MSSN.Media practitionersMedia practitioners
” The society, with its numerical strength, had been weakened by the proliferation of sub-groups and societies along ideological and selfish interests, thus destroying the strong foundation of unity and bond among its members.
” The modest achievements of MSSN in the past was due to the commitment, dedication and vision of the founding fathers of the society, which somehow had presently been eroded by many distractions.”
He said that owing to its formidable unity then, MSSN was able to produce statesmen, seasoned administrators, Ministers, Governors, Lawmakers, Vice Chancellors and Head of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Balogun added that the MSSN had also produced captains of Industry that had made commendable impacts in their various fields, a feature that could not be associated with the present day MSSN.
” Till date, the MSSN, whose main focus of the forefathers was on education then, due to the deficit in the recruitment process into the Western education.
” Still, it doesn’t have a university of its own after 68 years, while some of the sub groups and individuals had gotten licences to operate private universities in Nigeria.
” Despite its numerical strength in the country, the MSSN had not lived up to its expectations in the area of empowerment of millions of members as the potentials were not harnessed for the benefit of its members and the society at large.
” This is achievable through a comprehensive data of its members, both at home and in the diaspora, and effectively coordinated by the MSSN.
” It is MMPN’s considered opinion that all hope was not lost if MSSN could return to the excellence of the past in the areas of unity, Da’ awah, empowerment as well as inculcating Islamic moral values and citizenship education that would sustain the present and coming generations.”
He said that the MSSN would continue to be relevant, be the hope and pride of the Ummah by returning to the vision and mission of its founding fathers.
” As well as the aggressive nature of the present millennium in order to be relevant in the scheme of things as the mother and grandmother of all Islamic groups and societies in Nigeria.