Al-Mu’minaat Marks 30 Years with Professional Seminar in Abuja

Speakers stress home-building, career growth, and healthy living as pillars of women’s leadership

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Abuja chapter of Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women) Organisation held a professional seminar to commemorate its 30th anniversary, with experts urging Muslim women to strengthen family life, pursue career excellence, and embrace healthy living as core values of leadership.

The event, themed “Thirty Years of Women’s Leadership and Development”, was held at the National Hospital Trauma Centre Hall, Abuja, drawing health experts and members of civil society. Free medical screening preceded the programme.

Speaking at the gathering, the FCT Amirah of Al-Mu’minaat, Hajia Khadijah Odubanjo, explained that the seminar was part of a three-month anniversary celebration spanning August to October, across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Abuja, Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa States.

“The purpose of today’s programme is a professional seminar,” she said. “Most of our programmes in Abuja have been grassroots-based, but our professionals too want to belong to the alumni setting. So, we have a programme for them separately, which we call the Elites Programme.”

Odubanjo disclosed that Al-Mu’minaat has institutionalised several annual and bi-annual activities, including the Al-Mu’minaat Week (Women’s Day), Earth Caravan, Community Service Programmes, Gathering and Counselling (G&C), and Tarbiya (training and moral education sessions).

Looking ahead, she announced that a special camping programme in Lagos this October will feature the recognition of outstanding Muslim leaders.

“We are going to give awards to Muslim leaders who have promoted Islam in the country. Our new female justice and some other leaders will be celebrated at the professional conference, insha Allah,” she said.

Delivering a paper on “Building a Formidable Home Front”, Hajia Rasheedah Kolawole Bangbala emphasised that the family remains the nucleus of a stable society.

“A formidable Islamic home is one guided by the Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Just as a building cannot stand without a foundation, a society cannot thrive without a stable home,” she noted.

She advised families to designate spaces for worship, avoid prohibited decorations, and uphold discipline, stressing the roles of parents and children.

“The father is the head of the household, the mother nurtures and manages, while children must learn obedience and responsibility. It is bad home training to do all chores while children fold their arms,” she cautioned.

Citing Qur’anic injunctions (Q.30:21 and Q.4:34), she highlighted love, patience, conflict resolution, and assigned roles as principles for family stability.

On her part, Dr. Rahmat Ibrahim, a physiotherapist, delivered a lecture on “Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle”, describing health as central to both daily living and worship.

“As Muslims, our body is an amanah (trust). Health is a very important aspect of our lives, especially when it has to do with worship. You need a strong body to stand in tahajjud, especially to do your sujood,” she said.

She challenged participants to self-assess across seven domains of health: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, environmental, financial, and spiritual.

“If we get our spiritual health right, we are most likely going to get every other aspect right,” she asserted.

Dr. Ibrahim further noted that true health lies in adaptability. “The health you need in Ramadan may not be the same as during Hajj or at your workplace. Health reflects your ability to adapt and maintain balance.”

The professional seminar was graced by several guests, including Hajia Madi Rakiya of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria, Hajia Aisha Umar, Hajia Rahmatu Sani (Amirah of Women in Da’wah), Hajia Kudirat Abdulhameed, retired Auditor-General of the FCT, Mrs. Saratu Lawal, Pharmacist Mariam Otuoze, Head of Pharmacy at Kubwa General Hospital, and Pharmacist Hassana Ahmadu, among others.

The Abuja seminar is one of several lined up ahead of the grand finale of the anniversary scheduled for Lagos in October.

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

SPONSORED