CMO Holds 19th Annual Youth Essay Contest on Islam and Climate Change
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Crystal Muslim Organization (CMO) hosted the 19th edition of its Annual International Youth Essay Competition and Prize Presentation in Kaduna, spotlighting the urgent theme: “Islam and Climate Change.”
Held for the first time in Kaduna since the competition’s inception in 2006, the event drew participants from across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas a reflection of CMO’s growing global footprint and commitment to youth-driven discourse grounded in Islamic values.
In his welcome address, National Amir of CMO, Navy Commodore Mohammed Sagir Shettima, described the event as a defining moment in the organization’s 19-year journey of using faith-based intellectualism to confront global challenges. “Climate change has affected our socio-economic systems, triggering famine, insecurity, and displacement. We tasked our youth to explore the Islamic perspectives on this crisis and they responded with remarkable insight and dedication,” he said.
Underscoring its commitment to action, CMO distributed free economic seedlings to guests, a symbolic gesture aligning with its philosophy that “action speaks louder than words.”
Adding royal gravitas to the event, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Nuhu Ahmad Bamalli, represented by the District Head of Gabasawa, Alhaji Shittu Ibrahim Dikko, made a clarion call for environmental preservation through tree planting. “In the past, people replaced fallen trees, a practice that must be revived. Islam teaches us to care for our environment, including animals and plants,” the Emir said. “Let it be a habit: if you cut down a tree, plant another in its place.”
The Emir’s statement came amid mounting concerns over deforestation and desertification in northern Nigeria, with scholars and environmental experts warning of the dire consequences of unchecked degradation.
Also addressing the gathering, Hajiya Maryam Idris Othman, Director of CMO’s National Education Directorate, emphasized that the competition seeks to instill a culture of research, reading, and religious consciousness among Muslim youth. “Each year, we choose a theme that resonates with contemporary issues affecting humanity and this year’s theme is not just timely, but existential,” she noted.
The Director-General of the Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), Dr. Yusuf Yakubu Alrigassiyu, echoed similar sentiments, describing plants as “our closest companions” and reminders of divine creation. “The earth suffers from the way we treat it,” he warned. “Tree cutting, bush burning, and pollution are not just environmental offences, they are spiritual failures.”
Air Commodore Imam Tahir, another speaker, encouraged the audience to reflect on the miracles of Allah embedded in nature. “The Qur’an calls our attention to the signs in the heavens and the earth. Climate action is not just activism, it is ‘ibadah’ (worship),” he said.
The event’s Special Guest of Honour, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, Member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulations, lauded the initiative as both “engaging and transformative.” He announced his official membership in CMO and pledged continuous partnership in philanthropic ventures, particularly in his Kaduna North constituency.
“I’ve purchased seedlings worth one million naira to be planted in LEA Rafin Guza, a school we just renovated. We will keep investing in greening our communities,” El-Rufai declared, also promising cash gifts for all winning essay participants.
The CMO, a faith-based professional NGO, has reviewed over 5,700 essays since launching the initiative. Its broader impact includes sponsoring over 300 orphans through school, disbursing 50 million naira in Zakat, planting more than 27,000 seedlings through school-based clubs, delivering 50,000 iftar meals during Ramadan, and renovating cemeteries for underserved communities.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were: Gen. Aliyu Gusau (Rtd), former National Security Adviser; Maj. Gen. MS Ahmed; the Emirs of Zazzau and Keffi; education directors; environmental advocates; and scholars from across Nigeria.
The event concluded with a prize ceremony and a panel session led by CMO’s National Education Director, offering insight into the rigorous assessment process that guided the selection of winners from thousands of entries submitted globally.
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