The leadership of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADS) has called for a radical shift in national governance, urging the federal government to implement strategic humanitarian programmes  to cushion the effect of global economic shocks while undergoing a significant internal constitutional overhaul.

Speaking on the sideline of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held at the LCCI Conference Hall in Ikeja, the society’s top brass seized the opportunity of celebrating the organization’s 103-year history to undertake sobering assessment of Nigeria’s current socio-economic climate.

The gathering, convened specifically to adopt an amended constitution, drew missioners, youth leaders and delegates from across the country’s 187 branches.

The National Missioner, Sheikh Abdurrahman Ahmad, warned that the interconnectedness of the modern world has left Nigeria vulnerable to external volatility.

He specifically cited the escalating conflict in the Middle East as a primary driver of domestic hardship.

“The modest gains achieved by this government prior to the war are being eroded by sharp increases in gas and petroleum products.”

While acknowledging the global nature of the current inflation crisis, the grand cleric insisted that the government must be more innovative in shielding its citizens.

His recommendations for the state were twofold, a firm endorsement of the decentralization of policing and policies focused on job creation and the aggressive reduction of inflation to prevent the further erosion of the middle class.

Despite the grim economic outlook, the National President, Prince Mosediq Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, struck a note of institutional pride. At 103 years old, the Society remains one of Nigeria’s most prolific providers of social infrastructure outside of the state.

“The world has changed and we must operate with dynamic processes rather than static ones,” Prince Kazeem said.

The President highlighted several key pillars of the Society’s current expansion, stating, a university in Offa specializing in AI, Robotics, and Mechatronics. The launch of AnsarCare, a health service initiative designed to bridge the gap in rural medical delivery and new plans to venture into large-scale farming to combat the rising cost of foodstuffs.

Addressing the perennial debate over the religious identity of future political leaders, specifically the succession of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos—Prince Kazeem, a former Attorney General of the state, steered the conversation toward meritocracy.

He argued that while the Society participates in interfaith harmony, its primary interest remains the dividends of democracy.
“Whether Muslim or Christian, what matters is fairness, equity and visible dividends,” he stated.

The EGM concluded with a unified call for the government to ensure its policies carry a human face, warned that the feedback from the Society’s grassroots branches suggests that the current cost-of-living pressures are reaching a critical tipping point.