As the 21st-century social trends continue to impede the ethical, moral and sexual traditions of the society, the Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih (NASFAT) women’s society, Lagos Zone One has enjoined Muslim women to leverage education to overcome the challenges.

Muslim personalities who spoke during the 5th Biennial Women conference, tagged ‘Owutu 2023’ said it is imperative for all Muslim women to seek for knowledge to get parenting right as parents with adequate knowledge will engage in positive parenting.

The National Women Affairs Secretary, NASFAT worldwide, Mrs Suwebat Kupoolati, hammered this point as she explained the theme of the conference, ‘Promoting education amongst Muslim women: impact on the society’, noting that it’s aim is to bring the women in each zone together to learn, discuss, network, increase their vocational skills and also share knowledge on Islam.

She said, “It has been very spiritual. Knowing how important it is for women to be educated about their roles in the family, the society and in the mosque. Without education, it is almost impossible for them to discharge their responsibilities.”

Kupoolati urged Nigerian Muslim mothers to devote their time in educating children, particularly the girl child saying it is very important.
“When our children know the right thing to do they will know how to live their lives wherever they find themselves. We are very concerned about our girl child because of their current challenges. The way some girls dress these days is very embarrassing and disgraceful that is why we have to pay more attention to our girl children to ensure that they do the right thing. We know the problem we are having with gender-based violence as well, cases of child abuse are so many.

Zonal Women Affair Secretary NASFAT Lagos Zone One, Alhaja Otubade Yetunde said, “These days we parents treat our children with levity compared to how we were brought up harshly in our days that we still derive pleasure from it. The levity we use to train our children now, claiming we are training and loving them is harming them. Not that we have to be harsh on them, but they have to be disciplined.

“I will implore all parents to have time for their children so that they won’t have to learn from outside their homes because learning from outside spoils the whole thing. A child can be influenced in three ways, the parents, the government and the society. Society supersedes these days because the parents that are meant to care have no time for them”, she said.

Guest speaker of the day, Sheikh Mohammed Taofeeq Akewugbagold admonished parents to train their children so that they can find themselves at a higher level according to Allah’s word.

Lagos Zone One, Alhaji Mustapha Alabi said the topic for the conference is germane, especially in Nigeria today. “Globally we are going quite through a lot and the only way we can overcome the challenges ahead is through prioritising education.

He lamented the increasing rate at which the youth are embracing lesbianism, gay, bisexual and transgender, saying this happens due to lapses in parenting.
“We all know that LGBT is a crime against morality, humanity and God. All these are happening in the name of modernisation and civilisation.

Education is very key to addressing these challenges. What we inculcate in our children is far more important than what teachers at school are inculcating in them. Remember the first teacher to any child is the home and who teaches at home is the mother.”