Mr. AbdulKabir Jimoh was one of the beneficiaries of the Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) Sewing Apprenticeship programme, where he and others were trained intensively for 22 weeks in the art of fashion designing.
Unlike numerous Nigerian apprentices, Mr. Jimoh and his colleagues – numbering 11 were not only trained through the initiative, but also provided startup materials to establish themselves in the industry.
Their graduation ceremony was held on Saturday at the Vice Admiral Jubrila Ayinla Multipurpose Hall, Lekki Central Mosque Complex, Lagos, where they were empowered with an Industrial Sewing Machine each, valued at N135,000, and N50,000 cash as start-up capital to kick start their own fashion businesses.
Elated Jimoh, adorned in blue graduation gown while speaking with Muslim News said he feels fulfilled with the programme which he believes is a giant leap towards financial independence and job creation.
Muslim News findings revealed that the apprenticeship programme was fully funded by the Lekki Muslim Ummah, with the payment of the tuition fees of all the students who were also supported with transportation allowances for four (4) months.
Commendations have trailed the initiative by LEMU, with people saying that it is an apt response to the twin challenges of unemployment and poverty presently rife in Nigeria.
“The organisers have done very well with the initiative. My colleagues and I have learnt a lot through the programme. We have been placed on a sound footing to establish ourselves. The programme is a whole lot. I see it as a platform to empower people and give back to the society,” Jimoh told Muslim News.
‘Other Categories of Beneficiaries’
Our correspondent who covered the ceremony gathered that the Sewing Apprenticeship Programme was only one of the highlights of the LEMU 2021 Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Scheme, where a total sum of N60 million was disbursed to 226 beneficiaries.
Apart from the beneficiaries of the Apprenticeship Programme, over 47 million was disbursed to 197 people for empowerment and poverty alleviation; while over N3 million was disbursed to 8 people on health grounds; just like the sum of N2 million was distributed among 11 beneficiaries for educational support; 10 people got the sum of 3 million for academic scholarship and N2.5 million was disbursed on youth empowerment.
The Chairman, LEMU Zakat Committee, Alhaji Olalekan Saliu, while welcoming guests and beneficiaries to the occasion stated that it is a thing of joy that a total of 226 beneficiaries were going to smile home with various items and amounts.
“Many of the recipients will be delighted to go home with cash, while others will leave this venue in a happy mood with the following items: 25 Sewing machines, 38 Deep freezers, 7 Tricycles, 6 Generators, 1 Desktop Computers, 2 Shoe-Making Industrial Machines, 1 Dispatch Motorbike, 1 Presser Machine and 1 Sealing Machine,” he added.
– Donors should be happy having fulfilled an important religious obligation – Alhaji Saliu
Alhaji Saliu noted that the LEMU Sewing Apprenticeship Programme is a collaboration between the Zakat and Welfare Committees of the Lekki Muslim Ummah, that has held since 2018, with about 20 Muslims benefitting from the empowerment programme between 2018 and 2019.
He added: “The programme could not hold in the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we successfully re-commenced it in December 2020 as the situation improved.”
The chairman noted that for the very first time since 2018, they decided to partner with a third party professional fashion school, ‘Why Waste It Academy,’ to improve the quality and effectiveness of the programme.
He expressed deep gratitude and appreciation to all donors for their sacrifice, generosity and magnanimity, reassuring them that the funds were in safe hands.
“The donors should be happy with themselves having fulfilled an important religious obligation as sincere and devout Muslims, and for providing great relief to those in need, the widows, the jobless, the helpless and the hopeless. Also, for putting smiles on the faces of the day’s beneficiaries.
“I take this opportunity to reassure donors that they are in safe hands. I confirm that members of LEMU Zakat Committee are tested and experienced professional men and women who possess honour and unquestionable integrity. We would continue to work hard to ensure proper accountability and transparency regarding the funds entrusted into our care.”
Reminding the wealthy Muslims on the importance of Zakat, the Zakat Committee Chairman said, “Please, permit me to remind the rich and affluent Muslims who, unfortunately for one reason or the other have not been able to pay Zakat. Let them wake up and join others in performing this charitable obligation, the third pillar of Islam as established in Qur’an 98: 5.”
There is no reason for Muslims to be poor if the wealthy ones pay Zakat, and it is well administered – Imam Lekki
Earlier in his lecture, the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Sheikh Ridwan Jamiu said Zakat – the central aspect among the pillars of Islam, is the bedrock of an Ummah.
According to him, If you look at the other pillars of Islam, they are very personal injunctions. But, Zakat is what Muslims are enjoined to give to others to empower them and ensure equity in the society.
“If Zakat is properly administered, there would be no need to experience the level of poverty we have in the society, because there are so many wealthy people. They are not blessed for themselves, but to assist others. They have the duty to pay Zakat and if they pay the right Zakat, the poverty rate will drop.
“We are not an Islamic state and things may not be exactly perfect. The ummah in all corners should endeavour to do their best to ensure they touch their members and the society at large, so we can all ultimately reduce the level of poverty, especially among the Ummah, which we have almost accepted as normal, as if it’s only Muslims that are poor. We have more rich Muslims in Nigeria. So, there’s no reason Muslims should be seen as poor if we all pay Zakat and it is well administered,” he added.
LEMU President Calls for collaboration with private individuals
LEMU President, Dr Kamaru Omotoso hailed the Zakat Committee for successfully putting together the disbursement exercise, despite the challenges mostly occasioned by the pandemic.
According to him, Each year, the members of the Zakat Committee sit and thoroughly go through applications as stipulated in the Qur’an. They try to adhere to the categories of beneficiaries as stated in the Qur’an. May Allah continue to give them the wisdom to continue the good work.
“On our own part, we don’t just want to stop distributing to the stipulation. In modern times, we are striving to make sure people’s pressing issues are solved through good use of Zakat. In no distant future, we want you to be a contributor of Zakat.”
Alhaji Omotoso appealed to members of the ummah, who have been doing theirs privately, to come together with LEMU Zakat Committee and contribute into the same purse for the purpose of expansion and doing it better.
Empowering vulnerable Muslims through the Zakat institution is one of the numerous activities of LEMU, an organisation founded in 1999 as an umbrella body for all Muslims in the Lekki area of Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, with the mandate of providing a place of worship and facilitate socio-religious activities, thereby building a community of Muslims and fostering the propagation of Islam.
