The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Island Muslim Community (IMC), Alhaji AbduRafiu Adisa Ebiti has enjoined Muslim philanthropists to support the N5 billion social infrastructure projects of the organisation.
Speaking at a fundraising dinner tagged “Iftar with IMC” held at the Lekki Central Mosque last Sunday, Ebiti said the proposed projects of the IMC include Shari’ah-compliant Muslim cemeteries, orphanages, hospitals and skills acquisition centres which “are currently non-existent in the Victoria Island/Ikoyi and Ibeju-Lekki axis”.
The Island Muslim Community (IMC) is a nascent not-for-profit umbrella organisation for all Muslims and Muslim organisations (including mosques, associations, and Islam-friendly corporate business entities) in Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki Scheme 1 and Ibeju-Lekki areas of Lagos State.
Ebiti reiterated that the establishment of the IMC was informed by the realisation that many essential Islamic social infrastructure were either in short supply or totally non-existent in its area of jurisdiction.
According to him, the IMC is positioned as an interventionist body to provide such important infrastructure and capacity-building support for Muslims and Muslim organisations within its jurisdiction.
Specifically, he said, the main objectives of the IMC are:
– To protect Islamic interest in its jurisdiction;
– To ensure the provision of Islamic social infrastructure like cemetery, orphanages, capacity development centres, hospitals, etc.;
– Foster socio-economic cooperation among Muslims in the island axis;
– To act as the mouthpiece for Muslims and Islam in its area of operation;
– To promote periodic/rotational events and programmes that promote and share beneficial knowledge and information towards the upliftment of the Muslim family (e.g., lectures and other events);
– To develop the minds, characters and socio-economic mobility of young Muslims through mentorship, internships, job placements, and regular leadership training programmes;
– To be deliberate in the planning and delivery of programmes and projects that promote financial inclusion, empowerment and overall prosperity of the Muslim family;
– To be a proactive non-partisan pressure group that protects the image, culture, property and overall prosperity of the Muslim Ummah; and
– To raise awareness for causes, policies and values that are important to the Muslim Ummah by maintaining adequate strategic presence on both traditional and non-traditional media.
He prayed Almighty Allah to aid the IMC in the accomplishment of its goals, noting that no mission can be accomplished without Allah’s help.
Also speaking at the event, President of the Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) who chaired the occasion, Dr. AbdGaniy Olusola Labinjo emphasized that the IMC was an idea whose time has come.
He commended the IMC leadership for coming up with relevant interventionist projects, pledging LEMU’s full support for and participation in all its projects and programmes.
The Chief Imam of the Syrian Mosque, Ikoyi, Shaykh Shamy Nosh El-Shamy who delivered a sermon at the event said Muslims must be more alive to their responsibilities.
Quoting from the Holy Qur’an, he said Almighty Allah would not change the condition of a people for the better unless they also change their bad attitudes.
Corroborating Shaykh Ei-Shamy’s assertions, the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Shaykh Ridwan Jamiu who also addressed the gathering said Muslims should seize the opportunity of the holy month of Ramadan to donate generously towards the IMC’s projects.
Shaykh Jamiu emphasised that donations made in Ramadan would attract rewards in manifolds from Allah.
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