* Early mentorship will build confidence in young people: YABATECH Rector
* Vanguards Academy CEO warns against social media addiction
The 2025 Haflah marks another significant step in Yahya Aminat Foundation’s efforts to foster mentorship, values, and social responsibility among Nigeria’s youth. Muslim News reports…
The Yahya Aminat Foundation, a rising force in youth mentorship in Nigeria, held its 2025 Mentorship Haflah today, Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at the Daw’ah Centre, Ijeshatedo Expressway, Lagos, with the theme: “Mentorship: A Call for You and Me.”
The event featured key education stakeholders, including Dr Engr Ibrahim Abdul, Rector of Yaba College of Technology, who served as Chairman of the Occasion, and Dr Adeniyi Zafaran, CEO of Vanguards Academy, Ijebu-Ode, who was the Guest Speaker.
Speaking on the importance of mentorship, Dr Abdul emphasized that guiding young people is crucial for Nigeria’s progress.
“In a country like Nigeria, we need to mentor our youth so that we will let the air of positivity circulate in our community,” he said.
“The youth need to grow and learn that we must be loyal to the country. We need to put in all our efforts to ensure we have the best for the community. In an area where we have so much negativity that pollutes the atmosphere — and where social media is not helping matters — it leaves children to navigate on their own,” he explained.
Early mentorship will guide, build confidence in young people: YABATECH Rector
YABATECH Rector stressed that mentorship should begin early for young people, saying that it’ll not only guide them but help build confidence, provide role models, and teach valuable life skills.
“The tendency is for them to get their direction from their childhood. You need to mentor them so they can have a very good direction and focus right from their youthful age so they can become beneficial. No nation that wants to succeed will joke with mentorship for the youths of the community.”
Dr Abdul praised the Yahya Aminat Foundation for its commitment and continuity, describing the Foundation as a “breeding mentor”, not just a mentoring group
He said, “To start is not what is difficult, but to be able to sustain the efforts and allow it to grow year in, year out, is what I credit the foundation for. Starting four years ago and waxing stronger is not small.
“We have solo efforts where people become mentors on their own, but Yahya Aminat Foundation is not only coming out as a mentor but a breeding mentor. What we need in society is for the number of mentors to increase.”
On the role of government in supporting mentorship NGOs, Dr Abdul said, “By recognising the efforts of NGOs… Supporting them in terms of resources is very important. The government can engage them in institutions of learning. The National Orientation Agency can also work with these NGOs to ensure we have good development in our society.”
Dr Adeniyi warns youth against dangers of social media addiction
Delivering a keynote address titled “A Call for You and Me”, Dr. Adeniyi made a passionate call for intentional mentorship, especially for the younger generation increasingly consumed by the distractions and dangers of the digital age.
The CEO of Vanguards Academy emphasized that mentorship remains one of the most powerful relationships for personal, academic, spiritual, and professional development.
He described it as a crucial process in which “a more experienced person guides, advises, and supports a less experienced individual.”
Citing the dangers confronting today’s youths, he painted a vivid picture of a generation “estranged, encircled, endangered, and entangled” — particularly by the overwhelming influence of social media and digital addiction.
“With our nights meant for Tahajjud, we surf the Internet,” he lamented. “Inside the masjid, there is a heavy spiritual traffic jam caused by our various mobile phones vibrating or ringing in different melodies.”
Dr. Zafaran expressed concern about how digital distractions have infiltrated sacred spaces and stolen the reflective moments meant for Istighfaar and Tasbeeh.
“After Salaat, the time for remembrance is disrupted by immediately checking missed calls or WhatsApp messages. During sermons, our minds are on our phones, and our fingers are busy pressing buttons.”
He warned that these behaviors are contributing to what he described as Internet Addiction Disorder, a phenomenon he said is not only spiritual but also academic and moral in its consequences.
Among the effects he listed were: time wastage, spiritual decline and liberalism, ideological imbalance and lack of deep thinking, fakism and artificiality, materialism fueled by the whisperings of Shaytaan, academic and career failure, and illicit affairs.
“The Internet today has become a kind of modern idol,” he added. “The belief in it is so strong that if possible, people would want to observe Salaat online.”
Dr. Zafaran criticized the rampant culture of self-promotion on social media, where users often post inappropriate or trivial content to attract attention. “Somebody will post his nude posture, another will post when he is eating chicken or flaunting new clothes. It leads to show-off and affects pure thinking.”
He encouraged the youth to embrace mentorship as a means to reclaim purpose and direction in life. Using historical examples like Khidr and Musa, and Sulayman and Hudhud, he underscored the value of seeking knowledge and wisdom through guided relationships.
Zafaran outlined the benefits of mentorship, which include setting and achieving personal and professional goals, learning or improving skills, overcoming obstacles, gaining insight, and building confidence and self-esteem.
He recommended three main channels for finding mentors: networking, personal connections, and formal mentorship programmes. To ensure effective mentoring, he identified the Three Cs: Clarity (clear goals and mutual trust), Communication (open and respectful dialogue), and Commitment (dedication from both mentor and mentee).
He also highlighted the Three A’s of a good mentor: Available, Analytic, and Active listener.
However, Zafaran also warned of the “borderlines and redlines” in mentorship: choosing a reliable mentor, considering gender and environmental factors, the possibility of needing multiple mentors, and recognizing when a mentor fades or when a mentee drifts.
In closing, he shared powerful analogies to illustrate the mentor-mentee relationship: “The mentor is like a driver, the mentee a companion — not a passive passenger. The mentor is the doctor, the mentee the patient. The mentor is the teacher, the mentee the student.”
Dr. Zafaran ended his presentation with a heartfelt thanks, calling on all stakeholders to heed the call for purposeful mentorship — a call, as he put it, “for you and me.”
In her opening address, Hajia Aminat welcomed the gathering with heartfelt gratitude and a strong message on the power and necessity of mentorship in shaping the future.
“Today is not just an event; it is the culmination of sincere efforts, consistent mentoring, and an unwavering belief that every child deserves guidance,” she said. “Every teacher can mentor, and every community can rise when we work together. This year’s theme reminds us that mentorship is not the responsibility of a few — it is a shared duty and a sacred trust.”
Drawing from Islamic teachings, she quoted from Surah Al-Maaidah: “Cooperate in righteousness and piety but do not cooperate in sin and transgression.”
She noted that the Foundation has seen visible results: “Today, we witness the fruits of dedicated mentors who gave their time, hearts and skills, and mentees who have grown in knowledge, character, and purpose.”
The highlights of the Haflah was official launch of a mentorship manual, “Structured Mentorship Handbook”, written by the Founder and Convener, Hajia Aminat Omosalewa Yahya and presentation of awards to outstanding mentors who had shown excellence in their roles.
The event also ensured that mentees, many of whom were accompanied by their parents, did not leave empty-handed, as they received memorable gifts — a gesture that reinforced the Foundation’s holistic and inclusive approach to mentoring.
Winners of school managers award
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