* TRIMON holds conference, seeks to raise principled, impactful Muslim youths
A revered Muslim scholar and marriage counsellor, Imam Sanni K. Yusuf, has urged Muslim youths to begin the transformation of society by first reforming themselves.
He made the call on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at the NEXUS Conference 1.0 organised by the Truth Revealers Islamic Movement of Nigeria (TRIMON) at Bab Es Salaam Orphanage Hall, Ikeja, Lagos.
Muslim News gathered that the initiative sought to raise principled young Muslim leaders capable of transforming their lives, contributing meaningfully to organisational development and becoming influential voices locally and globally without compromising their faith.
Speaking on the theme, “Raising Transformational Leaders”, Imam Yusuf said every great movement begins with personal change, stressing that individuals must first become better versions of themselves before they can effectively contribute to the reform of society.
“As the Ummah of the Prophet (PBUH), Allah enjoins us to be reformers according to Quran 3:110. However, we must understand the fact that we can’t reform society without reforming ourselves first.
“Every man should fight his own soul and get better. We should all be open to reformation at every point in our lives. Only then can we work collectively to make the world a better place for all.
“Self-reformation is a never-ending process. You’ll continue to reform yourself in every way possible, spiritually and in other ways. You must be an example to raise transformational leaders and drive societal reforms,” he said.
Build transformational homes
The author and marriage counsellor identified the family as the nucleus of society and admonished young Muslims to be intentional about marriage and parenting.
He advised intending couples to consider whether their prospective spouses could work with them to build homes capable of raising responsible and transformational children.
“Having attached due importance to self-reformation, the next concern of an ideal Muslim should be his family. We need ideal Muslim homes to form a better society.
“So, to every young Muslim, male or female, whenever you want to settle, ask yourself: ‘Can I raise transformational leaders and build an ideal home with this person?’ If you’re not sure, you may have to rethink your decision. Don’t create enduring problems because of chemistry or temporary desires,” he said.
Imam Yusuf further encouraged couples to understand one another, study parenting models and train their children through both instruction and personal example.
“After choosing a spouse, endeavour to understand yourselves and see how you can work together. Learn about parenting styles and models to see what works for each child. Train your children in the way of Allah and model what you want them to become,” Yusuf added.
Develop communication skills
Public speaking coach, Hajia Mutiat Olagoke, stressed the importance of effective communication to leadership and professional advancement, urging youths to develop the confidence to speak about themselves and their work.
“In this current dispensation, if you can speak for yourself, people who are not as good as you are will take opportunities that are meant for you. ‘A closed mouth’, they say, ‘translates to closed doors’. You should be able to tell people about yourself and what you do. Hence, you must learn how to speak. It’s non-negotiable,” she said.
Hajia Olagoke noted that speakers are made, not born, advising participants to master their subject matter, practise consistently, remain authentic and develop confidence without becoming obsessed with perfection.
“No one is born a speaker. Every great speaker you see built the skill over time, and that’s a pointer to the fact that you can do the same. You just need to ensure mastery of the subject matter, practice consistently, stay real, exude confidence and do not chase perfection. You’re steps away from being the next great speaker,” she said.
Think solutions, not complaints
The Director of Peace, Ethics and Religious Matter, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Lagos State Chapter, Mr. Adebisi Adams Oyeshakin, challenged youths to develop a problem-solving mindset instead of constantly complaining about the challenges facing society.
“Instead of complaining every time about the situation, there are questions you should ask yourself. What problems are facing society? What are my skills and capabilities? How can I solve the problems with them? People with this kind of mindset are marked for greatness.
“Attitude equals altitude. To advance in life, you need the positive attitude, audacity and a character people can bank on. Get role model, but don’t follow blindly,” he said.
Mr. Oyeshakin also encouraged youths to collaborate with others whose skills complement theirs.
“You don’t have to do everything alone. Look for people with whom you can work for greater results. Thirty percent of 100 million is more than 100% of 10 million. You may win alone, but if you want big wins, collaboration is your way to go. In the background, people are joining hands and doing things. Transactions are happening, you’re just not involved,” he said.
He called on corporate organisations to support TRIMON in actualising NEXUS Conference 2.0 and its other initiatives.
From ideas to execution
Personal and professional development strategist, Mr. Faruq Salisu, emphasised the importance of assigning responsibilities according to competence and providing clear instructions while making a presentation on how to drive ideas to fruition.
“Give responsibilities according to capabilities. Don’t give tasks to people and leave them to figure out how to do it. Tell them to do what they already know how to do, and ensure clarity because ambiguity kills zeal. Evaluate regularly afterwards to monitor progress. It’s important,” he said.
Mr. Salisu also identified effective and efficient planning as key to achieving personal and professional goals.
On personal and professional branding, the Managing Director of Mo’s Cakery, Hajia Mulikat Raheem, urged Muslim youths to position themselves for opportunities and make productive use of social media.
“The way you dress is the way you’re addressed. Use social media for visibility and productivity. Keep your word and build meaningful relationships. If you don’t take action, great things will keep happening while you’re busy scrolling and junketing between social media apps,” she said.
Panel stresses integrity, accountability
One of the highlights of the conference was a panel session moderated by Muslim News Nigeria’s Abdul-Mumin Abdul-Quadir, with senior officers of the Lagos State Government, Engr. Yusuf Majolagbe and ESV. Ismail Raimi, as panellists.
The session focused on professional practices, workplace culture and leadership, with the panellists urging young professionals to understand their work environments and uphold best practices.
They stressed the importance of integrity, spirituality and accountability while encouraging young professionals to seek sincere reviews from trusted colleagues and superiors as part of their growth.
Raimi said accountability remained fundamental to leadership and professional conduct.
“As a leader or member of a team, you’re accountable to Allah,” he said.
In his parting advice, Majolagbe encouraged participants to have both mentors and mentees, saying the approach creates room for learning and knowledge transfer.
TRIMON: “We saw problems and wanted to solve them”
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Director, TRIMON Global Family, Tajudeen Raheem, expressed excitement over the actualisation of the conference, noting the challenges the organisers faced in putting it together.
“I’m nothing short of excited to see the NEXUS Conference eventually coming to life. It was not easy putting this together. When we ideated this conference, we wanted it to be free and open to all, but due to some realities and lack of sponsorship and partnership, we had to charge a token which could not even cover for all the expenses incurred.
“Looking now and seeing that we have about a hundred people in the hall, all I can say is Alhamdulillahi,” Raheem said.
He thanked the conference director, Kaosarat Akinyemi, members of the TRIMON Global Family, guest speakers, panellists and others who contributed to the success of the event.
Raheem said TRIMON had been committed to identifying and addressing societal gaps since its inception.
“TRIMON started as a dream. We were undergraduates. We were few. We are still very few. We had nothing, but we saw problems within the society and wanted to proffer solutions to them. So we were unstoppable.
“With the support of families, friends and the good people within society, we’ve been bridging gaps and touching lives and we won’t stop doing that,” he said.
Other guests at the events
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