‘ANY NATION THAT WANTS TO SUCCEED MUST WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH THEIR YOUTH’ – Sheikh Muhammad Saheed Mustapha
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Saheed Mustapha receiving a special recognition award from the Vice Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Princess Folashade Olabanji-Oba during the South West Youth Economic and Security Summit held at Alausa-Secretariat Ikeja.
For a youthful country as Nigeria, the role of her youth cannot be overemphasized. This was again brought to the fore by an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Saheed Mustapha who hinted that any nation that wants to succeed must work hand-in-hand with their youth in order to achieve success and also sustain the success. The Abeokuta-based cleric pointed out in a brief chat with Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspaper in which he also shared what he has also been doing in his space to empower youths.
Sheikh Muhammad Saheed Mustapha
Sheikh Saheed Mustapha also known as Irawo Agbaye noted: ‘Any nation that wants to succeed must work hand-in-hand with their youth, then the whole nation will move forward then we become a success. A success without a successor is a failure.
It is only youths that can be successor to the success of a successful country.’
On his work with the youths, he shared: ‘I chose youths because I am also a youth. Thus I feel that the youthful time is when we can prepare for the future. I worked hard when I was a teenager and in our town, we were taught the importance of the youth period so when you fail during the youth period you fail when you are old. I will advise youths not to relax. Prophet Muhammad SAW says make use of your youthful time before you get old. Don’t get lazy. Find something doing. It is never late to start.’
On other areas that he has been able to impact the society, the young cleric further commented: ‘Our organization is based in Abeokuta. It is something that we have been doing for a long time. Recently, we gave about 564 people N5000 each starting with widows, orphans, and others. Then we provided implements and tools for youths who have one handiwork or the other but don’t have tools to do it so that they can have a better future.’
‘I am a cleric. I have a lot of people who support me as an individual. It is not being supported by any government or politician. It is something I love doing from my childhood. So it’s been God all the way since 11 years that I am doing it’, he concluded.
