THE Guild of Muslim Professionals (GMP) on Wednesday opened its 2024 convention in Abeouta, Ogun State.
The three-day programme with the theme ‘Balanced Prosperity: Faith, Wealth and Global Resilience’ is a gathering of Muslim professionals all over Nigeria in an effort to dissect pressing topical issues affecting Muslims.
The chairman of the GMP Board of Trustees, Dr Akeem Oyewale, in a welcome address, explained that the complexity of the modern world informed the theme of this year’s edition of the conference and the urgency of its discourse.
“As professionals, we are in a privileged position to ensure that wealth creation and distribution are ethical, inclusive and beneficial to the society. Whether through entrepreneurship or public service, we must prioritise transparency, support charitable initiatives and create opportunities for others to thrive,” Oyewale said.
The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola, implored the Muslim professionals to make a difference in society by proffering solutions to the myriads of challenges facing the nation.
Oba Matemilola challenged the professionals to engage their innovative minds and create noteworthy accomplishments in their various fields.
“No matter how much resources we have, if they are not properly managed, it is nothing. We cannot continue to remain docile. I want to charge my fellow Muslims out there to manage our resources properly and translate them to prosperity,” the traditional ruler said.
Professor of Risk Management and Insurance, University of Lagos, Tajudeen Yusuf, stated that Muslims should think individually and act collectively.
Speaking on takaful, an Islamic alternative to conventional insurance, Professor Yusuf highlighted risk sharing, usury-free transactions and transparency as the major benefits of the concept.
“Takaful, derived from the Arabic root word ‘kafalah’ (guarantee), is an Islamic alternative to conventional insurance. A guarantee built on the principles of ta’awun (mutual assistance) and tabarru’ (donation), takaful is distinct in its structure, objectives and compliance with Shariah principles,” he said.
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Using citations from the Qur’an and case studies of countries that have successfully used takaful as a financial aid during crisis, he established the balance of the model in meeting demands of economies while adhering to Islamic values.
The Rector of the Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, in a goodwill message, urged Muslims to apply the teachings of the Holy Qur’an to their lifestyles.
The Chief Finance Officer, MTN, Modupe Kadri, implored the participants to make their voices heard and start taking actions based on their learning from the programme.
