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Lagos Assembly Annual Hijrah Lecture: Speaker Obasa Calls For Societal Reformation Through Islamic Values

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Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has called for a collective return to moral values, gender equity, and Islamic teachings as tools for societal reform and the eradication of social vices.
Obasa made this call on Wednesday at the 16th Annual Hijrah Lecture held in Lagos, themed “The Muslim Woman and Societal Reformation: Balancing Between Islamic Culture and Western Civilization.”
He emphasized the importance of sustaining Islam in society through education, civic responsibility, and ethical leadership. “The Hijrah is not just a journey from Mecca to Medina; it is a call to fulfill our social, civic, and political duties. Islam holds women in high esteem. As the Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers,’” Obasa stated.
Addressing the growing erosion of moral values, he condemned social ills such as drug abuse and prostitution, cautioning against placing the blame solely on women. “When society collapses, it is not just the women who are responsible. Men, families, and educational institutions must also be held accountable. Everyone has a role to play,” he said.
The Speaker spoke on the efforts of the Lagos Assembly to protect women and children, referencing laws enacted against domestic and sexual violence, the establishment of sexual violence response desks in all local government areas, and the domestication of the Child Rights Act.
“Lagos was the first state to domesticate the Child Rights Act to ensure the protection of children, especially the girl child. We have also passed legislation to criminalize rape and gender-based violence,” Obasa added.
He further advocated for improved access to education and empowerment opportunities for women.
He said; “Hijrah is not just a movement from Mecca to Medina. It is meant to remind us of our social, civic and political responsibility. Women in Islam are highly revered as they play a monumental role in the society. Prophet Muhammed, in one of his Hadith, said that paradise lies in the feet of mothers. Without good mothers, humanity is doomed.
“We had Khadija and Mariam, the mother of Prophet Isa. Prophet Muhammed said that if the society is good we should look at women and if it is bad, we should look at women. It is a compromise of values that has left to the destruction of the society. Prostitution and drug abuse are part of the degradation of the society. We should not hold our women alone responsible for the degradation of the society. We should hold everybody including men and the schools responsible.
“We all have roles to play not women alone. We have read about young ladies having boyfriends, we should beam the searchlight on our homes. We all have roles to play. Teachings of Islam encourages us to seek knowledge and wisdom.”
The Speaker said further that women should be empowered  through education, adding that they should be allowed to contribute to the development of the society.
“In recognising the roles of women, the Lagos State House of Assembly has passed many laws such as the law against domestic violence. It makes it an offence to violate the rights of others.
“We also criminalise rape and other sexual violence. We also made a law to establish sexual violence agency and sexual violence desks in all local governments areas in the state.
“We also have specialised sexual offences and domestic violence laws and prosecute offences and sexual laws and child violence laws. We are the first state to domesticate child rights law to protect the children and the girl child. We have laws protecting women and girls rights in the state,” he said.
Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, Chairman of the Organizing Committee and member of the House, highlighted the dual expectations Muslim women face in balancing Islamic principles with societal demands. He proposed that female civil servants be posted closer to their homes and granted maternity leave with child-support allowances to ease their responsibilities both at work and at home.
A guest lecturer, Professor (Mrs) Jameelah Yaqub of the Lagos State University, lamented the rising cases of corruption and drug addiction among youths. She emphasized the role of women in nation-building through proper parenting and moral upbringing. “When you train a woman, you train a nation,” she said, calling for more female-friendly policies in the workplace.
Professor Yaqub said that a Muslim woman must submit to the Almighty and should be ready to obey His laws.
While saying that residents of Lagos State are lucky to sleep with two eyes closed, she said that that there are issues of security challenges in Nigeria, saying that this was not now now we  started.
“In the past, Muslim women and women generally were responsible to their family and children, but it is not so now. Many women now do whatever they like. An average woman is highly knowledgeable and out of respect, many of us decided not to stay at home.
“We now want to prove to the world that we have much to offer. Economic challenges make us to go out to work. What are the consequences of this in our society. We all know that there is corruption in our society, and that there is drug addiction in many parts of the state.
“You now see mothers buying results for their children and buying marks for them. We are focusing on the women, but they are not the only ones doing it. We must arise and enjoy what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.
“We must reform the society with that. They single women out because of the special roles that Allah gave to them. Paradise lies at the feet of mothers.
If you train a woman, you have trained the nation. We should contribute to the development of our society,” she said.
She explained further that children have roles to play in reforming the society.
According to her, some fathers are into alcoholism and gambling, but a girl can influence her parents positively to drop vices.
She said; “talk to your brother, who is a drug addict. As a wife, you can talk to your husband to drop bad acts. You can advise him. It is our responsibility to take care of our children despite our jobs. The home is the primary responsibility of the women. We must know what is happening to our children and take time off to take care of our family.”
In the second lecture, Shaykh Prof. Abdurrazzaq Abdulmajid Alaro urged Muslims not to trade their eternal reward for worldly gain, stressing the need to focus on legacy and values. He condemned actions that hinder Muslim women’s rights, citing recent concerns over the alleged directive by JAMB for some candidates to remove their hijab during registration for the 2025 exams—despite a Supreme Court ruling in favor of hijab usage.
“The system we inherited is biased against a particular religion,” Alaro said, calling on lawmakers, especially those in state assemblies, to act as the true voices of the people.
“Your responsibilities as lawmakers are enormous. You must defend the values and rights of your constituents,” he added.
The Hijrah Lecture continues to provide a platform to address contemporary issues affecting Muslims, especially women, while promoting justice, inclusiveness, and values rooted in Islam.
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