The Ogun State Council of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, MSSN, hosted dignitaries from all walks of life in celebration of its 70th anniversary in Abeokuta, recently.

The event which had in attendance the deputy governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, a Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial district, Senator Shuaib Salis, Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Baba Adeeni Of Yoruba land, Edo, and Delta, Ambassador, Sarafa Isola ,Chief Imam of the University of Abuja, Prof. Taofeek Azeez and an erudite scholar from the department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Abuja, Prof. Afeez Oladosu among others.

In her good will message, the deputy Governor congratulated the leadership and members of the society for its achievements and impacts since its establishment.

She lauded the past and present leaders for upholding the virtues of Islam through the society and urged them to raise the flag high.

Also speaking, Senator Salis who was once a B Zone Coordinator of the society, said MSSN has been an intellectual power house for the nation.

Salis urged the youths to follow the path of their leaders.

While referring to some signatories that attended the event, the Senator Salis said “those are young people who saw a need to create a platform and I must also emphasize; they do not only create a platform, it was also a platform for academic excellence.

“The youths of this country must remember that they have a role to play in the development of the country.

“They must also look forward to models beyond social media. They must look up to people who have contributed immensely to the society beyond the people on social media.

“And this is also the time, members of MSSN and Christian youths must come together and work together.

“If the youths of this country decide to go into a particular direction in terms of developmental effort.”

Prof. Oladosu, while speaking with newsmen during the event, said he was one of those privileged by Allah to have passed through the society.

He added that he had the opportunity to serve the community even at the highest level.

Speaking on the impacts of the society, Oladosu said its impact is not only national, but global.

According to him, nationally, MSSN forges an alliance between the youths across the federation.

“This provides opportunities for the Hausas, Yorubas, Igbos and other tribes in the nation to come together and to serve Allah their Creator to contribute to National Development.

“Secondly, when you talk about National Development, MSSN being a student organization encourages learning. It discourages illiteracy and ignorance.

Prof. Azeez in his remarks said MSSN has impacted on Nigeria in many ways.

He said “We have initiated restructuring of the country. We broke the country into manageable state and the country learnt from MSSN.

“We also introduced the rotational Presidency in our MSSN and the country picked from it. We also expanded what we called area council and they became local government and so on.

While advising the youths, the religious leader who had once led the society at the zonal level as the Ameer, said “the youths should be educated and I do not mean they should go to school.

“Schooling may provide education but schooling will provide a platform to get a piece of paper with which you start looking for job is miss education.

“So when I say they should be educated, it means they should think out what they can do with their hands and brains to contribute to their personal lives and to the society.

“The cars we are using, including the aircraft; they are not basically done by graduates or professors in a University.

“They shouldn’t wait for the government to realize that all we need now is technical education and agriculture, because you must eat.

The event also featured awards for some selected past leaders of the society and those who have contributed to the development of the society.

The awardees are; late AbdulLateef Adegbite who was pioneer national President of MSSN who was honoured with posthumous award.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede who was the pioneer Ameer, B Zone of MSSN; former Rector, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Alhaj Waheed Kadiri bagged Ogun Area Unit veteran award, Living Pioneer President of MSSN ,Ogun Area Unit, Prince Muhammed Burihanudeen Adejare Ayodeji and Alhaja Jagun Khadijat Taiwo as Ogun Area Unit veterans.