Oyeweso Lauds NASFAT’s Role in Islam, Education, National Devt

Funmi Ogundare

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, has lauded NASFAT’s contributions to Islamic propagation, moral standards, and nation-building, saying that the move etched its name in gold over the years.

Oyeweso, who made this known recently, at the launch of his book titled ‘Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society: The First 25 Years’, in Abuja, expressed concern about the erroneous narratives peddled against the organisation in academic and public discourse.

The professor of History explained that the book was inspired by the absence of a single authoritative account of NASFAT’s formation, growth, and achievements since its inception in March 1995. He noted that, despite its monumental contributions to Islamic propagation, education, moral standards, and national development, the society had been misrepresented in literature by scholars from diverse fields.

“The book chronicles NASFAT’s evolution from a small congregation of about 10 families in the Dopemu home of Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Adewale Olasupo to a global Islamic organisation is divided into thematic phases. It captures key milestones, including the 2000 Akodo retreat where the society adopted its strategic plan for future expansion, marking the transition from the era of Mukadam to the era of the chief missioner,” he said.

The book he added also provides a detailed account of NASFAT’s growth beyond Nigeria’s borders, including its establishment of primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, such as Fountain University in Osogbo, as well as its impact on business development, economic empowerment, charity, interfaith dialogue, and international partnerships.

Oyeweso emphasised that the publication not only aims to preserve the society’s legacy but also to present its trials, travails, and triumphs in the right historical perspective, underscoring NASFAT’s role as a pace-setting Islamic organisation committed to religious harmony, tolerance, and nation-building.

The book reviewer and Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Prof. Mahfouz Adedimeji, described the book as  a luminous testament to how faith, vision, and structured professionalism can transform a modest prayer group into a global Islamic movement.

He likened it to a treasure trove for researchers, Islamic scholars, development practitioners, and believers. He described the 11-chapter book as richly documented, spiritually inspiring, and organisationally comprehensive, preserving NASFAT’s history with accuracy, clarity, and narrative grace.