ZSF empowers 163 indigents, communities with N15.7 million

No fewer than 163 indigenes of Osun State benefited from this year’s disbursement of fifteen million, seven hundred and forty-five thousand naira (N15, 745, 000) at the 8th Zakat Distribution Ceremony (ZDC) and Project Commissioning in Ede town.

The programme benefited indigent persons; elderly people, organisations, hospitals and community projects such as drilling of four bore holes.ZSF is a non-profit, charitable organization that specialises in collecting and administering Zakat and Sadaqah (compulsory and voluntary Islamic alms giving) from the rich for onward distribution to the poor in line with Islamic injunction.

The Executive Director of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, Prince Sulayman Olagunju highlighted how the disbursement was made.“Of this figure,community projects gulped N7,650,000 was while N3,085,000 was spent on economic empowerment of individuals. Other projects included institutional support in the sum of N680, 000,00 debt relief of N500,000 education support N345,000.00, orphans support N230,000 and welfare support in the sum of N560,000,” he said.

The foundation also renovated the Obada Maternity Center in Ede South and provided water resources to Temidire Arulogun community, among others.While appreciating those who have been partnering with the foundation to enable it provide for the indigents, Olagunju implored Muslims across the country to assist the less privileged in their own little way by emulating the ZSF.

Commending the foundation on the laudable projects, the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola urged well meaning individuals, cooperate bodies and NGOs to emulate ZSF by partnering with the government to empower citizens with a view to banishing poverty from the society.

Engineer Bashir Lawal who represented the Governor said societal development should not be seen as the sole responsibility of the government.“Poverty alleviation or eradication should not be abandoned to the government. ZSF must be commended for its persistence in good work, particularly in the renovation of government hospitals, provision of essential materials, drilling of boreholes to communities and empowerment of the downtrodden. The good job has continued despite government minimal encouragement due to economic downturn.

“It is our hope that government shall surely reciprocate the good gesture of the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation in the state of Osun in the very near future,” he said Speaking at the event, a notable Nigerian cleric, Dr. Abdullah Uthman Ayolo urged Nigerians to embrace the use of charity as a veritable means to eradicate poverty and liberate the less privileged from the menace of poverty.

Ayolo who is the Mudir (Director) of Offa Islamic Foundation posited that giving of Zakat is sacrosanct in Islam and urged well-to-do Nigerians, particularly Muslims to always give Zakat from their wealth, once it reaches the measure.

He also advised Muslims who are not capable of giving Zakat to at least, give Sadaqah (voluntary charity) to the less privileged, especially within their families and friends, stressing that Allah shall surely reward everyone for his or her good deed, both in this world and the Hereafter.

The Amirah of the Osun State Chapter of Federation of Muslim Women in Nigeria, Alhaja Suabat Babalola-Adubi whose organisation – FOMWAN Orphanage Home – got a sum of N250, 000 appreciated the good gesture of ZSF and prayed for continued success of the organisation.

Two of the beneficiaries, a tailor, who is a widow, Waliyat AbdulRazaq and a trader, Nafisat Wahab commended the organisers of the programme for empowering them with money and tools of trade. They also prayed that God rewards the foundation accordingly