The Da’wah Front of Nigeria, a foremost Islamic revivalist and intellectual movement committed to the propagation of Islam through knowledge, character, and societal engagement, once again affirmed its national relevance at the Da’wah Day 2025 held on Friday, December 26, 2025, at its Camp Ground in Abeokuta.
Founded on the philosophy that authentic da’wah must combine sound Islamic scholarship with social responsibility, the organization has, over the years, produced scholars, professionals, administrators, and reformers whose influence transcends the mosque and reaches the very fabric of Nigerian society.
With the theme, “Reading and Living the Qur’an With a Muslim Mind,” the 2025 edition of Da’wah Day was both reflective and reformative. It challenged Muslims not merely to recite the Qur’an melodiously, but to internalize its worldview, ethics, and guidance in navigating leadership, citizenship, and coexistence.
This central lecture was eloquently delivered by the Amir of the Companion, Imam Najeemdeen Jimoh, whose exposition emphasized that the Qur’an was revealed as hudā linnās—a guidance for mankind—as affirmed in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:185), and must therefore be lived consciously in personal conduct and public life.
The gathering attracted an imposing array of dignitaries and faithful from across the federation. As the Baba Adinni of Ogun State and Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta States, the erstwhile Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR, graced the occasion as the Special Guest of Honour, lending both spiritual gravitas and national stature to the event.
Other eminent personalities in attendance included the Chairman of the Da’wah Front Board of Trustees, Alhaji Waheed Kadiri; the Chairman of the Occasion, Prof. AbdulLateef Sanni; the National Coordinator, Alhaji Muslihudeen AbdulGafar; the Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Qasim Alabi; the Pioneer National Coordinator, Dr. Rabiu Kusimo; and the Deputy National Coordinator, Alhaji Munirudeen Sanni.
Royal dignity equally adorned the programme as the Royal Father of the Day, His Royal Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba Prof. Saka Adelola Matemilola, Oluyalo Otileta VII, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, was ably represented by the Jagunna of Owu Muslims, Alhaji (Chief) Issa Adebola Adeyemi, alongside the Mogaji Adinni of Owu Muslims, Prof. Moruf Lanrewaju Adelekan. Their presence symbolized the enduring harmony between traditional institutions and Islamic leadership.
The women’s wing of the Da’wah Front of Nigeria also stood tall in dignified solidarity, with the Ameerahs of Lagos State, Alhaja Muheebah Mustapha; Ogun State, Amirah Aisha Adedeji; Oyo State, Alhaja Dr. Hameedah Bello; Ekiti State, Alhaja Ganiyah Ganiyu; Osun State, Alhaja Mujeedah Ayoola; and Ondo State, Alhaja Mrs. Maryam Abubakar, religiously present and visibly active, reinforcing the Qur’anic recognition of believing men and women as allies in righteousness, as stated in Surah At-Tawbah (9:71).
As an annual convergence, Da’wah Day once again drew thousands of members nationwide—scholars, captains of industry, royal chiefs, academics, lecturers, politicians, entrepreneurs, and legal luminaries—turning the Abeokuta Camp Ground into a living parliament of Muslim intellect and influence. Conservative estimates placed attendance at over five thousand faithful, united by purpose and devotion.
Moments before Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR delivered his address, a detailed citation chronicling his life of service—as a diplomat, administrator, bridge-builder, and religious patron—was read.
The citation, which highlighted his tenure as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, his service as Secretary to the Ogun State Government, and his unwavering commitment to Islamic and interfaith harmony, was greeted with thunderous applause. The ovation that followed was not ceremonial; it was a spontaneous expression of admiration from a crowd that saw in him the Qur’anic ideal of leadership rooted in trust, “Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy” (Surah Al-Qasas, 28:26).
In his message, Ambassador Isola warmly commended the Da’wah Front of Nigeria for the exemplary coordination and depth of the programme, describing it as evidence that religious organizations can be well-structured, intellectually vibrant, and socially relevant.
He particularly praised the leadership of the Da’wah Front for demonstrating that Islamic organizations need not be trapped in poverty of resources or poverty of ideas. Reflecting on Surah Al-Mujadilah (58:11), he noted that Allah elevates those who believe and are endowed with knowledge, urging religious bodies to invest in education, capacity building, and economic empowerment as tools of da’wah.
Advocating unity and good governance, Ambassador Isola called on religious leaders to rise above sectarian divisions and actively participate in partisan politics and leadership evolution, not for personal gain but for moral guidance. He reminded the gathering that the Qur’an commands believers to stand firmly for justice, even when it is inconvenient, as stated in Surah An-Nisa (4:135).
He further linked this responsibility to the five pillars of Islam—Iman, Salat, Ramadan, Zakat, and Hajj—explaining that when these pillars are lived holistically, they produce disciplined, compassionate, and socially responsible citizens capable of transforming governance and national values.
On religious tolerance, the former Secretary to the Ogun State Government admonished the Da’wah Front of Nigeria to deliberately include leaders of other faiths in subsequent programmes, stressing that peaceful coexistence is both a Qur’anic injunction and a Nigerian necessity. Citing Surah Al-Hujurat (49:13), he emphasized that humanity was created into nations and tribes to know one another, not to despise one another, and that interfaith engagement strengthens national stability without diluting Islamic identity.
In a moment that blended gratitude with symbolism, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR was honoured with a special gift in recognition of his exemplary leadership and enduring contributions to religion, Ogun State, Nigeria, and the global community. The presentation, greeted with heartfelt applause, was a testament to the Qur’anic principle that gratitude to humanity is part of gratitude to Allah, echoing the spirit of Surah Ibrahim (14:7), which promises increase for those who are thankful.
Da’wah Day 2025 thus stood not merely as an event, but as a statement—of faith that thinks, leadership that serves, and a Qur’an that lives in the hearts and actions of its adherents. In the words and presence of Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR, the gathering found a rare convergence of spirituality and statesmanship, leaving Abeokuta with renewed hope that religion, when rightly understood, remains one of Nigeria’s greatest assets.