ADVOCACY PROGRAMME THEMED “EFFECTIVE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA” ORGANISED FOR
PARENTS HELD AT LAGOS CENTRAL MOSQUE, NNAMDI AZIKIWE ROAD, LAGOS ISLAND,
LAGOS ON SUNDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2022
Introduction
Social media as interactive technologies allow the creation or exchange of information,
ideas, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. These
ideas can be positive or negative depending on the intents of the source and how the users
interpret the information.
Hon. Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications said “about 75 percent of Nigeria’s
population that use the internet are on social media and the number keeps growing on both
social networking sites and blogging sites.”
Although there are important benefits, social media can also provide platforms for bullying
and exclusion, unrealistic expectations about body image and sources of popularity,
normalization of risk-taking behaviours, and can be detrimental to mental health. Studies
have found that the top five social media platforms – YouTube, Facebook, Instagram,
Snapchat, and Twitter are associated with bullying, body image issues, and even the fear of
missing out, as well as being linked to depression and anxiety.
Official Opening
The Chairperson, Board of Trustees (B.O.T.), Mrs. Fausat Tinuola Feshitan spoke about the
Foundation at a glance and explained that having known that girls are less advantageous
than boys in our society, the Convener, Alhaja Lateefah Modupeola Okunnu, OFR,
established the Foundation which aimed at targeting indigent Muslim girls whose parents
are striving hard to shoulder their education expenses, to promote their status and dignity
through organizing tutorial classes, advocacy and mentoring programmes, and
grant/financial assistance.
As the result of feedback received from our students that they did not have a conducive
place to read after school hour, she briefed the participants on the Foundation’s
collaboration with the Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area on rehabilitation
of the Lagos Island Dolphin Phase 4, Adeniji Adele Library as a Study Centre, and added that
we have engaged our Architects and hoped to achieve our dream very soon.
She advised the parents to:
o Limit their time on their phones but rather spend time talking with their children;
o Not to allow social media to distract them from saying their prayers on time;
o Take advantage of free online classes;
o Learn how to use their phone maximally.
She expressed her motivation about laying a solid foundation for the girls and also, wrote a
little poem about it as follows:
“Every little bit helps
Every little help counts
Every step we take for you
Every step you take for you
Every little bit helps”
Participants
In attendance were 96 duly registered participants comprising the Foundation’s students’
parents, FOMWAN Lagos State Chapter members (mothers), other parent-participants as
well as the Foundation’s Trustees & some invited guests.
Brief Citation of Mrs. Habiba Balogun
Hamidat Oladipupo, a student of the Foundation’s Mainland tutorial Centre and Great
Khilafah College, Ebute-Metta, Lagos read the citation of the Speaker, Mrs. Habiba Balogun
who is a gender and social justice activist, a sought-after moderator, trainer, and a public
speaker. The speaker is an Organisation Effectiveness Consultant and Certified Leadership
Coach with 30 years’ experience working with clients in the public, private and development
sectors, consulting and training in the US, Europe, Africa and Asia, and all over Nigeria
including Niger-Delta and the North-East.
Speech Presentation
Mrs. Habiba Balogun narrated that she was once a youth and her parents brought their
children up with the orientation that “what a man can do; a woman can also do” while
enjoining the participants as parents and, as partners to train their girls as equally as they
are training their boys.
She defined “Technology” as anything that makes our life easier, and cited for example, that
even a broom is a technology since it can be used to sweep a place to make it clean; hence,
participants should not allow themselves get intimidated by it regardless the fact that social
media has been planned to control its users in terms of time management.
While highlighting some examples of social media handles such as Instagram, YouTube,
Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok, she also discussed its
positives among which included business opportunities, support and solidarity, education,
connectivity, joy, and so on, as well as its negatives such as; safety hazard, envy/depression,
cyberbullying, identity theft, offensive imagery, et cetera. In addition, she advised the
parents to monitor their children’s phone use by checking which websites they have visited
and also, NOT to compromise their privacy; share personal security information, reveal their
location and also, become addicted to social media.
The Speaker’s captivating presentation was ably conveyed and translated into English
language to the participants by the Chairperson of the Foundation.
Interactive Session
What are the positive aspects/advantages of social media?
Some responses given by the participants are stated below:
o Some of them whose jobs are professional use some of these social media handles to
accomplish their tasks;
o It brings the world closer to you, and reduces the amount of money spent on a
journey;
o They can advertise their goods and products on it;
o We can learn and listen to Quranic recitation and also, watch Islamic programmes on
it;
o We can use google to learn even without a teacher;
o We can use it to update ourselves;
o We can connect with our relatives and even see them on it whereas they are far away
from us;
o We can use it for medical check-up.
Likewise, highlighted below are the responses gathered from the participants on
disadvantages of social media:
i. It makes one stay too late on it at night;
ii. It makes one feel more relaxed;
iii. Sometimes, one may forget to pray when it is time for Solat;
iv. It is so distracting that one fails to do her duties and such could subsequently lead
to broken home;
v. The money spent on data is much;
vi. Publicity and exposure of personal life; we do not need to upload our newly born
baby on social media because of its negative consequence.
Question & Answer
A FOMWAN Ikorodu LGA participant who asked why the Foundation’s tutorial classes are
limited to Lagos Island, Mainland and Bariga Centres only also, placed a request before the
B.O.T. for one in her locality?
The questionnaire’s detail is given below:
Name: Alhaja Modinat Tiamiyyu.
Addresss: Salamatu Street, Agbede-Ebuwawa, Ikorodu, Lagos
The Chairperson responded that the Foundation would extend its tutorials to other places
in Lagos, and that we had only started with the three places mentioned above being our
pilot Centres.
Discussion/Contributions
Alhaja Fatima Oyekan, a renowned Educationist, in her contribution confessed that she did
not even know as much as the speaker had presented that some of these social media
handles for example, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snap Chat, et cetera have their advantages. She
advised the parents to teach their children to limit their time on phone while they use it for
advantageous purposes, and also, added that she used hers to learn Arabic knowledge. She
referenced an ayah of the glorious Quran to have said that “everything we say or do shall
be questioned.”
She prayed that the good associated to social media and phones would lead the participants
to Jannatul Firdauz and conclusively, besought Allah’s blessings upon our beloved mother’s
Foundation.
Contributing Mrs. Fatimah Osho, a Lagos Islander thanked Allah for His blessings upon the
participants, the Convener, the B.O.T. and the organisers of the programme. She lamented
that those children who are not well trained are now misguiding our well brought-up and
cultured children in places such as schools, playgrounds, et cetera., and conclusively advised
the participants to take care of their children and teach them about Allah’s Deen.
Contributing Alhaji Alli Oluwafuyi who was glad to be part of the programme thanked
Almighty Allah who had spared our lives till then and also, prayed for long life and sound
health for the B.O.T. and especially, the Convener.
Closing Remarks
A trustee of the Foundation, Hon. Justice Lateefa Abisola Okunnu in her closing remark,
enlightened the participants on some relevant websites that are useful for research and
learning purposes including; programmes on mental health, mentoring, challenges that are
faced in today’s world et cetera. Also, she admonished the participants to encourage
themselves and their children to browse and learn from them regardless their geographical
location on the globe. She added that there are some Islamic social platforms that can
enable one to learn more, as well as to build oneself and one’s business other than using
them for Solat only.
Vote of Thanks
A trustee and Secretary to the B.O.T., Mr. Olakunle Adeniyi Ajagbe read the Speaker’s
citation and thanked her for her time, energy and knowledge that she had imparted on the
participants, and prayed that Allah continue to increase her in knowledge and
understanding.
Presentation of Appreciation Plaque
The Convener specially thanked and prayed for plentiful blessings upon the dynamic
Speaker for her beautiful presentation while presenting an appreciation plaque to her.
Conclusion
The objective of the programme was obviously met, especially from the active participation
and impressions gathered. Moreover, the interactive session also revealed that the parents
could comprehend the lectures and messages being passed across to them. Thus, a huge
success! Alhamdulillah!
Attached to this report are the following documents:
➢ Acknowledgement copies of Invitation Letters
➢ Programme of Events
➢ Attendance of Participants
➢ Brief Citation of Mrs. Habiba Balogun
➢ Mrs. Habiba Balogun’s Presentation Papers
➢ Mrs. Fausat Tinuola Feshitan’s Presentation Papers
➢ Photographs (soft copies).
Ismail Adebisi Adeyemo,
Administrative Officer
