Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, has urged the Criterion, a Professional Muslim women organisation, to be more strategic and engage in different advocacy programmes, to make the organisation more attractive to young Muslim sisters.
Engr. Salako-Oyedele, who made this known while playing host to the National Executives and members of the Criterion from different states, who were on a courtesy visit to her office, expressing joy that professional women had brought themselves together to share ideas, support each other, and ready to give back to the society.
She noted that there were many similar organisations competing with the Criterion for more memberships, urging them to initiate programmes aimed at developing the organisation and supporting the needy.
“You have to continue to adapt because what works 40 years ago when the organisation started may not work today because we live in a different world. The opportunities available and the roles women play in the society are different, while the issues women have to deal with are completely different positively and negatively and that is why your organisations must keep itself up to date, so as to be relevant to its members”, she said.
While commending the organisation for inaugurating Abeokuta District of the association, the Deputy Governor said she was delighted that some members of the organisation who were executives and members in other states are indigenes of Ogun state.
Earlier, National Amirah of the Criterion, Alhaja Medinat Akanni, said the organisation was formed 40 years ago by six Muslim women, who were actively involved in Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) and willing to continue after graduation, adding that the organisation had over 1,000 members in different parts of Nigeria, including Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
She explained that their mission in the state was to inaugurate the state executives and had the first meeting, as a way of spreading their tentacles, they adding that the organisation is in Oyo, Osun and Kwara States, Abuja as well as in Ghana, disclosing the plans to extend to the Northern and Eastern part of the country.
