By Abu Hameed Yankara
The International Institute for Islamic Thought, Nigeria Office, IIITN, in collaboration with the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, FUDMA, Muslim Forum has launched a Muslim Researchers’ Network, MR Network, at the university.
The network, described as the intellectual wing of the FUDMA Muslim Forum, is aimed at promoting Islamic academic and intellectual activities and enhancing social welfare for the overall development of the university community.
Launching the network, the Vice-Chancellor of FUDMA, Prof. Mohammed Khalid Othman, commended IIITN and the Muslim Forum for the initiative. Represented by the Registrar, Dr. Musa Ajiya, he said it would serve as an Islamic intellectual hub that combines conventional skills with Islamic credence to produce groundbreaking research capable of proffering solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria.
He urged Muslim academics to embrace creativity, innovation and modernisation without compromising Islamic norms and values. Delivering a lecture titled _“Exploring the Nexus Between Governance and Development in Nigeria: Understanding the Relevance of Islamic Political Economic Perspective”_, the VC noted that the topic was apt given Nigeria’s current quest for transformative leadership.
He stated that the blame for Nigeria’s political and socio-economic instability “should not be limited to the leadership of the country, but extended to the citizens for their contributions toward the present woes Nigeria is undergoing”. He also stressed the importance of integrating Islamic methodologies with academic knowledge to promote religion and benefit humanity.
In his welcome address, the Ameer of FUDMA Muslim Forum and Chairman, MR Network Steering Committee, Prof. Daud Mustapha, said the MR Network serves as the intellectual wing of the forum, just like the FUDMA Interest Free Cooperative Society, FICFOS, serves as its economic wing.
Prof. Mustapha said IIITN approved the establishment of the network following a seminar organised in collaboration with the Forum on 15th Safar, 1447AH, equivalent to 9th August, 2025 on _“Islamic Knowledge and Islamic Research Methodology”_. He added that the main activities of the network would include monthly group discussion, publication and hunting for research grants.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the MR Network Steering Committee, Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed Abubakar, said the network would hunt for grants mainly from Muslim countries and organisations like IIITN for career progression and enhancing intellectualism and academic development of the Muslim ummah.
Presenting the lecture, Prof. Mustapha, who is also FUDMA’s Director of Academic Planning and Monitoring, said Nigeria is endowed with oil wealth and one of the largest economies in Africa, yet bedevilled by poverty, corruption, debt, unemployment and insecurity.
He said stakeholders in government, private sector and civil society must uphold good governance features such as accountability, transparency and rule of law. He added that Islamic Political Economy is a science of governance that encourages consultation and social acceptance based on Islamic values.
The National Coordinator of IIITN Nigeria Office, Dr. Saidu Ahmad Dukawa, represented by Dr. Isma’il Hashim, said the Institute was founded in 1981 in the United States to carry out evidence-based research to promote education in Muslim societies.
The event featured a question and answer session with participants commending IIITN and FUDMA Muslim Forum for the initiative.