From January 16th to 18th, 2025, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) became a radiant gathering ground for faith, purpose, and sisterhood as MSSN OAU hosted the Muslimah Summit 4.0., anchoring over 250 Muslimahs from OAU, FUHSI, UNIOSUN, KWASU, UNILORIN, UNILESHA, Fountain University, among others.
The summit themed “The Constellation Within” indeed unfolded as a configuration of spiritual awakening, intellectual engagement, and skillful empowerment. Within a most inspiring atmosphere, the summit reaffirmed its mission of nurturing Muslim women who strive for excellence while remaining firmly rooted in Islamic values.
We, however, were able to get the inside scoop through an interview with Miss Bushrah Sodamade (The Chairperson for Muslimah Summit 4.0) as she shared reflections on the beautiful vision, execution, and lasting impact of the summit. Ride along with us!
An-Nuur: Can we meet you?
Bushrah Sodamade: Yes. As salaam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuhu. I am Bushrah Sodamade, a part 5 student of Crop Production and Protection, Obafemi Awolowo University.
An-Nuur: As a final-year student, how were you able to manage the responsibilities of organizing the Muslimah Summit alongside the pressure of final-year academic demands?
Bushrah Sodamade: Huh, alhamdulillah. I would say Allah helped me out while I ensured to attend to my assignments in order of priority. I itemised all that has to be attended to and ticked them off my list as soon as they get sorted out. I also had a supportive team that made organising the summit bearable.
An-Nuur: What impact do you hope the summit will have on Muslim sisters, both immediately and in the long term?
Bushrah Sodamade: I hope that the summit fulfills its goal of helping sisters harness their full potential while ensuring their tentacles are deeply rooted in the religion of Islam.
An-Nuur: What major challenges did the planning committee encounter during the organization of the summit, and how were these challenges addressed in a way that can serve as guidance for future committees?
Bushrah Sodamade: Raising funds and delayed registration of delegates were our major challenges during the planning phase. It took us several consultations, head racking and strategizing to raise more than we budgeted for. Alhamdulillah, the efforts channelled into fundraising yielded positively. As for the delay in registration, we opened a 48-hour window for discount to nudge the urgency required in our proposed participants and alhamdulillah, that also had a positive impact on registration.
An-Nuur: In previous editions, we had additions such as the Dinner Night (2.0) and Medical Check-up (3.0). What is different or unique about this current edition?
Tafsir Session and Skill acquisition. The tafsir session is an exceptional addition to the 4th edition summit as it helped the participants understand the verses chosen as memory verse this year. Unlike the previous summit where participants only memorised some portion of the Qur’an, muslimah summit 4.0 presented an avenue to understand the verses memorised. This served as a form of knowledge and reflection upon which participants may act upon. We ask Allah for his blessings.
The skill acquisition on the other hand created an avenue for participants to learn how to bake, make zobo, make bathing soap, learn technical writing, public speaking and PowerPoint presentation. These skills, after being taught practically in a closed group of about 50 participants per skill extended beyond the summit as a group was created on WhatsApp to ensure continued interaction between the participants and their facilitators.
An-Nuur: Can you give us a sneak peek into the list of the activities and the rationale behind each of the activities?
• Ghusl session: most muslimah do not know how to perform ghusl correctly, hence the reason for the activity.
• Memory verse: we had a session for memory verse where we memorised 2 verses from the Qur’an. The verses were also short to ensure inclusivity, considering those who are struggling with the Qur’an.
• Morning exercise: an avenue for sisters to stretch and exercise without committing any form of immorality like wearing immodest dresses or stretching in the presence of males. We had a martial artist as an instructor for this.
• Musaabaqoh: This activity was brought to test the ability of sisters’ mastery of the Qur’an and to inspire other delegates to memorise the Qur’an.
• Tafseer: This beautiful session was done by a knowledgeable scholar, one of us here in OAU, Sister Muizah Ayofe (Unbreakable Sword) where she explained the memory verses to us beautifully.
• Skill acquisition: we created an avenue for sisters to learn new skills and created a group for them to interact with their instructor after the summit. This session aims to empower all participants with a skill that they may make a business of it or use it for personal purpose.
• Career development session: that enlightened participants on how to become an all-round developed woman without jeopardising her religion.
• The Keynote speech: which explained the theme of the summit; The Constellation Within.
• Dinner night: this was to foster sisterhood in a relaxed, Islamically inclined way.
• Insight session: where the text Nawaqidul Islam (the nullifiers of faith) was treated.
Relationship Talk: This session focused on guiding sisters on building and maintaining healthy, faith-centered relationships. It emphasized the importance of love, respect, and boundaries within Islamic principles.
An-Nuur: What safeguards were put in place to ensure modesty, comfort, and spiritual focus throughout the activities?
Bushrah Sodamade: Before the summit, the guidelines for dressing were included in the registration form. There were also inscriptions on the wall of the summit’s venue stating that videos and pictures are not allowed.
An-Nuur: Finally, what message do you have for the delegates, especially those striving to balance faith among society pressure?
Bushrah Sodamade: My parting words would be “Remember you are a Muslim before anything else”. This would help every delegate and all Muslims around the globe understand that their aspirations must be pursued in light of Islam. Islam is a complete religion, and while it has its principles, it does not encourage laziness or laxity. Strive for excellence and be at the top of your endeavours always. If you can be the first, why then become comfortable being the second fiddle?
Muslim Sisters’ Summit 4.0 remains not just a gathering of unity. It also remains a guiding light—reminding Muslim sisters that excellence, growth, and unwavering devotion can walk hand in hand. We encourage sisters to carry forward the lessons and values gained from this remarkable summit.
