POVERTY AS A BANE TO THE SOCIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA – ISLAMIC EDUCATION VALUES AS A PANACEA

GANIYU, MOJEED ADEMOLA
DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES
SCHOOL OF SECONDARY EDUCATION
(ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCES)
OYO STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, LANLATE
OYO STATE

Abstract

Universally, poverty reduction has continued to draw the attention of international communities. With the World Millennium Summit in New York in year 2000, as renewed effort was made to reduce poverty globally. This led to the establishment of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGS), each with its own quantifiable target and time frame for their achievement. The first goal is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. The goal has two associated targets; reducing by halve the proportion of living in extreme poverty, defined as $1 per day and reducing by halve the proportion of people who suffer hunger.  The targeted period is 2015. Nigeria is one of the countries attempting to achieve these goals. The paper reviews the various efforts put in place to achieve their goals. These include: the rationalization of past and some existing poverty eradication agencies, the establishment of National Poverty Reduction Strategy Eradication Programme (PRSP) called NEEDS, among others. Despite these efforts by the government, it is very difficult for Nigeria to reduce poverty and hunger level till date. Therefore, this paper employs qualitative approach towards looking at Islamic education; related studies on the practice of Islamic Educations, its objectives and significances were reviewed. The exertion affirmatively revealed that Islamic education through its aims and objectives, motivates and trains humankind to self-employment, self-independence and self-sustainability. It is the type of education that also promotes helping the needy through the practice of Zakat as charity act. Again, Islamic Education calls for Waqf (Islamic Endorsement) that provides means in which individuals can donate their wealth and properties in order to gain blessings from the Almighty Allah (SWT); and permeate individual with morality. In addition, there are other recommendations and teachings of Islamic education that portray relevance of hardworking. Therefore, the aims, content and teaching of Islamic Education are recommended to be explored for job creation and poverty alleviation in Nigeria.

Keywords:     Poverty, bane, social economic development, Islamic Education Panacea.