A popular Islamic cleric, Usamah Abdullateef, has called on Muslims across the world to embrace peace advocacy and moral leadership, stressing that effective mentorship remains the missing link in addressing the global leadership deficit.
Abdullateef, son of former Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, popularly known as Yepe, said societies can only attain peace and stability when young people are deliberately mentored to imbibe good conduct, responsibility, and leadership values.
He made this call recently during a lecture organised by the Swansea group of the Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society (NASFAT), UK branch, with the themed “Divine Guidance for Character and Society”.
According to the cleric, the older generation benefitted immensely from structured mentorship systems, which must now be consciously extended to the youth to prepare them for leadership roles at community, institutional, and global levels.
He explained that mentorship equips emerging leaders with a clear understanding of acceptable conduct and practices to avoid, thereby fostering responsible leadership and peaceful coexistence.
Abdullateef argued that leadership is not confined to holding public office, noting that every individual is a leader regardless of their position or environment.
“We are created by Almighty Allah to be leaders. Leadership begins with control over one’s own body. When we lead ourselves righteously, we are less likely to engage in wrong actions,” he said.
He added that leadership naturally extends to the family and the wider community, stressing that individuals are expected to guide others in ways that promote harmony and societal development.
The cleric noted that effective leadership requires a clear understanding of both the leader’s responsibilities and the role of followers, a balance he said is essential for peace within society.
Addressing Muslims specifically, Abdullateef emphasized the role of mentorship rooted in Islamic teachings, describing it as a process of modeling and coaching younger generations on ethical leadership.
“To guide Muslims to be good leaders, Almighty Allah gave us the Qur’an as a source of mentorship and guidance toward the right path in our daily engagements,” he said.
He explained that the Qur’an does more than offer moral advice, noting that its teachings form part of a continuous growth process for young leaders.
“The Qur’an has solutions to our problems. What is required of us is to read it and strictly abide by its instructions on leadership and daily life,” he added.
Abdullateef highlighted key values outlined in the holy book, including respect and kindness to parents, generosity to the needy, fairness in business dealings, and commitment to peace advocacy.
Meanwhile, he urged Muslims to internalise these values, saying that adherence to divine guidance remains essential to nurturing leaders capable of promoting peace and positive change in an increasingly divided world.
Earlier, the Coordinator for NASFAT Swansea, Abdulfatai Omotunde, described the lecture series as an avenue to further educate members on how to conduct themselves in their communities.
Omotunde stated that as humans, they are bound to forget what almighty Allah had commanded them, which is the reason they often organize lectures, inviting clerics, to remind members and mentor youths on what is expected of them in society.
Meanwhile, he prayed for the lecturer to surpass his father, who has, over the years, impacted many lives through his lectures.
