Shettima: Return to Family Values is Key to National Development

• Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasized the need to return to core family values as a foundation for Nigeria’s national development and stability
• At the Muslim Family Summit, Shettima highlighted marriage counseling and traditional family structures as essential for addressing social and economic challenges

Vice President Kashim Shettima has stressed the importance of returning to core family values, describing them as the foundation for national development.

Speaking at the Muslim Family Summit in Abuja, Shettima highlighted the need to reinforce traditional family structures as a grassroots solution to Nigeria’s social and economic challenges.

Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), represented him at the event.

Shettima urged Muslims to recognize the pressing need to guide the current generation of couples, saying, “I find hope in this gathering of scholars and experts who share best practices rooted in the Qur’an and Hadith.”

The summit, attended by scholars, experts, and the public, served as a platform for discussing best practices in family life based on Islamic teachings.

In his speech, “In Defence of the Family Order,” Shettima recommended marriage counselling to equip couples with the skills necessary for building stable homes.

He emphasized that marriage is not just a worldly institution but also an act of worship, drawing on Islamic principles that describe marriage as a source of tranquillity.

“The family is not merely a social unit; it is the pillar of moral and social order in any society. Every family plays a role in producing individuals who either uphold or threaten the moral fabric of our communities,” Shettima stated.

He concluded that adhering to Islamic teachings on family values could address many of the social issues facing Nigeria. “When we build the family on the wrong foundation, we risk losing everything. But when we raise it upon sound Islamic principles, it becomes a fortress that preserves the values we hold dear.”