Assessing the awareness and perception of waqf among business owners in Gombe State, Nigeria

Purpose – The literature about the dynamics of Muslims' awareness and perception of waqf has been generally scarce,especially in Nigeria. As renewed efforts are emerging to develop a new waqf regime in the country, this study examines this aspect in Gombe metropolis, Nigeria, with a view to identifying the key factors shaping people's perception and awareness towards waqf. Design/methodology/approach – To achieve the objective of this study, primary data were collected through a survey among 494 business owners in the Gombe metropolis. The data were then analysed using probit and Tobit regression models. Findings – The study found that altruistic behaviour, religiosity level, educational level and young age are among the factors that determine people's perception and awareness towards donating to waqf among business owners in Gombe. Altruism and young age embolden businesspersons to recognise the effectiveness of waqf institutions in solving socioeconomic challenges. Practical implications – The findings of this study imply that waqf has huge potential in the study area and that with well-structured, organized waqf education programmes within the business community using diverse avenues, a robust waqf sector can be developed. Originality/value – As far as the study area and the entire Nigerian Islamic economics and finance landscape is concerned, the study has explored a novel research area. Given the infant stage of empirical studies on waqf in Nigeria, there are virtually no previous attempts to examine the awareness and perception of businesspersons towards waqf; variables that are key to the development of an effective sector

Maqasid al-Shari’ah as a Framework for Economic Development Theorization

<p>Development studies has so far created a huge intellectual resource, including theories, models and policy prescriptions that have been implemented in most developing economies. However, development theorization has been generally dominated by the western materialist paradigm which is antithetical to the very philosophical foundations of Islam. Muslims, constituting at least a quarter of the world population, mostly live in the less developed economies and are therefore among the largest consumers of these materialist theories.  Based on the premises that the Muslim world cannot address its multifarious development challenges by relying only on imported theories and models, and that as important stakeholders in the world, Muslims need to contribute to the global development discourse; this paper presents an Islamic alternative approach to the analysis of development based on the theory of maqasid al-Shari’ah. The paper proposes a maqasid-based development approach which sees development from the perspective of drawing benefit and removing harm, which require promoting things that make life easy, meaningful and prosperous and blocking all means to harm, socio-economic difficulty and underdevelopment. The three-stages development approach focuses on promoting wellbeing through the preservation and enhancement of five essential components; faith, life, intellect, offspring and wealth. The paper submits that maqasid al-Shari’ah is a veritable framework for, inter alia, formulating development policies and prioritizing development projects. The strength of the approach lies in the proper place it accords to faith, spirituality, and moral ethics as trigger mechanisms for sustained moderate development in addition to its emphasis on all-encompassing but moderate material progress. The paper calls for an extensive study of the science of maqasid al-Shari’ah as it pertains to economic development discourse.  </p

Shifting the paradigms in waqf economics: towards renewed focus on socioeconomic development

This paper critically reviews and analyzes the trends in waqf studies within the Islamic economics literature. It analyzes the recent developments and debates in waqf reform and advances the argument for prioritizing research on waqf economics; the waqf dimension that is concerned with modelling how to utilize it to enhance productivity, consumption, redistribution, investment and saving, and generally contribute sustainably towards poverty reduction, economic empowerment and development. Design/methodology/approach The paper is conceptual in nature, focusing on a systematic historical analytical review of waqf studies in Islamic economics literature. Findings Despite the documented historic role of waqf in constructing the Muslim socio-economic architecture as the third economic sector and a mechanism for civilizational development and renewal, it received little attention in the early writings on modern Islamic economics. While the past one decade has witnessed a renewed interest in waqf research, most studies focus on its legal, juristic and administrative aspects in addition to the nostalgic reflections on its past glories. Little attention is comparatively given to the socio-economic aspect, which represents the actual raison d’être for its institutionalization. Practical implications An important task ahead of the current generation of Islamic economists is to formulate waqf-based development models that are rooted in proper diagnosis and deep understanding of the current socio-economic realities of the OIC member countries for the purpose of uplifting living standards and stimulating sustainable socio-economic development. Originality/value The paper contributes to the debate on priorities in waqf studies and practice and can trigger further discourses and research on the future of research in waqf economics

Awareness and utilisation of new media technologies on library and information services in federal university of technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

This study examined awareness and utilisation of new media technologies on library and information services in Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives, three research questions and one null hypothesis. Correlational research design was adopted. The population of the study comprised thirty-one (31) librarians providing various library and information services in Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State. Questionnaire was used as the research instrument for data collection from the respondents. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the demographic data of respondents and data generated from the research questions raised. Inferential statistics of Pearson Product Momment Correlation (PPMC) was used to test the nullhypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study revealed that all the library and information services listed were provided by Federal University of Technology Library. The study further revealed that majority of librarians in the studied library were aware of new media technologies, but, utilisation of the technologies was low. Moreover, the study revealed that there was significant relationship between awareness and utilisation of new media technologies on library and information services in Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State. The study recommended modernisation of library and information services, enlightenment of librarians on the opportunities availed by new media technologiesand training and re-training of librarians on the use of new media technologies for effective and efficient of library and information services.Keywords: Awareness, Utilisation, New Media Technologies, Library, Information, Services, Federal, University, Technology, Minna, Niger State, Nigeri

CHARACTERIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE, IN KAZAURE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Municipal solid waste is been one of the greatest challenge facing environmental Protection agencies in most cities of the world. This Paper presents a generation and compositions of municipal solid waste in Kazaure local government Jigawa state, the compositions of municipal solid waste were determined using samples obtained from Central collection situated at Kanti area. However, Kanti landfill received a volume of municipal solid waste from eleven wards of 175.07 m3 in dry season and 182.2 m3 in wet seasons. The compositions and percentages by mass of dry / wet season revealed the following: organic waste 53.18% / 62.75% and inorganic waste compositions are 46.82%/37.25%. The daily generation municipal solid waste per capita found to be 0.85 x 10-3 m3/person/day & 0.88 x 10-3 /m3/person/day by volume and 0.25 Kg/capita/day & 0.27 Kg/capita/day by mass with the densities of 293.03Kg/ m3 and 302.05 Kg/ m3 dry and wet seasons respectively. However, the waste can be best treat if one of these techniques is utilized composting, gasification and energy recovery in future for further reduction of waste