Adeduntan, who is also the Founder and President Sequoia Holdings, stated this at the 15th Convocation Lecture of the Fountain University Osogbo, Osun, as the guest lecturer.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the lecture's topic is “From Faith to Fortune: Building a Prosperous Ummah Through Leadership, Education, Innovation, and Economic Empowerment”.
He explained that both religious and professional services should be seen as a service to God and humanity.
He said Islamic leaders and community should go beyond building the spiritual and religious lives of their people, but tap into innovations and new development to always stay ahead.
"Leadership is not just about guiding souls to Jannah (heaven); it is about fixing the broken systems that keep them in poverty on Earth.
"We created a disastrous dichotomy when we sent our children to two separate schools: one to learn about the afterlife, and another to learn about this life. The result? A crisis of integration.
"We produced graduates with a fractured identity: Muslims who were apologetic about their faith in the corporate world, and believers suspicious of the tools of modern progress.
"An engineer who does not see his work as an ‘ibadah’ of solving human problems is a mercenary," he said.
He said to be in leadership position in Nigeria, one has to tap into six critical sectors of the economy which he itemised as: Banking/Finance,
Telecommunications, Oil, Gas/Petrochemicals,
Power/Infrastructure,
Large-Scale Manufacturing /Agro-Allied, Technology/Digital Platforms.
He said the Muslim community is not doing enough to be recognised or tap into the critical sectors, stating that the alarming truth is that the future economy is being built at a pace the community is not matching.
"The next wave of wealth will not come from oil; it will come from data, algorithms, and biotechnology.
"While we are debating, others are deploying. They are building
AI platforms that will diagnose diseases and manage cities.
"Fintech ecosystems that will control financial inclusion. Digital marketplaces that will dominate African trade.
"Our community’s footprint in these spaces is dangerously faint. We are not just late to the party; we are risking not getting an invitation to the future itself," he said
He, however, charged the graduating students of Fountain University to be game changes, builders of fortunes, institutions and legacy that will make the generations before be proud and the generations after them feel secured.
Prof. Olayinka Karim, the Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, in her address said the university remains committed to advancing knowledge, nurturing character, and serving humanity with distinction.
Karim said the institution, guided by faith and strengthened by partnership and innovation, will continue to uphold its ideals while responding boldly to global demands.
"I therefore invite all stakeholders to remain united with us in building an institution that produces ethical leaders and globally competitive graduates," she said.
NAN
