‘YOUR TRUTH IS VALID’: HEALING, SISTERHOOD AND COURAGE TAKE CENTER STAGE AT MUSLIMAH SPEAKS CONFERENCE 8.0 IN LAGOS

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By: Sefiu Ajape

The Muslimah Speaks Tribe (MST), on Sunday, December 7, 2025, hosted the grand finale of the Muslimah Speaks Conference 8.0 (MSCON 8.0) at the Brava Event Centre, Guinness Road, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event, themed “Your Truth Is Valid,” marked the conclusion of a week-long virtual conference held from December 1 to 6.

In her welcome address, the Convener and MD of Egret Media, Coach Mutiat Olagoke, described the gathering as a transformative, intentional and faith-rooted space designed to help Muslim women reflect, learn, heal and rise together.

She emphasized that the conference was created with “intention, faith, and sisterhood at its core,” noting that the theme, “Your Truth Is Valid,” serves as a powerful reminder that every woman’s voice and lived experience matter.

“Your lived experiences, your voice, and your journey matter,” she said, urging participants to embrace every lesson shared throughout the week with openness and sincerity.

She explained that after days of online sessions featuring keynotes, masterclasses and healing conversations, the offline event represents the “climax” where the community comes together physically to deepen connection and embody their truths.

“Today, we gather offline for the climax of this one-week conference; a moment to connect deeply, embody the lessons shared, and ground the truths we’ve uncovered in real sisterhood,” she said.

Olagoke encouraged the women to engage the day’s sessions with open hearts, take what resonates with their current journeys and allow themselves the grace to grow.

She prayed that the conference would be “a source of clarity, renewal, and inspiration.”

The keynote speaker, Abisola Adegunwa, spoke on “My truth is valid,” stressing the importance of identifying and embracing one’s individuality.

She shared her own entrepreneurial journey, recounting moments when she felt pressured to quit, and urged women to be bold in the pursuit of their dreams.

She explained that disappointment is sometimes a blessing and “not always bad,” sharing practical steps for staying committed to one’s truth.

In her goodwill message, Mutiat Orolu Balogun, Executive Director, Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative, highlighted that courage is a lifestyle rather than a one-off act.

She said courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to act decisively despite fear.

According to her, steadfastness, moral and spiritual strength, and trust in Allah are essential to living courageously.

She explained that courage takes different forms, saying, “At times, courage means being silent. Sometimes courage won’t come in form of an action but inaction.”

The event featured panel conversations that delved into faith, resilience, financial empowerment and authenticity.

The first session, moderated by Kaosarat Opeyemi Nurudeen, examined trusting Allah during painful phases of life.

A second conversation explored financial truths women must embrace to achieve stability, while another panel addressed the importance of standing tall in one’s personal story and owning every part of it.

Participants also engaged in an intimate fireside chat themed “The truth you find hard to embrace,” where women shared deeply personal reflections on the aspects of their journeys they struggle to accept and why those truths have been challenging.

The session fostered vulnerability, connection and healing.

Adding colour to the gathering, vendors displayed a variety of products, including handcrafted items, unique merchandise and locally made goods.

Attendees toured the vendor stands at the end of the event, engaging sellers and purchasing items in support of women-led enterprises.