FACTORS MOTIVATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WAQF INSTITUTION TOWARDS POVERTY ALLEVIATION AMONG MUSLIM UMMAH IN OYO STATE, SOUTH WEST, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This article explores the factors motivating the establishment of waqf institution towards poverty alleviation among Muslim Ummah in Oyo state, South West, Nigeria. The importance of waqf institutions is to take care of the needs of the less privileged in the society. To achieve the objective of this study, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was selected to accommodate such as attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control as predictors of waqf institutions establishment in Oyo state, Nigeria. Based on this, three hypotheses were formulated for the study. This study adopts a quantitative research where a sample was drawn from the population of Islamic scholar (Alfa) in Oyo state, Nigeria. A number of 218 Islamic scholars were randomly selected to respond to the survey which was designed to examine the relationship between the predictors (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control) and the establishment of waqf institution as a way of poverty alleviation. Data analysis using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 22 software and statistical analyses like Pearson correlation and Regression was employed to achieve the objective of this study. The findings supported the three formulated hypotheses, which indicate that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control have a positive significant relationship towards the establishment of waqf institution as a way of poverty alleviation. This study adds to the existing literature of waqf and suggests opportunities for future research. Keywords: Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Waqf Institution, Poverty Alleviation.