By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Once upon a time were some children of elite in Lagos of the early 20th century, precisely in the 1930s. Though from privileged parental backgrounds, they still cared and were full of concerns about happenings around them, particularly as regards affairs of the less privileged whom education and modernity had eluded due to poor backgrounds. They were the 16 young, vibrant, visionary and forward-looking Muslims of Lagos Island, by indigeneity, who founded the association known as Crescent Bearers.
Spurred by the milk of humanity, which flowed ceaselessly in them, the 16-member group of young Muslim men, whose families were indigenous to Lagos Island, sprang into action by forming the Crescent Bearers precisely on November 11, 1939 and the drivers behind the organization were the late Mobolaji Odunewu, S.M. Onigbanjo, I.A.S. Adewale, A. Fatayi-Williams, M.R.B. Ottun, M.N. Ola Aboaba, M.O. Ekunsumi, N.A. Kekere-Ekun, R.A. Gbajumo, Ade Thanni, A.W. Williams, K.B. Shomade, T.A.B. Oki, K.A. Fashola, S.A. Fashola (died as Olorunsola) and Hamzat O. Balogun.
Their aim was to promote and enable ability of Muslims to acquire western education for their collective improvement and upward social mobility in a colonial society, in order to ensure respect and recognition for Islam and Muslims in the mainstream cultural, political and socio-economic life of the evolving modern sector of Lagos.
This objective of educating Muslims has remained at the core of the activities of Crescent Bearers since its founding, and has served it well. It has enabled the Crescent Bearers bridge sectional divides and competing tendencies, not only among its members but also, between the various Islamic sects in Lagos, while upholding and propagating the lofty and fundamental principles of Islam as a philosophy of life and social organization.
The vision and mission have not lost as the association remains faithful to the objectives set by its founding fathers. This is so as it continues to foster the lofty ideals of Islam via mutual understanding, interest and co-operation among members to promote the total education of the Muslim child by way of scholarship awards to deserving Muslim students of Lagos State origin.
Through focused intervention across various tiers of education and capacity building, the Crescent Bearers has enriched lives, created livelihood opportunities for the Lagos Muslims and has actively contributed to the social and economic development of the Lagos community in which it operates. The association strongly believes that acting responsibly and contributing to the well-being of society is integral to the values that it is desirous of adding and creating.
It remains committed to leading with purpose, even as its members are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. In the area of education, from inception to date, the Crescent Bearers – popularly called CB by acronym – has awarded educational scholarship to over 450 Muslim students in tertiary institutions of learning state wide. Five years ago, in commemoration of its 80th year anniversary, this league of gentlemen built and handed over the internationally acclaimed ‘CB 1939 Masjid’ (Mosque) to the residential community of Abujo G.R.A. Lekki, Lagos.
It has been 85 years, Crescent Bearers has grown and through trans-generational movement, it has continued to wax stronger. Exactly 85 years after its establishment, the 28 members of the association addressed as Bearers, led by the oldest member, elder statesman, legal icon Bearer Lateef Okunnu (SAN), rolled out the drum on Sunday November 17th, 2024 at LA Scala Restaurant, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos to celebrate its many years of adding values to humanity in religion and education.
The 27 other bearers who, currently, are with Bearer Okunnu in steering the affairs of the association include successful businessman and Caverton boss, Bearer Aderemi Makanjuola; boardroom magnate, Bearer AbdulFatai Akin Kekere-Ekun; erudite scholar, Bearer Liasu Adele Jinadu; Bearer Mustapha Akanni Oshodi; Bearer Mustapha Abiodun Jaji; Bearer Olusegun AbdulQuadri Williams; Bearer AbdulRahman Gbolahan Elias; Bearer Mufadlullahi Gbolahan Agoro; Bearer Hakeem Olusegun Oki; Bearer Dapo Muftau Durosinmi-Etti; Bearer Semiu Olushola Thanni; Bearer Rasheed Babatunde Fatayi-Williams; Bearer AbdulRafiu Babatunde Adewale; Bearer Wahab Babatunde Dabiri; Bearer AbdulWasiu Ayodele Olatokunbo Martins; Bearer AbdulRahman Olatunji Disu; Bearer Lateef Olaseinde Karim; Bearer Babatunde Lawal Odunewu; and Bearer Ibrahim Babatunde Jose.
Others are Bearer Uthman Oluwakemi Pinheiro; Bearer Habib Adewale Abiru; Bearer Musediq Adeniji Kazeem; Bearer Semiu Olushola Tinubu; Bearer Monsur Olushola Gbajabiamila; Bearer Waheed Enitan Oshodi; Bearer Mustapha Adekoyejo Edu and Bearer Abubakar Oloruntosin Jose.
Joining them in the celebration were the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and other Muslim personalities, who converged on Onikan, Lagos to appreciate the Almighty Allah for what he has used the founders of Crescent Bearers (1939) Lagos and the organisation’s current bearers to achieve for Islam and humanity in terms of education driven development.
Chairing the 85th anniversary with a luncheon on Sunday November 17, 2024 was Professor Tajudeen Gbadamosi of the University of Lagos, joined by other well-meaning Muslim personalities in appreciating the Almighty Allah for the grace to be part of the great worldly and heavenly rewarding achievements.
The Sunday November 17, 2024 august event had privilege of having Mrs. Maryam Lemu, an Islamic motivational speaker and Head of Administration at New Horizons College, Minna, Niger State, on the ground to deliver the keynote lecture with the theme: “Islam and Family Values – Building A Nation of Citizens.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor, who was Special Guest of Honour at the event that kicked off with a special jumat service at the association’s mosque in Abijo, Lekki, on Friday November 15, lauded the virtues of the founders and thanked the current Bearers who took over the affairs of the organization after for their great contributions to the promotion and development of Islamic faith and Muslim Ummah through education funding for the Muslim boys and girls.
The Lagos Deputy Governor, in his remarks, said, “I think I came in when professor was talking about the distinguish of this Christian Bucha started in 1939 by 16. At the time, 16 young men who came from families that were indigenous to Lagos Island, and they founded Crescent Bearers on November 11, 1939 and I think it’s appropriate to mention them individually, because they started something that was fantastic, great, because at the time, it was not easy for Muslim child to go to school, and they came together and” did what they did and today, according to him, they remain a set of people to be truly honoured and appreciated in death, and he read out their names for honour and also appreciated Bearers who took over from where they stopped.
“As a matter of fact, I think Crescent Bearers was not merely an organization but a collective response to a person seeking for guidance, support and knowledge. And they were following in the ways of the Prophet, when the Prophet said, ‘Seek knowledge, even if you have to go to China. At the time, China was probably, in terms of length, the longest from Saudi Arabia so to say. We must seek knowledge, even if we have to go to as far as China,” said the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hazmat, who reeled out some of the achievements of the Crescent Bearers with a pass mark of commendation to the bearers, past and present.
“So the notable achievements of Crescent Bearers are not limited to the following, establishment of the first Muslim secondary school in Nigeria in 1939. Then in 1948 establishment of the first multi-purpose mosque in 1955 and the introduction of Islamic education curriculum in Nigeria schools, provision of scholarships, organizing conferences and lectures, which at the time was very difficult. So I’m sure they sacrificed a lot to make sure that happened.
“They’ve also been providing medical services, charity to the needy, fostering unity among Muslims, and playing roles to the development of Islam. So I think the theme of this anniversary, which is Islamic and family value, building a nation of citizens, is we must understand that this time in our country, is very, very compelling,” he said.
In her keynote lecture, Mrs Maryam Lemu started by saying, “From Allah we came and to him is our return. Regardless of our social status, regardless of our class, our race and our gender, all human beings share the same experience. They are born and then they return to Allah. For some, they are born and they spend just a second and return to Allah. For others, they are born and they spend over a century. But when we go, that’s a mystery, we don’t know when Allah will call us home.
“But we are all directly here today. Our presence in this room is not by accident. Some of us have buried our parents and some of us have buried our spouses, our friends, our siblings and, glorified be the name of Allah, some of us have buried our children. From Allah we come and unto him our return,” she said, adding that how we spend our times here matters before Allah but urged that in anything a man does, he must improve on it.
She then took her audience in the hall through a spiritual journey requesting all to “please close your eyes and follow me in this journey”. And she was so descriptive about her presentation full of scares, emotions and connective elements that naturally held the listeners linked with fear of their Lord that. By the time she finished, nobody was willing to ask questions as they became so emotionally tied down meditating and pondering on the lecture delivered, bothering on the need for every living Muslim to be mindful of his transmission from the life of this world through the grave and akhirat, that is the hereafter.
However, Mrs Maryam Lemu, was loudly applauded for the very impactful lecture titled, “Islam and Family Values – Building A Nation Of Citizens.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the occasion, Professor Tajudeen Gbadamosi, described the event as one which “showcases the nature and significance of Islam in Lagos State.” He disclosed that, as President of Muslim Community of Lagos State, his organization took after the Crescent Bearers with its establishment of a scholarship programme for PhD students which has now hit 20 beneficiaries.
Enthusiastic Gbadamosi announced, “I personally would like to congratulate the Crescent Bearers for the achievements in their 85 years without failing.”
The event was well attended by dignitaries including the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun along with her husband, Bearer AbdulFatai Akin Kekere-Ekun; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hazmat; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedeke; and many others.
In their respective interface with the media, some of the bearers spoke about the Crescent Bearers of which they are current movers.
As such, the current Chairman of the association, Bearer AbdulWasiu Ayodele Olatokunbo Martins, in his comment, said: “When I reflect on the stature and calibre of the founding fathers of the Association as well as that of those who have been members over the years, I feel highly honoured and privileged to be one of the select few people who are members of the Association. I am particularly humbled and grateful to Almighty Allah to be the Chairman of the Association as we mark the 85th Anniversary of its founding.
“As you are probably aware having read a bit of the History of Crescent Bearers one of the primary reasons for founding the Association was to spearhead the education of the Muslim child and position them to take their rightful place in the governance and economic development of Nigeria without compromising their fundamental islamic values,” he said, although noting that the vision of the founding fathers was yet to be fool achieved.
Corroborating Bearer Martins, Bearer Femi Okunnu (SAN) in his remarks described the Crescent Bearers at 85 as a fulfilling mandate of educating the less-privileged. He said, “I feel over the moon. I am happy because it is like going on outer space to see an organisation of a few young boys from Lagos Island who left school about 11 years earlier with very Muslim backgrounds. They were good friends in school who have gathered under the late Alhaji Mobolaji Odunewu to form the Crescent Bearers to help and the group has been doing that over the decades – educating the Muslim child.”
Another of the leaders, Bearer Liasu Adele Jinadu, a professor of political science, also said, “I am very, very happy that I am part of it, because it has had an impact on my life, on my understanding of Islam and on the value of working to strengthen the Muslim World, particularly in Lagos State. And I think it’s been a remarkable group of members. It’s very restrictive. It’s not elitist, but it’s restrictive. And members are of high integrity. And we are making a little contribution to propagate the Islamic faith within our own little communities. This is an organization of dedicated Muslims, who are pursuing a mission.”
In the words of Bearer Olusegun AbdulQuadri Williams, General Secretary of Crescent Bearers, he said, “I am deeply humbled and extremely honored to be part of this organization that is leaving a lasting legacy in the path of philanthropy in Lagos State. I think it is a privilege that we are able to continue the noble work that was started by the visionary founders of Crescent Bearers. They were extremely selfless, dedicated and passionate for the education of the Muslim child in Lagos. So, being part of this association is a responsibility that I cherish and I stand to uphold the values that have defined the organization for the whole of 85 years.”
As for Bearer Mustapha Abiodun Jaji, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Crescent Bearers at 85 and Chairman Crescent Bearers in 2007 having spent 17 years on membership, his was simply a matter of enthusiasm as he said, “I thank God for being a member. I have been the planning chairman for a number of years now. I have been able to organize the 80th anniversary, 83rd anniversary, and also the 85th that we are doing now as chairman of organizing committee. So, I have played my little part in the development of the very small number association. Usually 30 maximum, but we are currently about 28.”
Sharing his thought on the anniversary, Bearer Hakeem Olusegun Oki, a trustee, who also felt honoured to be part of the organization, saw the association in the same lens with others. “The cardinal mission of the founding fathers is to help the less privileged in society who are Muslims and indigent and hence the issue of the scholarship, which they have always done. Of course, we are carrying on the philosophy. The Crescent Bearers is actually a child of circumstances. And why do I say that? The founding fathers were children of well-to-do Lagosians in those days and they were all schoolmates, classmates in 1939. One of their goals or the cardinal goal is to educate Lagosians who are less privileged,” Oki said.
The sharing of thoughts would not end until Bearer Mustapha Akanni Oshodi gave his own words wherein he said, “I have been a member of this noble organization since 1985 when I joined, it has been a lot of progress and I thank God that I still witness the anniversary today. The founding fathers started organizing to help the Muslim society particularly at that time, the Muslims were relegated in terms of education, and trying to move the Muslim society up. You are talking about the impact the society has made in the Muslim community in terms of education, in terms of propagation of Islam, and all of that. So, they have achieved all the purposes for which they set up the Crescent Bearers.”
