Femi Okunnu: 85 Years After, CB39 Fulfilling Mandate of Educating Less Privileged

Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu, SAN, a legal icon, accomplished school administrator, philanthropist and religious leader, is an elder statesman whose footprints in different spheres of the Nigerian landscape continue to place him among the most respected and distinguished Nigerians. Despite being one of the oldest lawyers in Nigeria at almost 92, Alhaji Okunnu is still heavily involved in philanthropic activities. An association he has been deeply tied to, Crescent Bearers 39, was founded to promote the acquisition of Western education by Muslims for collective improvement and upward social mobility since the colonial era in Lagos recently turned 85. In this telephone conversation with Olufunke Olaode, Okunnu chronicled the trajectory of the association and his delight that 85 years after, it continues to fulfil its mandate of educating the less-privileged

Congratulations on the anniversary of this remarkable organisation that has outlived its founding founders. How do you feel being part of this noble association of visionaries?

I feel over the moon. I am happy because it is like going to 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 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 Muslim children. It started as a social body for us to meet and enjoy ourselves, but soon after the formation of the Crescent Bearers, most of them travelled out of the country for further studies. The two children of Alhaji Sir Williams, that is, C.J. Fatai Williams and his younger brother, Dr. Wahab Williams, left the shores of Nigeria. Tajudeen Bankole Oki of the famous Oki family also left to join the Air Force in England. And a good number of them also left Lagos on transfers. Pa Shomade, the secretary, who was my uncle, was one of them. Alhaji Adefani moved to Ibadan as the Daily Times Correspondent and remained there as a newspaperman until he became the head of the Ministry of Information in the Western region. So, these young men regrouped some years after the death of Alhaji Odunewu, the founding president, to see what they could do to make the association permanent. We thank God that we, the inheritors of this desire to help educate Muslim children, decided that we would set up a scholarship scheme, and that scheme awarding scholarships to Muslim boys and girls to study in Nigerian universities remains to this day. We moved forward and raised funds among ourselves to build a mosque, of which we are all extremely proud. The mosque is used by the residents of the Abijo community in the Sangotedo Area on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos. We are happy that for the five daily prayers and the fasting period on ordinary Fridays, the report we have is that the mosque is full. The last time I went there, we had some occasions at the mosque. When I sat down at the back, I was moved to tears. I cried, thank God for making me a member of Crescent Bearers.

What were the core objectives of the founding fathers?

Crescent Bearers (1939), CB39, was founded on November 11, 1939, by 16 young Muslim men whose families were indigenous to Lagos Island. The visioners behind the organisation were the late Mobolaji Odunewu, S.M. Onigbanjo, I.A.S. Adewal, 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. Fashol, S.A. Fashola (died as Olorunsola) and Hamzat O. Balogun. Their aim was to promote the acquisition of Western education by Muslims for collective improvement and upward social mobility in a colonial society in order to ensure respect for and recognition of Islam and Muslims in the mainstream cultural, political and socioeconomic life of the evolving modern Lagos. This objective of educating Muslims has remained at the core of the activities of the Crescent Bearers since its founding and has served it well. It has enabled the Crescent Bearers to bridge the sectional divide 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 organisation.

With many notable schools like the Ahmadiyya Schools, Lagos Muslim College, and Ansar-Ud-Deen College, how far-reaching have the goals been compared to achievements?

You are speaking to a former president of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, and you are speaking to the man who raised the aims of Ansar-Ud-Deen beyond secondary education. It has pleased God to enable me to lead in the establishment of a university at Offa, Kwara State, and Summit University, beyond the aims and objectives of the founding fathers of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria. Our parents founded this society over 100 years ago. To be more precise, it will be 102 years next month based on the date it was formally established for education. Education at that time was limited to primary education and also secondary education. Our parents pushed the goal post to include teachers’ training, which, unfortunately, the Western Region or Ogun State Government, took away from us. That led to my own aim of giving meaning to the idea of establishing Summit University. I had the honour of receiving the certificates for that university. 

With technology being the focus of education globally, how is the Crescent Bearers shifting its objectives to align in this regard?

Look, whatever modern technology is adopted in educating a child, we will pursue that goal in educating the Muslim child, whether it is in science or outer space. Incidentally, you are speaking to the chairman of Ansar-Ud-Deen Education Trust. Under my leadership, a group of us took over the three major schools established by the society. All of them are over 70 years old. Ansar-Ud-Deen College Isolo, Ansar-ud-Deen College Grammar School, and Ansar-Ud-Deen Girls’ High School at Itire. When then-Governor Bola Tinubu decided to return the schools to their previous owners, or else he would hand over the schools to whoever wanted them, I said no, that shall not and cannot be. So, I led a group of Muslims who took over the schools in 2007, and we started admission of three in one school, five in another school and seven in the third school. I can tell you that the oldest of the three schools in Isolo now has about 500 students, both male and female. And they are planning to have a primary school this year. Students at Ansar-Ud-Deen Grammar School are close to 500, and the Girls’ High School, a boarding school, has over 150 students. So, at my age, I will be 92 years old in February next year, God willing. I remain the chairman of Ansar-Ud-Deen Education Trust. It is like my full-time job now.

As the association celebrates its 85th anniversary, are there plans to hand over the batons to the younger generations to carry on the mandate, judging by the rationale behind its establishment?

We set up ourselves as champions of the new young Muslims who will do better than we have done. The bar, which was raised in 1938 and established in 1939, is there, but they are raising it further. Naturally, we are hoping that young children, our great-grandchildren, and the generations to come will raise the bar further.