Mustapha Adamu Animashaun

Who was Mustapha Adamu Animashaun?

Mustapha Adamu Animashaun was a prominent Lagos Islamic leader in the first half of the twentieth century. He was also an author, fortune teller, publisher and political leader. He was involved in various progressive movements and controversial issues in the Islamic community in Lagos for most of the first half of the twentieth century, when the Muslims then constituted about half of the Lagos population. His major influence was also his master, a prominent Lagos Muslim, Idris Animashaun.

As a religious leader, he promoted the adoption of Western education among Muslims and sought the enactment of a constitution for the Lagos Central Mosque and the general Lagos Muslim community. However, the agitation for the latter led to some conflicts with fellow Muslims in Lagos.