Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, will serve as the special guest of honor at the Crescent Bearers (1939) 85th-anniversary celebration lecture in Lagos. The event celebrates the legacy of the Crescent Bearers, a distinguished group founded in 1939 by young Muslim men from Lagos Island, united by a commitment to the advancement of education and social development within their community.
The anniversary lecture and luncheon, set to take place soon, will be chaired by Professor Tajudeen Gbadamosi from the University of Lagos. Renowned Islamic motivational speaker and Head of Administration at New Horizons College, Niger State, Maryam Lemu, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address titled “Islam and Family Values – Building a Nation of Citizens.” The event will also feature a Jum’at service at the Crescent Bearers Mosque in Abijo, off the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
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A statement released on Thursday highlighted the association’s founding mission to “promote Western education among Muslims to facilitate collective growth and upward social mobility” in response to the challenges faced by the Muslim community in colonial-era Lagos. Many Muslims were marginalized, often facing ridicule due to their cultural and religious practices. Against this backdrop, sixteen visionary young men founded the Crescent Bearers on November 11, 1939, with a focus on empowerment through education.
The founding members included influential figures such as Mobolaji Odunewu, S.M. Onigbanjo, I.A.S. Adewale, A. Fatayi-Williams, M.R.B. Ottun, and others, including Ade Thanni, A.W. Williams, K.B. Shomade, and Hamzat O. Balogun. Known affectionately as “CB,” the association has maintained its commitment to the ideals set forth by its founders, continuing its impactful work 85 years on.
Over the decades, Crescent Bearers has awarded over 450 scholarships to students pursuing higher education in Lagos State. The association has also undertaken various projects, including the refurbishment of Mourners’ pavilions in local cemeteries, charitable donations to enhance facilities in Muslim-owned schools, and the establishment of an Islamic center. Additionally, it has supported research initiatives that promote the educational advancement of Muslims in Lagos.
As it commemorates this significant milestone, Crescent Bearers continues to uphold its founders’ mission of educational empowerment, social support, and the enrichment of Muslim lives across Lagos.
