Sultan Leads Dignitaries as NASFAT Launches 30-Year History Volume

Sultan of Sokoto hails NASFAT’s 30-year journey, urges support for mosque, Islamic Centre, and university projects; book hailed as da’wah tool and blueprint for future generations.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Yar’Adua International Conference Centre, Abuja, came alive as Nigeria’s foremost Islamic leaders and eminent personalities converged for the grand public presentation of Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society: The First 25 Years, a richly documented chronicle of the growth, vision, and impact of one of the nation’s most influential faith-based organisations.

The high-profile event, attended by a cross-section of society from royalty to grassroots leaders, was headlined by the Chief Host, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs. He was joined by the Host, NASFAT President Alhaji Ayodeji AbdulWahid Abdulrauf, and other top officials including Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Olasupo; Chief Missioner, Imam Maroofdeen AbdulAzeez Onike; and Chairman of the National Council of Elders, Alhaji Yinus Saliu.

NASFAT President, Alhaji Ayodeji Abdulwahid Abdulrauf, set the tone in his welcome address, describing the book’s unveiling as “a historic and deeply humbling moment” in the society’s 30-year journey.

Tracing its origin to a small Asalatu prayer group that met on Sundays in Dopemu, Lagos, in the home of its current Board of Trustees Chairman, Abdulrauf said the book was “more than just pages bound together, it’s a living testimony to the vision, sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering faith” of NASFAT’s founding fathers.

He lauded the organisation’s expansion into humanitarian projects, social welfare, education, and healthcare, emphasising that the publication was “a gift to posterity” and “a valuable resource for inspiring future generations.”

Special recognition went to the History Book Committee, chaired by Hajia Afusat Bello and guided by former SEC Director-General, Alhaji Bolaji Bello, as well as the book’s author and consultant, Prof. Siyan Oyeweso. He also reserved glowing praise for the Sultan of Sokoto, who wrote the book’s foreword, calling him “our apostle, our epitome of Islam, everything to NASFAT.”

Abdulrauf urged guests to give generously, revealing that proceeds from the launch would be channelled into the completion of NASFAT’s Islamic Centre and mosque project along the Lagos–Sagamu Expressway, as well as the development of Fountain University, Osogbo, Nigeria’s first Islamic faith-based university.

“Your launching monetary value for this book has multiple rewards. It’s going to be a Sadaqah Jariyah… assisting knowledge and supporting a project of Sadaqah Jariyah,” he said, adding: “We want to get this mosque ready before the end of this year, in shaa Allah… It will be a reference point for mosques across the globe.”

He challenged other faith-based organisations to lead by example in social service provision rather than relying solely on government, noting: “See what NASFAT has done in the last 30 years. We have touched lives, we have done so much, and the testimony is in the book.”

In his address, the Sultan of Sokoto commended NASFAT as “very active in this country” and “a source of pride to all Muslims.”

He described the book as an important resource “not only to NASFAT, but to the entire Muslim and non-Muslim community in our great country and beyond”, stressing that “history must be written, must be told.”

Reflecting on his close ties with the society from attending numerous programmes to receiving an honorary degree from Fountain University, the monarch urged Nigerians to support NASFAT’s ongoing projects, particularly the flagship mosque and Islamic Centre.

Calling on “all women in Nigeria, Muslim and non-Muslim” to contribute, he reminded the gathering of the interfaith spirit in Nigeria: “We live in a country where Muslims and Christians help one another. Let us all work to complete this project and also support the development of our university.”

The Sultan linked the nation’s crises to neglect of education, warning: “Somebody who is not educated is a very big problem… We have put aside the prayers and principles of our forefathers and act as if we can do what we want to whom we want.”

He also spoke pointedly about justice: “A nation can endure with unbelief, but it cannot endure with injustice. Conscience is an open wound; only truth can heal it.”

The monarch urged Nigerians to pray for their leaders and return to Allah for peace and stability: “Times are tough, yes, but tough people overcome tough times. Only Almighty Allah can give and take.”

Representing the Chairman of the Occasion, Prof. Yusuf Olaolu Ali (SAN), the speaker recalled the struggles of young Muslims in the 1970s to find spaces for worship, especially for female students on Sundays.

“NASFAT has given a sense of identity, particularly for young female Muslims… Our sisters are engaged on Sundays, our brothers are engaged, and everybody is proud to be called a member of NASFAT,” he said.

He described the Lagos–Sagamu mosque project as “monumental”, urging attendees to view each book purchase as laying “one block” in Paradise: “If it’s only one block that will cut off your residence in Al-Jannah, that would be money well spent.”

Delivering a goodwill message, Chairman of NASFAT’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Abdul-Lateef Adewale Olasupo, expressed gratitude to all members, donors, patrons, and supporters, both “secretly and openly”, for their sacrifices in serving Allah through NASFAT.

Reviewing the book, Prof. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji, Vice Chancellor of the African School of Economics, hailed it as “a luminous testament to remembrance, responsibility and reliance on Allah” and “a da’wah tool, a guide for future generations, and a testimony to the enduring relevance of Islam in the 21st century.”

He praised NASFAT’s blend of professionalism, organisational depth, and spiritual commitment as a model for other Islamic bodies, noting its expansion from ten pioneer families in Dopemu to a “formidable tree” with branches across continents.

Quoting the late Prof. Babs Fafunwa — “A people with no knowledge of their past would suffer collective amnesia” — Adedimeji said the book safeguards NASFAT’s institutional memory in an era of misinformation. With a touch of humour, he added: “If I were to be a Mufti, it would have been declared a minor crime not to obtain and digest this treasure trove.”

The glittering guest list featured His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, as Chief Host; H.E. Aiyub bin Omar, High Commissioner of Malaysia to Nigeria; NASFAT President AbdulWahid Abdulrauf (Host); Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Olasupo, Chairman of NASFAT BOT; Imam Maroofdeen AbdulAzeez Onike, Chief Missioner; Alhaji Yinus Saliu, Chairman of the National Council of Elders; Alhaja Moji Hafsa Bello, Chairman of the History Book Editorials; Alhaja Ganiyat Omowunmi Babalola, National Women Affairs Secretary; and Prof. Siyan Oyeweso, the book’s author; Sheikh Ibrahim Idris of Al-Habibiya, Prof. Muhammad Adam of Nasarawa University, Dr. Adebayo Yusuf of Ansar-ud-Deen, Alhaji Bello Garba representing the Minister of Marine, Otunba Lare representing NDLEA Chairman Gen. Buba Marwa, and retired Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs Muhammad Abubakar, among many other invited guests.

The high point of the day came when the elegantly bound volume was formally unveiled to applause, with dignitaries and donors filing forward to make their pledges. Copies of the work were ceremonially presented to the Sultan, senior Islamic scholars, and government officials in attendance.

Amid photo sessions and exchanges of courtesies, the NASFAT President expressed gratitude to all contributors and supporters, assuring them that the proceeds would be channelled directly into the mosque and Islamic centre project.

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