Dr Lateef Oladimeji Adegbite. The Seriki of Egbaland and Baba Adinni of Egba Muslims was a foremost fighter for inslamic existence in pre-independence schools in Nigeria.
As far back as 1954, he collaborated with other committed Muslim students like A.R.A Sahid, Tajudeen Aromashodu, Saidah Anike Anibaba (later Professor Mabadeje), Nurudeen Alao, Sunmola Akin Laguda, who faced discrimination in schools to form the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria(MSSN).
Adegbite, like several other Muslims seeking to acquire education, had faced the fear of conversion as a condition for admission into Mission schools.
From the same Abeokuta, capital of current Ogun state, Prince Bola Ajibola had to lose a year simply because of the name Jabbar, which he had to remove and then re-instate after the end of his career.
There is also the very well-known case of MKO Abiola,whose father, Salawu Abiola, bluntly refused him changing his religion to get a chance into Baptist Boys High School, BBHS, Abeokuta, until he was grudgingly admitted.
The current Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, in an interview in September 2017 published in The Sun Newspaper, reportedly averred in an interview that MKO ABIOLA wasn’t made a school prefect in BBHS just because he was a Muslim since only Christians were made prefects as a school policy.
The MSSN held its first conference in 1955, and it was declared open by the then Oba of Lagos, Kabiyesi Adeniji Adele II. The MSSN promptly made the likes of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Alhaji A.R.A Smith of Ilesa, Dr Saburi Biobaku, Alhaji Inuwa Wada, Mrs H.M Shodeinde, and Alhaja Humuani Alaga its patrons and patronesses.
The MSSN also immediately embarked on extending its tentacles to towns like Abeokuta, Ibadan,Ilesha, Ijebu-Ode and Ikorodu and within 2 years, its evolving influence had covered all Government schools in the North.
Its efforts paid off in 1959, when for the first time, the National Government under Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister granted Students in Southern Nigeria an holiday on Eid. A remarkably pioneer official recognition in forty years.
Lateef Adegbite was to later in life, head the committee that started the Nigeria Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs, NSCIA. He wrote the constitution of the organization. The NSCIA was formed in 1974, and he was its pioneer National Legal Adviser and in later years, its Secretary-General.
One of its earlier achievements was when the Western State Government phased out Higher School Certificate from Ijebu Muslim College,Ijebu-Ode. The government picked ten schools exclusively and there was no single Muslim school among them. The Council sent in a delegation to the governor about the injustice and it was corrected.
Another instance of official discrimination against Muslim students was that of renowned journalist, Liad Tella, a former editor of National Concord and managing director of Monitor Newspaper. He faced severe persecution in Baptist High School, Iwo until the MSSN was formed in the school and students started speaking with one voice. The school authorities pencilled down some of them for expulsion.
Liad Tella reported the issue to Professor M.O.A ABDUL of the University of Ibadan who took him to the Secretariat of NSCIA, where he stated his case.
Dr Adegbite was by then the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Western Region. Adegbite promptly intimated the Commissioner of Education about the matter.
The school principal subsequently received a letter from the commissioner of the Ministry of Education directing him not to compel students to embrace any religion other than that of their parents.
That was how Liad Tella was saved.
It is noteworthy to know that years of Adegbite’s toil, despite his demise, have borne great fruits for all to be proud of.
In 2022, Muslim groups fought up to the Supreme Court to obtain judicial verdict affirming the rights of Muslim girls to wear hijabs in their uniforms, if they so wished.
This was after an 11-year old in 2012 was given forty-three strokes for wearing hijab in Kadara High School Lagos.
In 2017, a massive national drama happened when Firdausa Amusa, a graduate of the Nigerian Law School refused to remove her hijab to conform to “convention” in order for her to be called to the Nigerian Bar.
The NSCIA supported her, and by 2018, she was finally called to the Bar. Thousands of Law graduates since then have peacefully graduated.
Through Adegbite and co’s efforts, Muslims across tribes have interacted and exchanged ideas without qualms.
There is also a great sense of order in waiting for the announcement of the Sultan of Sokoto, the leader of Nigerian Muslims in the start and end of fasts during Ramadan period.
Lateef Adegbite’s legacy in NSCIA where Muslims of all political persuasions and tribe look up to a central authority stands him out.
Adieu to this great professor of law, Islamic leader and traditional head rolled into one. May almighty Allah forgive Seriki and Baba Adini of Egbaland and grant him aljannah firdaus.
