02/04/2022
History of Anwar-ul Islam Model College, Agege
Formerly Ahmadiyya College, Agege,
Formerly Saka Tinubu Memorial Ahmadiyya High School, Olushi
On Monday, 5th April, 1948 (London Olympia), a government approved Muslim Secondary school was established at Nos 4, 6 and 8 Olushi Street, Lagos. Nos 4 and 6 were owned by late Alhaji Jubril Martins and late Alhaji Nurudeen Bakare Kenku respectively but donated them to the Movement while No 8 was owned by the Movement. The BUILDINGS AT Olushi were constructed with self help by direct labour and served as the School premises until the eventual movement to Agege. The founding fathers of our great college were Late Alhaji Jubril Martin, late Alhaji B. D. Oshodi, late Alhaji N. B. Kenku, Late Alhaji K. D. Oshodi, Late Alhaji B. A. Fanimokun, Late Alhaji A. S. E. Agbabuka, Late Chief Imam Ashafa Tijani, Late Imam Ismail (Epetedo) and Late Alhaji R. A. Allison. May the Almighty Allah grant them Al-Janat and forgive them of all their shortcomings, amen.
The late S. A. Ahmed, founder of Ahmed Memorial Primary School, Agege haven’t known how Christians acquired large acres of land at Agege contacted late Alhaji Jubril Martin and told him of how to go about acquiring land for the Movement. The Movement went to Agege and discussed with late Chief Jinadu Ogunji, the then OLU OF AGEGE. A total of eighty-seven (89) acres of land was acquired from the family of Chief Jinadu Ogunji. The college is presently on very minor part of the acquired land but majority of the land has been lost to land speculators.
It was the first Government approved Muslim Secondary School solely funded by Muslims in Nigeria and indeed West Africa. The main objective of the founding fathers was the education of Muslim children who were being deprived of education and in the alternative being forcefully converted to Christianity. The admission into the school was open and competitive unlike Christian school so that students were admitted regardless of the faith or ethnic origin.
Late Mr. J. J. Thompson-Hagan, a Ghanaian was appointed as the first Principal with late Alhaji late life President of Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam as the Manager. Appointed to work with him were the following young men at that time. Alhaji J. A. Gbadamosi, Late Alhaji R. A. Folami, Late Alhaji R. A. Balogun, late M. A. Bamgbose and Justice Kayode Eso a former Judge of the Supreme Court.
The late F. O. Duncan Sotubo took over from 1950 – February 1955. He groomed the students very well that within four years of our college’s establishment, it gained government recognition to write Cambridge School Certificate examinations. The first set of student to do the Senior Cambridge examination came out in flying colours. A feat that took, Eko Boys High School (founded by Reverend Euba) two decades to achieve.
In January 1956, there was a name change from Saka Tinubu Memorial High School to Ahmadiyya College, as well as movement of the College to the present site in Agege which had been acquired since 1942. All students at Olushi with the new intake became pioneers students of Ahmadiyya College, Agege under the Principalship of late Alhaji R. A. Folami 1956 – 1958. The late Mr. J. F. Olayemi spent a year in the College as Principal 1958 – 1959. Then came the Golden age of the College under our father and guardian fondly called “OGA” by his numerous students. Alhaji Jimoh Adisa Gbadamosi from 1960 – 1976. Alhaji Jimoh Adisa Gbadamosi’s name is synonymous with Ahmadiyya College, Agege. He later became an institution within the College. Under his administration, the College witnessed the educational, spiritual and sports development successes in the College that remained unbeaten till today. In 1976, the Proprietors of the College changed the name to Anwar – Ul – Islam College.
In 2001, the present Executive Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, returned 50 schools had to Missionaries and private individuals including the college. The good old days in terms of discipline, academic, spiritual and sports developments as witnessed by us are gradually returning to the old established Christian schools like Igbobi College, St Gregory’s College4, Holy Child, M. B. H. S to mention a few. However, it appears that our College Proprietors albeit those at the helm of affairs have gone to sleep as regards all the great virtues that has endeared our College to all of us. This is a clarion call on the Almuni Association to take up the challenge and bring back the old glory of the College. Like the immediate past National President, Honourable Justice I. A. Olorunnimbe used to say and I quote “Never in the history of any secondary school in Nigeria has any school produced so many eminent men from all disciplines within fifty years” this statement is still incontrovertible today.
Alumni Association, the ball is in your court, to bring back the good old days of the college and forge ahead in this millennium so that we can have the best again and nothing but the best. “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune, omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat and we must take the current when it serves or lose our ventures” Brutus in Julius Cesar, Act 4 Scene 3
“AUT OPTIMUM AUT NIHIL” It is now time to act ! ! !
02/04/2022