Intro
Lawal Basil Agusto was an Islamic cleric and scholar, however, he unknowingly converted to Ahmadiyya in 1916, he had no idea that MGA claimed to be a prophet, he thought MGA was just a Mahdi. Per Fisher, he seems to have become a Lahori-Ahmadi for a short while in London (1920-1924), this is where he found out about MGA’s claims. He returned to Nigeria in 1924 and created a new sect of Ahmadi’s (See Fisher). He was a qualified lawyer, and the first Muslim lawyer in West Africa to be called to bar. See also the ROR of Dec-1989.
Agusto was born in 1885 in a Lagos Muslim family and under British colonialism. After mastering the reading of the Holy Quran through an Arabic school, he commenced at the age of ten, his primary school education. Agusto had his secondary education at the C.M.S. Grammar School and joined the school of pharmacy where he took lectures in sciences at the King’s College in Lagos. After qualifying as a pharmacist his interest waned and he opted to study law when he left Nigeria for the United Kingdom in 1920.
Agusto was a pioneer member of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Nigeria but he renounced membership when he realized that members in Southfield, London believed founder, Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet, against his belief that prophet Muhammed was the seal of all prophets. On his return to Nigeria he founded the Islamic Society of Nigeria after failing to convince friends at the Ahmadiyya Movement. He was however followed by a couple, including H.A. Subar, B.A. Disu, and Booyamin Gbajabiamila. Agusto’s organization changed name in 1964 to Jamat-al-ul Islamiyya of Nigeria. When Alhaji Agusto was Chief Imam of Lagos and a leader of many Muslim organisations, he was also a lawyer to the Catholic Diocese of Lagos under late Archbishop Leo Taylor. He founded Jamat-at-ul Islamiyya, one of the major Islamic associations of the southwest region of Nigeria.
In 1934, he helped the Quranic people get their mosque back from Ahmadiyya control, the Ahmadiyya lawyer was Jibril Martin. Martin and Ahmadi’s and initially won the case, however, they lost on appeal.
Agusto was made a Queen’s Counsel (now called Senior Advocate of Nigeria) in 1959. Around this time, he involved himself in social activism that bordered on girl education, and the extension of educational facilities to Muslim children. Agusto authored the book, Jesus on the advent of Muhammad before he became late on 26 July, 1971.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1916
Out of nowhere, Lawal Basil Agusto sends 21 membership forms, fully signed (See Fisher, page 97). Jibril Martin seems to have joined around this time. This is the beginning of the Ahmadiyya jamaat in Nigeria. Agusto opens up a small Muslim school at No. 62, Bamgbose Street, Lagos island. He seems to have ran and operated this school himself for about a year. Ahmadiyya ideas were secondary, a secular education was primary (see Fisher).
The ROR of Nov-1916 reproduces a letter from Agusto, he gives a list of 21 Ahmadi’s, including Qasim R. Ajose.
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1917
The ROR of Aug-1917 has a report from the honorary secretary of the Ahmadiyya Anjuman, in this letter, he is confirming that if the 2nd Khalifa sends a missionary, there will be lots of success. Mr. L.B. Agusto is also briefly mentioned.
The ROR of Oct-Nov-1917 reports that an Ahmadiyya missionary is being prepared for a trip to Nigeria.
The ROR of Nov-Dec-1918 reports that Agusto gave the Eid Khutbah for a small group of Lagos Ahmadi’s on Sep-27-1917.
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1918
The ROR of Nov-Dec-1918 reports that Agusto gave the Eid Khutbah for a small group of Lagos Ahmadi’s on Sep-27-1917.
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1920
He goes to England to study law (see Fisher). It seems that he met with and spoke to the Ahmadiyya imams in London in this era. The ROR of July-1920 reports that a Nigerian man named Abdur Rahim Smith visited Qadian. Lawal Basil Agusto is also mentioned as having left Nigeria to study law in the UK.
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1921
The Qadiani-Ahmadi jamaat sends their mullah, Abdur Rahim Nayyar to British West Africa frmo London. Agusto seems to have been in contact with him at London and learned for the first time that MGA claimed to be a prophet, per the Qadiani dogma.
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1922
ROR-June-July-August
https://www.reviewofreligions.org/21965/review-of-religions-june-july-august-1922-edition/
He is mentioned as helping Maulvi Mubarak Ali, another man also helps, his name is Omar Ali Bacon, they seem to be sleeping at the Ahmadiyya mission center. He is also mentioned in the ROR of March-April-May-1922.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________1924
He returned from London. He would return as the first ever Nigerian-born lawyer per the British law (a qualified barrister). He renounced membership when he realized that members in Southfield, London believed founder, Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet, against his belief that prophet Muhammed was the seal of all prophets. Per Fisher, he seems to have become a Lahori-Ahmadi for a short while in London.
On his return to Nigeria he founded the Islamic Society of Nigeria after failing to convince friends at the Ahmadiyya Movement. He was however followed by a couple, including H.A. Subar, B.A. Disu, and Booyamin Gbajabiamila. This was the 4th split ever in the Ahmadiyya Movement.
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1934
He faced of against an Ahmadi, Jibril Martin in court about a mosque. Martin won (See Fisher, page 107).
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1944
In the ROR of Jan-1944, the Ahmadi Mullah Alhaj F. R. Hakeem clarifies that the job advertisement in the ROR of Aug-1943 is wrong (misnomer) in terms of the title, Ahmadiyya Movement in Nigeria, Alhaj F. R. Hakeem alleges that there is no such organization in West Africa with that title, and that only he is the representative of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Nigeria. The Ahmadiyya Central Mosque in Lagos is opened by Alhaj F. R. Hakeem, allegedly, the 2nd Khalifa sent 5000 rupees from Qadian and the locals paid the remainder to get this mosque built. The mosque was build on 53-57 Ojo Giwa Street, Lagos, Nigeria (British West Africa). The famous ex-Ahmadi, L.B. Augusto was also there, he allegedly was the master of ceremonies, and he represented “The Islamic Society” as its president.
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1959
Agusto was made a Queen’s Counsel (now called Senior Advocate of Nigeria) in 1959. Around this time, he involved himself in social activism that bordered on girl education, and the extension of educational facilities to Muslim children.
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1964
Agusto’s organization changed name in 1964 to Jamat-al-ul Islamiyya of Nigeria.
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1971
He died. Agusto authored the book, Jesus on the advent of Muhammad before he became late on 26 July, 1971.
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Links and Related Essay’s
“Ahmadiyya, A Study in contemporary Islam on the West African Coast” by Humphrey J. Fisher (1963)
Stefan Reichmuth. “Education and the Growth of Religious Associations among Yoruba Muslims: The Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria”, Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol. 26, Fasc. 4 (Nov., 1996). p 8.
IMAM AGUSTO
The street (home to the popular Bottles Restaurant) is named after Alhaji Imam Lawal Basil Agusto. The historical value of his story is too rich to summarize in a tweet.
He and Jibril Martins are recorded as the first Nigerian Muslims to qualify as lawyers.
1/.
— David Fátúnmbí (@davidfatunmbi) December 29, 2019
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jibril_Martin
https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/fisher-humphrey-john-1933
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2019/09/03/early-history-of-ahmadiyya-in-ghana-by-haneef-keelson/
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2017/05/22/ahmadiyya-in-gambia/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadiyya_in_the_Gambia#cite_note-Fisher126-1
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2018/06/14/who-is-ghulam-nabi-gilkar/
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2017/05/22/ahmadiyya-in-gambia/
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/?s=Balogan
https://ahmadiyyafactcheckblog.com/2017/05/22/ahmadiyya-in-gambia/
- “THE AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN NIGERIA”. HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL. RETRIEVED SEPTEMBER 19, 2015.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Animashaun, Bashir (2012) Jibril Felix Martin (1888 – 1959) and the spread of Western education among Muslims in 20th century Lagos. Ilorin Journal of History and International Studies Vol 3 No 1 2012
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