Sheikh Sunmonu (Asunmo) Animashaun

1810 — 1895

Sheikh Sunmonu Asunmo Animashaun until death in 1895 was the founder and progenitor of the great Sunmonu Animashaun family of Olowogbowo area of Lagos. In Yoruba land, the concept of 'FAMILY' encompasses the immediate, the extended and all the descendants of a person. This, in the case of Sunmonu Animashaun of Olowogbowo area of Lagos, the family stands as a very large compound family whose descendants’ population today stands at close to half a million.

The formative years at Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun as is the case with any individual in the society could be best understood on the basis of John Darwins Assertion that "No Man is an island entirely to himself that everyone is a part of the whole", thus Sheikh Sunmonu Asunmo Animashaun's relations with the society has been that of mutual influence, that is the effect of his environment on him and his own contribution to the socio-economic development of the society. The life history of Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun is so inter locked with the socio-religious and economic history of Lagos, such that any attempt at separating his life history horn his immediate environment will be that of introducing an anti-thesis between this great personality and his environment.

The locational advantage as well as the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria no doubt contributed to the emergence of Lagos as an internationally recognized city with a distinct character of its own. Significantly, Lagos had prayed a vital role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade serving primarily as a port; Lagos had also maintained a constant relation with other Yoruba people leading to the influx of Yoruba trade merchants from the interior to Lagos. It was in this socio-economic setting that Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun rose as a distinguished philanthropist and trade merchant.

Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun was born around 1815 at Eton Alaiye in present day Ekiti State. He was said to have migrated to Lagos around 1836 during the reign of Oba Oluwole as one of the early settlers and co-founders of the Olowogbowo area of Lagos Island. On arrival In Lagos, Sheikh Sunman Animashaun was said to have lodged with Chief Sasore of Lagos. History had it that if was Chief Sasore who encouraged Sunmonu Animashaun to setup his trade in Lagos on noticing his entrepreneurial skills. Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun thus plunged himself into trading and devoted the better part of his time and energy to business activities and of course made tremendous wealth and progress in the process. Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun bought local produce from traders coming from the interior and traded them for European valuable commodities like guns, gun powder, glass and textiles amongst others which were then sent to markets in Badagry, Abeokuta, lbadan and other cities in the hinterland.

Trading during this period was usually by "Trust" and that meant honesty and prompt repayment to ones principal. History has it that Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun in the course of his business trips usually maintains family settlement everywhere he travels to as a merchants. This forms the establishment of Animashaun Family Compound in most major commercial centres in Yoruba land. Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun was reputed to have married several wives but the very first wife to give birth was Madam Abusatu Ashabi Obisesan the daughter of the great Ibadan hunter and native doctor popularly referred to as “Erujeje ti mbia egbe re leru” and popularly called “Ode Aperm” more because of his prowess in hunting elephants and wild animals in and around the thick forest of Ibadan land in those days.

Expectedly, Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun’s marriage to Pa Obisesan’s daughter was to further enhance his business activities in Ibadan. He was reputed as one of the pioneer contractors who took part in the emergency building system known as “Gbagi Mole Ko Oi be”, near Ibadan Railway Station. This development today culminated into what is known as the Gbagi community in Ibadan.

Upon his conversion to Islam, Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun built a Mosque in Lagos at the spot now known as Animashaun Mosque where he organized the first ever Jumat Service to be held in Lagos at the present site of Animashaun Mosque, at Animashaun lane in Olowogbowo Area of Lagos Island in the year 1841. Alfa Salu was the first Chief Imam to lead the faithful in prayer up till 1853, when a civil war broke out between Oba Akintoye and Oba Kosoko.

Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun was an ally to Oba Kosoko and some of Oba Kosoko’s followers most of whom were Muslims together with the Chief Imam were forced out to Epe after the British forces had assisted Oba Akintoye to defeat Kosoko. However, after the civil war, when things became normal Alfa Nofiu Gana, one of Oba Akintoye’s Ibigas (Palace helps) was appointed to succeed Imam Salu, he was also ordered to lead prayers along with Jumat and the place of Jumat Service remained at Animashaun Mosque until 1864, when a piece of land was acquired at Victoria Street, Lagos (now Nnamdi Azikiwe Street) and was built with bamboo pole and mud and the congregation moved there for the weekly service. This great man built an elaborate family compound in the Oluwole area of Olowogbowo District. Inside the family compound and very close to the main entrance was large typical Victorian age grandfather wall clock standing under a shelter. This site popularly called “Idi Ago” provided a meeting place for family members. Apart from been a shrewd businessman history has it that this noble personality was also a philanthropist per excellence who regards wealth as something to be shared in common.

Upon his death in the early hours of Thursday August 21st, 1895, Sheikh Sunmonu Animashaun was one of the early set of Muslims to be buried at the Okesuna Muslim Cemetery where a befitting cenotaph was erected in his memory. His last WILL and testament, which he attested to on June 19th, 1895 was admitted into the probate on September 11th, 1985. In his WILL, he made provision for his children and their descendants to benefit from his properties in the following words: “I give and device into my said trustees, the land and premises comprised in the schedule immediately written after this device upon trust that the same shall be by them divided among those of my children who have not been provided for by this my WILL, in such manner and such state as to my said Trustees may see proper PROVIDED that in every such division or distribution, the instrument affecting it would be by deed duly registered and the holder or holders of such deed would have no power to alienate his or her or their portion or portions, during his or her or their lifetime”. By this, all the children got houses in each Branch on trust to be bequeathed after death to succeeding generations.

At the time of his death, he was survived by several wives and about fifty three (53) children, some of these children died without any issues. Those with issues constitute the forty two (42) descendants branches as of the family today.