Meet Mustapha Masha-Eshinlokun, fourth Sheikh of Lagos
Bashorun Musulumi of Lagos, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi-Macfoy (left); newly turbaned fourth Sheikh of Lagos, Muhammad Mustapha Olohuntoyin Masha-Eshinlokun; Sheikh Mujitaba Giwa; and Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou during the turbaning ceremony at the Lagos Central Mosque.
The Lagos state Central Mosque has turbaned Sheikh Muhammad Mustapha Olohuntoyin Masha-Eshinlokun as the fourth Sheikh of Lagos.
Reputable Islamic scholars and dignitaries attended the turbaning ceremony held at the Lagos Central Mosque premises including, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Baba Adini of Lagos, Bashorun Musulumi of Lagos, Sheikh Mujitaba Giwa and others.
‘Sheikh of Lagos’ is a title accustomed to the Masha-Eshinlokun dynasty, passed from one generation to another.
According to Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh Abdul Hafeez Abou, the first Sheikh of Lagos is Sheikh Hamza Ibn Muhammad Awwal, who brought Tariqa Tijaniyya to Lagos in 1934 and established Sawiyya in Ojo Giwa Street in Lagos Island and still existing till date.
He went down the memory lane, saying, “Sheikh Hamza was a scholar who delivered lectures in an eloquent manner and people were fascinated with his dawah methodologies. After his demise, his son, Sheikh Muhammad Mudasir, who is the father of the fourth Sheikh, took over the leadership and he became the second Sheikh of Lagos. When he transited, his brother who was the Mufasir of Lagos Central Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir took over as the third sheikh of Lagos and passed on last year. Sheikh Mustapha who is being turbaned today emerged as the fourth Sheikh of Lagos.”
Bashorun Musulumi of Lagos, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi-Macfoy, said the Sheikh of Lagos title is a chieftaincy epithat designated to the family of Masha-Eshinlokun.
“The chieftaincy title belongs to his family and decided that the next person to ascend the title is him and today he is turbaned.”
He added the role of the Sheikh is expected to teach, initiate and guide aspiring dervishes in the Islamic faith.
“Lagos Central Mosque is the centre of Islam in Lagos State. The Sheikh is expected to be a role model and spread Islam across the state.”
He urged the newly turbaned Sheikh to follow the footstep of his grandfather, father and family. The newly turbaned Sheik of Lagos is a seasoned scholar of high repute with vast knowledge of Islam and a true model of leadership.
Mustapha is a prince of the Masha Eshinlokun Dynasty of Lagos. He was born in Oko-awo area of Lagos Island Local Council into a highly religious and legendary family with track records of Islamic scholarly achievements.
Khalifa Mustapha’s father, Sheikh Muhammad El-Muthadir Hamza Masha Eshinlokun, is the son of El-hadji Hamza bin Muhammad Awaal, a direct descendant of the great Oba Eshinlokun who was an ascetic of high repute and the first Sheikh of Lagos.
His mother, Alhaja Fatimah Abimbola Masha Eshinlokun hailed from the famous Ogunbiyi Family of Ikorodu and the Eletu Odibo of Lagos.
Mustapha is an accomplished Islamic scholar and a symbolic reflection of accumulated knowledge from the spiritual and temporal realms of Sufism.
He is a perfect representation of his father, a distinguished Islamic cleric, the Sheikh of Lagos II, Sheikh Muhammad El-Mudathir Hamza, who has been described as an irrefutable authority on Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh). In his quest for knowledge, Sheikh El-Mudathir traversed many countries of the globe, which availed him the rare privilege, not only to learn but to master and communicate fluently in different major languages of the world.
Mustapha has been very fortunate to have his root in a highly knowledgeable family with pristine Islamic and moral values and to have his spiritual and moral guidance from Sheikh Maolana Mashood Ramadan Jibril (al-mahasasatul Markaz Salam, Ojokoro) and Sheikh Abdul Wahab Zubair Al-Gamawi (al-mahasasatul Markaz Sofwatul Islam, Alagbado)
Khalifa Mustapha bagged an LLB & LLM in Criminology from the University of Bedfordshire in London. On his return to Nigeria, he attended the Nigerian Law School, Bwari and Abuja and at the same time, founded Victim Support Organization of Nigeria (VSON), a non-governmental organization, under the directions and advice of Victim Support United Kingdom, where he had been an unpaid volunteer for several years in his characteristic charitable and philanthropic nature.
Mustapha is married with children and maintains homes both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
