History of the MSSN
On Sunday, 18th April, 1954, a group of secondary school students in Lagos met and laid a foundation of what has today became a mass student organization unequalled in Nigerian history.
It took place at Ansar-ud Deen primary school, Alakoro in Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria. The pioneer members include the President of the Society Late Dr. Alh. AbdulLateef Adegbite, (CON), the then Secretary General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Baba Addini of Egbaland, Justice A. R. A Sahid (Rtd.) and Alhaji Tajudeen Aromashodun of blessed memory.
With branches in virtually all post primary and tertiary institutions, Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has today became a fertile ground in Nigeria from which germinate seeds of unity of Muslim Students and Islamic Message.
The society was given birth to in an era of repression and oppression of Muslims wishing to access Western Education brought into Nigeria by the Christian missionaries. To go to school, most Muslim pupils had to enroll in a catechism class and get Baptized. Of course, they were also required to drop their Muslim names; since Muslim schools were too negligible to cater for the number of children willing to go to school. The situation predominated for decades before some measure of liberation imposed by the multiplier effects of the Second World War, where Nigerian soldiers experienced, the truth and the fact that the Whiteman is in no way superior to the black man because of the color of his skin.
They also experienced the universal principles of fundamental human right to freedom of speech, freedom of society and freedom to receive and disseminate information, and above all, freedom of religion.
The gradual changes pervading the political landscape had awakened the consciousness of Muslim students to come together for self preservation and common resolve to hold on to their faith and practice their religion unhindered by the Government or any group under whatever guise. Before then, Muslim students were obliged to go to school during Muslim festivals of Eid-Fitri, Eid-Adha, or get severely punished for staying away from school during the celebrations. There were no holidays for Muslim festivals. Indeed some examinations were fixed on those days to compel Muslim Students to attend school.
It was equally impossible for Muslims to go for Juma’ah service on Fridays and Muslim sisters were not allowed to wear the Islamic Hijab in Schools as they were forced to appear half naked. The advent of the MSSN in 1954, before Nigeria’s independence was therefore the beginning of a revolution, a new consciousness and reawakening of the Muslim minds to the truth and fact of Islam and one of the greatest thing happened to mankind in this part of the world. The MSSN according to its bye-law has amongst others the following aims and objectives:
-To Bring all Muslim in closer union and inculcate in them the true Islamic spirit of brotherhood and absolute faith in Allah as the only basis for the achievement of peace among mankind.
-Establish an Islamic Ummah govern by the principles and rules of the Shariʽah.