Several prominent Nigerians, among them respected banker and philanthropist Alhaji Abdulfatai Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, were on Saturday, December 13, 2025, inaugurated as members of the Board of Trustees of the newly formed Ansar-ud-Deen Foundation.
The colourful inauguration ceremony took place at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, and was attended by top Islamic scholars, professionals, traditional leaders and members of the Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and Overseas.
Other trustees inaugurated alongside Kekere-Ekun include Alhaji Sulaimon Adedokun, CFA; Alhaja Kafilat Araoye; Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, OFR; Dr. (Mrs.) Mosun Belo-Olusoga; Alhaji Abdulfatah Babatunde Bank-Anthony; and Alhaji Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu.
In his address, the President of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria and Overseas, Prince Mosediq Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, described the inauguration as “a historic milestone” in the over 100-year journey of the Society.
“This Foundation represents the continuation of our Society’s century-long journey of faith, knowledge and service to humanity,” Kazeem said. “It is built on the vision of our founding fathers, who believed that education, moral discipline and service to mankind are the keys to the progress of the Muslim community.”
He explained that the Ansar-ud-Deen Foundation was created as a transparent and sustainable platform to support the Society’s religious, educational, welfare and developmental programmes.
According to him, the Foundation aims to build a ₦20 billion legacy endowment fund that will be used to rehabilitate mosques, improve Ansar-ud-Deen schools, support Summit University, Offa, and fund health, welfare and empowerment programmes across the country.
“Our mosques must be welcoming and well-maintained. We must be proud of any Ansar-ud-Deen mosque we visit,” the President said. “This Foundation will ensure that every donation is properly managed, transparently reported and invested in halal and ethical ventures for long-term benefit.”
Kazeem charged the newly inaugurated trustees to see their appointment as a sacred trust.
“You have been entrusted with a serious amanah,” he said. “I charge you to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability, ensure that all investments are halal, and develop innovative ways for people across the world to support this noble cause.”
He added that the success of the Foundation would depend on the collective support of all members of the Society. “This Foundation belongs to all of us. Let us contribute our resources, time and prayers, because the best of people are those who are most beneficial to mankind,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Olanrewaju Ahmad, urged the trustees to remain faithful to Islamic principles in managing the Foundation.
He warned against raising funds through means that are not in line with Islamic teachings. “Allah is pure and He will not accept anything except that which is pure,” the Chief Missioner said. “This Foundation is important because it will support dawah, education and community development in a halal and sustainable way.”
Sheikh Ahmad explained that the idea of the Foundation was rooted in the Islamic concept of waqf (endowment), which allows charitable works to continue benefiting people long after the donor is gone.
“This is a cheap ticket to the hereafter, and not an economy ticket but a first-class one,” he said, drawing applause from the audience. “Through waqf, we can build institutions that will outlive us and continue to serve humanity.”
He prayed for divine guidance and strength for the trustees, adding that no contribution was too small. “This is not for the rich alone. Everyone can contribute, because all of us desire a better future for our community,” he said.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Kekere-Ekun who is also the husband of the country’s Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, while accepting the responsibility on behalf of members, pledged that the Foundation would operate with “absolute transparency, honesty, discipline and accountability,” and focus on supporting projects in health, education and welfare as approved by the Society.
