For the Sunmonu Animashaun family, this past Christmas will forever be remembered not for celebration, but for pain, shock, and irreparable loss caused by fire.
What began as a normal festive season turned into a nightmare on December 24, 2025, when a fire broke out at Shitta-Bey Court, popularly known as Great Nigeria House, on Lagos Island. By the next day, the flames had spread relentlessly, swallowing the Animashaun family’s ancestral home at No. 45/47 Martins Street and several neighbouring buildings, leaving families displaced and livelihoods shattered.
According to the family, the fire was so intense that it jumped across the road and completely razed the historic Shitta-Bey Mosque. In all, at least five buildings belonging to different branches of the Animashaun family were destroyed, wiping out decades of memories, documents, household items, and family history built over generations.
In a desperate effort to save lives and stop the inferno from spreading further, fire service officials had to pull down part of the Animashaun family house to create ventilation. While the action helped contain the fire, it left the already damaged building structurally unsafe.
“Today, our family house can no longer safely shelter anyone,” the family said, describing the emotional toll of watching a historic home crumble before their eyes. They have now appealed to the Lagos State Building Control Agency to urgently assess the integrity of the structure.
The tragedy also struck at the heart of Lagos Island’s religious and cultural history. The Animashaun Mosque — reputed to be the first mosque where Juma’ah prayers were held in Lagos — was partially affected by the fire. Already weakened by years of neglect, the mosque is now considered unsafe, forcing the suspension of all prayers and commercial activities around it until a proper safety test is conducted.
Beyond bricks and mortar, the fire left deep human scars. Residents, traders, worshippers, and small business owners who depended on the affected buildings have been thrown into uncertainty. Even more painful, the family confirmed that some lives were reportedly lost in the incident.
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected,” the family said, extending sympathy to all victims and praying for divine comfort and restoration. “We ask Almighty Allah to turn this loss into gain and give strength to families mourning loved ones.”
The statement, signed by Mr. Rafiu Jawando, Acting Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Otunba Hakeem Oladipo Animashaun, Secretary of the Board, is also a quiet cry for help — a call for government attention, urgent structural assessment, and support for families who lost everything in the space of two terrifying days.
As Lagos Island struggles to heal, the ashes on Martins Street stand as a painful reminder that behind every fire statistic are real people, broken homes, lost history, and families simply asking not to be forgotten.
