FROM VICTOR TO MUHAMMAD MUSTAPHA: THE ELDERLY IGBO BUSINESSMAN WHO FOUND ISLAM AND PEACE—By Muhawiyyah Ibrahim Akanji
At 62, Chief Muhammad Mustapha says he found “life and peace of mind” after embracing Islam
By Muhawiyyah Ibrahim Akanji
ABUJA - At an age when many people might consider themselves settled in the beliefs, habits and identity they have carried for decades, Chief Muhammad Mustapha Ekene Akunna, formerly known as Chief Victor Ekene Akunna, embarked on a profoundly personal journey that led him to Islam.
Born on April 22, 1964, and originally from Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta-Egbuoma in Imo State, Chief Muhammad Mustapha is an Igbo businessman who spent most of his life as a Christian.
On October 1, 2026, however, he made a decision that changed the direction of his life: he embraced Islam.
His story is not simply about changing a religious identity. It is the story of an elderly man who says he discovered peace, a new perspective on life and a desire to continue learning after finding Islam.
“I was so happy,” he said when describing how he felt after accepting Islam.
But his description of what he gained was even more striking:
“I found life and peace of mind.”
A JOURNEY THAT HAD BEEN BUILDING FOR YEARS
Chief Muhammad Mustapha's journey did not begin on the day he pronounced the Shahadah.
For years, he had maintained relationships with Muslims through friendship and business. He said some of his Moroccan and Turkish business associates had called him Mustapha for more than 20 years, even before he became a Muslim.
Three of his children also already had Muslim names.
Yet despite this familiarity with Muslims, his understanding of Islam was initially influenced by misconceptions.
He said that before embracing Islam, he had misunderstood the religion because of reports of terrorist attacks and the use of the phrase “Allahu Akbar” by people carrying out violence.
His understanding changed as he began to encounter Muslims and Islam more personally.
“I discovered Islam is peace and a way of life,” he said.
That discovery would eventually lead him to make one of the most significant decisions of his life.
THE FRIENDSHIP THAT OPENED ANOTHER DOOR
A significant part of Chief's journey involved his friendship with Senator Muhammad Dauda FCT coordinator for the Nigerian Youth Alliance for Tinubu.
The two first met through an APC programme in Maitama, Abuja. Chief recalled that the programme was followed by another occasion when he invited Senator Dauda to the Tinubu Progressive Advocates programme, a support group founded by him.
Their relationship was cordial.
But according to Chief, it was Senator Dauda's character that eventually made a lasting impression on him.
He recalled that Senator Dauda would sometimes jokingly ask him whether he would like to become a Muslim.
The question may have sounded casual, but Chief already had an interest in Islam.
The friendship therefore became one of the channels through which an interest that had existed for some time began to develop.
THE DAY HE ENTERED THE NATIONAL MOSQUE
One of the experiences that particularly influenced Chief occurred when he was attending a programme and passed by the National Mosque in Abuja.
He had an interest in entering the mosque.
Senator Dauda took him there.
What he encountered was a warm reception, an experience that challenged some of the misconceptions he had previously held.
For Chief, the visit became another important step towards understanding Islam.
He later described his decision as something that had been waiting for its appointed time.
His acceptance of Islam was ultimately a personal decision.
OCTOBER 1: A NEW CHAPTER
On October 1, 2026, Chief Muhammad Mustapha embraced Islam in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
He pronounced the Shahadah and was subsequently taken to a masjid, where he performed ghusl.
The moment, he said, brought him happiness.
There was no elaborate description of the event. Instead, his words were simple:
“I was so happy.”
Asked what was most significant about the experience, he replied:
“I found life and peace of mind.”
For an elderly man who had spent decades as a Christian, it was the beginning of a completely new chapter.
FROM VICTOR TO MUHAMMAD MUSTAPHA
His new name also carries a story.
According to Papa, the name Mustapha had already been given to him by his Moroccan and Turkish business friends.
The name Muhammad was later given to him by the Mallam Ya'qub connected with his conversion, Senator Muhammad Dauda.
Thus, Victor Ekene Akunna became known as Muhammad Mustapha Ekene Akunna.
For him, the change was more than a name. It marked the beginning of a new religious journey.
“MY HAPPINESS IS MY OWN HAPPINESS”
Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of Chief's story is the fact that he describes his decision as entirely personal.
“My happiness is not for anybody; it's a self-happiness,” he said.
His family, he explained, knew him as someone who makes his own decisions. They therefore accepted his decision.
He said his friends were happy, his family was also happy, and even his wife, who is a white woman, accepted his decision positively.
He said he experienced no particular challenge after embracing Islam.
That acceptance allowed him to begin his new life as a Muslim without the family conflict that many converts fear.
AN IGBO ELDER AMONG MUSLIMS
As an Igbo man, Chief's journey also connects with the wider story of Igbo Muslims in Nigeria.
After embracing Islam, he was introduced to members of the Igbo Muslim community at the National Mosque.
He said the reception he received went beyond ethnicity.
Muslims generally embraced him and showed him love when he introduced himself.
That sense of brotherhood has become an important part of his early experience as a Muslim.
And he is already beginning to share that experience with others.
Chief said he has invited one of his friends towards Islam.
A STUDENT AGAIN
Perhaps one of the most encouraging aspects of Chief's story is his willingness to become a student again.
He has purchased a translated Qur'an and said he is learning and practising “small small” - gradually, step by step.
He has also enrolled in the New Muslim Class at the Abuja National Mosque.
On October 18, 2026, he attended Jumu'ah at the National Mosque.
His journey, however, has not been without things to learn.
He identified language as one of his challenges.
He is also learning about Islamic manners, the appropriate interaction between Muslim men and women, and the importance of modesty.
But rather than being discouraged, he sees these as matters to learn and understand.
“ISLAM IS NOT A DIFFICULT RELIGION”
Asked what has had the greatest impact on his life since becoming Muslim, Chief responded:
“I learned that Islam is not a difficult religion.”
He said he has experienced peace of mind and now takes life more simply.
For someone who once associated Islam with images of terrorism and violence, this change in perception has been profound.
He now wants people to understand Islam through its authentic teachings rather than through the actions of people who misuse its name.
He believes that people who commit violence while claiming Islam should not be allowed to define the religion itself.
A MESSAGE TO MUSLIMS
Chief's message is not directed only at those outside Islam.
He also has advice for Muslims.
He believes Muslims should have conscience in their hearts and fear Allah in everything they do.
His advice to younger people is straightforward:
“They should fear Allah in whatever they do.”
His own experience has also made him reflect on the value of being a Muslim.
He believes that some Muslims may not fully appreciate the blessing they have because they were born into Islam and have lived with it all their lives.
For someone who has discovered Islam later in life, that blessing appears particularly precious.
WHY I CHOSE TO TELL HIS STORY
I decided to document Chief Muhammad Mustapha's journey because I happened to be a friend of Senator Muhammad Dauda, through whom I came to meet Chief.
I was informed that he had recently embraced Islam.
But what caught my attention was not merely the fact that an elderly man had become Muslim.
It was his commitment.
As I observed him, I saw a man who was serious about his new faith. He was seeking knowledge, connecting with Muslims, learning the Qur'an and taking practical steps to understand his religion.
I thought to myself:
This is a story that should be told.
There are people around the world who may have an interest in Islam but are afraid.
Some fear losing their friends.
Some fear losing family relationships.
Some fear losing business connections.
Some fear what society will say.
Some are simply afraid of taking the first step.
Chief's story shows that the journey to the truth can come at any stage of life.
His story also carries a message for Muslims who were born into Islam.
Sometimes, we possess a blessing so continuously that we forget its value.
We have the Qur'an.
We hear the adhan.
We have the masjid.
We know how to pray.
We identify ourselves as Muslims.
Yet someone who discovers Islam later in life may look at those same blessings with a completely different level of appreciation.
That is another reason I felt this story should be published.
Perhaps someone searching for Islam will read it and gain courage.
Perhaps someone who is already Muslim will read it and become more grateful.
Perhaps someone who has taken Islam for granted will stop and reflect.
And perhaps future generations will learn from the experience of an elderly man who, after decades of life, decided to follow what he believed to be the truth.
“ALLAH GAVE US EVERYTHING FOR FREE”
At the heart of Chief's reflection is a simple but powerful thought.
When asked about what motivated the story and why he believes people should think seriously about their relationship with Allah, his reasoning was straightforward:
Allah has given us everything for free so why should we not worship Allah?
The question carries a profound message.
Life itself is a gift.
Our ability to breathe is a gift.
Our health, families Muhammad Mustapha, the recognition of those blessings has become part of his understanding of why mankind should turn towards the One who created and provides for them.
A MESSAGE FOR THOSE SEARCHING
Chief's advice to those interested in Islam is direct:
Embrace Islam sincerely and allow Islam to reflect in your behaviour.
He wants people to understand that Islam should not be judged by terrorism or by people who misuse the name of Islam.
He wants people to study Islam for themselves.
And he wants Muslims to understand that carrying the name of Islam comes with responsibility.
A STORY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Chief does not want his story to remain within his immediate circle.
He wants it to spread across the globe and serve as a lesson for generations yet unborn.
His journey is still at its beginning.
He is still learning Arabic.
He is still learning the Qur'an.
He is still learning how to pray and understand the Sunnah.
He is still discovering the depth of the religion he has chosen.
But perhaps that is what makes his story so powerful.
At 62, he has become a student again.
A businessman.
An elderly Igbo father.
A new Muslim.
And a man who says he has found peace of mind.
His journey reminds us that guidance can come at any age and that no sincere search for truth should be dismissed.
A PRAYER FOR CHIEF MUHAMMAD MUSTAPHA
May Allah, the One who guided Chief Muhammad Mustapha to Islam, keep his heart firm upon His religion.
May Allah increase him in iman, knowledge and certainty.
May Allah make the Qur'an the light of his heart and the Sunnah the guide of his life.
May Allah make his learning easy, bless his efforts and surround him with righteous companions.
May Allah protect him from every form of misguidance and trial.
May Allah bless his family, his health and his remaining years.
May Allah reward Senator Muhammad Dauda and everyone who sincerely contributed to his journey.
And may Allah grant Chief Muhammad Mustapha a beautiful ending upon Islam and īmān.
اللَّهُمَّ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبَهُ عَلَى دِينِكَ، وَزِدْهُ إِيمَانًا وَيَقِينًا، وَارْزُقْهُ الْعِلْمَ النَّافِعَ وَالْعَمَلَ الصَّالِحَ، وَأَحْسِنْ خَاتِمَتَهُ.
O Allah, keep his heart firm upon Your religion, increase him in faith and certainty, grant him beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds, and grant him a beautiful ending.
Ameen, yaa Rabb al-Alameen.
“Allah gave us everything for free. Why won't we worship Allah?”
For Papa Muhammad Mustapha, that question is not merely a statement.
It is the beginning of a new chapter.
