How I Found Peace in Islam — Asari Dokubo

Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, the Amanyanabo of Elem Kalabari, has spoken about his conversion to Islam, describing it as the outcome of a long personal and intellectual search for meaning.

The traditional ruler, also known as Da Amakiri Tubo, reflected on his religious journey, which began in a deeply Christian environment shaped by family influence and early exposure to worship.

According to him, his upbringing was rooted in strict religious routines led by his grandmother, Okukuba Wilkinson Dokubo Goodhead, whom he lived with as a child.

He said she maintained a daily prayer altar where the household gathered each morning, combining Anglican practices with traditional Kalabari Teke worship.

“She was a committed member of St Michael’s Church and also actively involved in Teke worship,” he said, noting that her religious life included participation in different prayer movements and gatherings across communities.

Dokubo-Asari described a childhood defined by constant religious activity, including daily devotions and songs rooted in local spiritual traditions. His grandfather, though he never met him, was also an Anglican catechist.

Despite this background, he said his personal inclination shifted early toward the Baptist denomination rather than Anglicanism.

“I can’t remember attending an Anglican Church on a Sunday while growing up,” he said.

He became deeply involved in church life, participating in youth programmes and eventually teaching Sunday school. Among those he mentored was Damiete Amachree, now a pastor at Agape Baptist Church in Obuama.

His religious engagement extended further through involvement with the Deeper Life Bible Church and leadership of the Students Christian Movement during his time at Baptist High School in Port Harcourt.

Despite his active participation across multiple Christian groups, Dokubo-Asari said he experienced a sense of inner dissatisfaction.

“I was very active, but I was empty,” he said.

He added that his eventual conversion to Islam marked a turning point, bringing what he described as clarity, discipline and peace after years of spiritual searching.