Unilorin VC, NUJ, Kwara Speaker, Mourn KWASU VC

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has commiserated with the government and people of Kwara State on the death of the Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Prof. Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi, SAN, who died on Sunday evening after a brief illness.

In a statement signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Mr Kunle Akogun, Prof. Egbewole described the death of Prof. Akanbi as tragic and a colossal loss not only to KWASU and the University of Ilorin but to the entire humanity.

Prof Egbewole said that he received the death of Prof. Akanbi with utter disbelief and profound confusion because no one would have expected such a young, brilliant and energetic gentleman to die so soon.
Prof. Egbewole recalled that he shared so many things with his departed colleague, saying that apart from attending the same Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife with him, they both joined the services of the University of Ilorin about the same time.

The distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence and International Law added that he and the late KWASU Vice Chancellor also became Professors at the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin on the same date and were also elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on the same date.

Prof. Egbewole opined that Prof. Akanbi was a diligent and exciting academic and administrator who contributed greatly to the progress of the UNILORIN’s Law Faculty and the University of Ilorin as a whole, recalling that his days as Head of Department, Ag. Dean and the Director, School of Preliminary Studies, among other positions he held, were full of great achievements.

The UNILORIN Vice Chancellor also recalled that the late Prof Akanbi’s services at KWASU would also be remembered in the realm of exemplary leadership and the recent approval of several new courses, particularly Medicine and Surgery, saying that KWASU has lost a reformer.

Prof. Egbewole added that all that Prof. Akanbi achieved in his 51 years of sojourn on earth have earned him immortality and would always place him in the comity of those who actually came, saw and conquered, saying that though it is always the wish of every mortal to live to old age,the life of Prof. Akanbi had proven that it is not always how long one lives but how well.

Prof. Egbewole, who also commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari,
CFR, and KWASU Management as well as the nation’s legal community, urged the family, Faculty of Law, Unilorin and KWASU who are bereaved to take solace in the fact that though the life of the eminent legal luminary was short he lived a life worthy of emulation as his life was full of service to Allah and humanity.

The Vice Chancellor prayed Allah to overlook the shortcomings of Prof. Akanbi and admit his soul into Al-Janat fridouz and also grant all the bereaved the fortitude to bear the huge loss.

Also, The Kwara State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed grief over the death of the Vice-Chancellor, Kwara State University, Malete, Professor Muhammed Mustapha-Akanbi (SAN).

It described the transition of the varsity administrator as heartbroken, painful and utterly shocking with disbelief.

This was contained in a statement issued in Ilorin today by the state NUJ Chairman, Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed and Secretary, Omotayo Ayanda.

The NUJ noted that the demise of Professor Akanbi came at a time that his vision to turn around the fortunes of the state owned university had begun to manifest.

The union recalled that the late KWASU boss was very modest in his blueprint upon assumption of office as the second substantive vice-chancellor with clear cut areas of focus to make the university one of the best among its contemporaries.

The NUJ added that Professor Akanbi, a one-time Chairman, Ilorin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), would be remembered for his colossal contributions to scholarship and legal education locally, nationally and internationally.

The union maintained that though the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) died when his services were most needed in building an egalitarian society for all, it accepted his transition with equanimity.

The NUJ prayed to the Almighty God for the repose of the soul of KWASU vice-chancellor and comfort the university community and bereaved family he left behind.

Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Engr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu has also described the death of the Vice Chancellor, Kwara State University, KWASU Malete; Professor Muhammad Mustapha Akanbi SAN has as a colossal loss to the entire state and beyond.

Danladi-Salihu stated this while bemoaning the death of one of Nigeria’s youngest Vice Chancellors, Professor Akanbi SAN.

Rt. Hon. Engr. Danladi-Salihu who noted that Kwara has indeed lost one of her brightest minds prayed to Almighty Allah to comfort the immediate family of Professor Akanbi and grant the deceased Aljanat Firdaous.

“We are utterly shocked and devastated to learn about the death of our erudite and exceptional scholar of note in the person of Professor Muhammad Mustapha Akanbi, Senior Advocate of Nigeria who was until his death, the Vice Chancellor of our prestigious university, KWASU. Professor Akanbi exhibited precocious talent and achieved a whole lot in his fifty-one years on this planet earth, he climbed the peak of his professional and academic career at a very young age – becoming a full-fledged professor at the age of 41 and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN at 48”

“Professor Akanbi did his best at every point and post he found himself during his sojourn, the latest being his sterling performance at KWASU where he broke many grounds including the recent accreditation of Medicine and others for the state university, all these speak to his cerebral nature and a goal getter fellow. On behalf of the Kwara State House of Assembly, my sincere condolences to us all over this devastating loss, may Allah repose the soul of our erudite and exceptional Professor Muhammad Mustapha Akanbi, SAN.”