TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR MUHAMMED MUSTAPHA OLARONGBE AKANBI SAN
By Sunday Ojo
I find it so difficult to refer to you sir as late, it is indeed too hard for me to come to terms with the reality of your demise my boss tuned friend, brother and cheerleader. I wet my pillow every night since the news of your exit filtered in to my ears on the evening of Sunday the 20th of November. A day that I will remember for a very long time.
It was with mixed feelings that I, like many others, received your announcement as the second substantive Vice Chancellor of our beloved KWASU on the 1st of April, 2020. Given the peculiarity of the financial status and operational model of KWASU, we felt that the leadership of the institution should emerge from within. Our fears were the possibility of losing all the grounds that we have covered over the years, particularly in entrepreneurship and community development, stable academic calendar and quality of manpower amongst others
Therefore, I took it upon myself to do a background check of the person and character of this young Egghead and a member of the Inner Bar. Interestingly, your CV was highly impressive and so was the testimony of how strong a character you were. Everyone that I talk to about you spoke glowingly about your person, character and attitude. Despite how glowing those responses were, I later found out within months of your administration that the respondents were actually miserly with words. You were far better than what was said about you. Then I recalled the words of our first Vice Chancellor, Professor AbdulRasheed NaAllah, as he would often say, KWASU is destined for greatness, the one that will come after me will outperform me. You turned out to be that amazing individual. A man eager to make a difference in all sphere of life of KWASU. A great team player, a motivator, a slave driver that is a slave himself. A leader that really knows how to feel the pulse of his followers. Thank you for the rebranding of KWASU. Thank you for giving both students and alumni reasons to believe and love their school. Thank you for your commitment to making KWASU graduates total individuals that have all the skill sets required to compete fovourably anywhere on the globe.
Professor Akanbi, you were a bridge builder, an epitome of handwork, a symbol of love, humility, kindness, and uprightness; an embodiment of wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Your wise counsels, warm affection, benevolence, openness, and forthrightness the world will miss greatly. Your concern for the welfare and wellbeing of all has no match. Thank you for bringing smile to the faces of many, thank you for restoring the dignity of many, thank you for being an omo oluwabi that restored hope to the hopeless. Your audacity to deer was contagious, thank you for igniting the fire and passion for success in us. Thank you for giving customized attention to each member of your team.
Sir, my first contact with you was on Friday 1st of May, 2020 at about 10.30 am. I was tensed and apprehensive but full of admiration for you given your simplicity and calmness. I guess you could sense how uneasy I was. I introduced myself as Sunday Ojo and you responded with so much cordiality that melted the ice. In your words, we don’t know if this Sunday can dance and I responded, if this Sunday sees beautiful beat, he will dance. Thank you, sir, for providing so much loud and symphonic beats through your trust and confidence in me and many others. Thank you for the great future that you envisioned for KWASU. You are indeed a goal getter.
To the wife and the entire family of our beloved Vice Chancellor, our prayers are with you at this time more than ever before. May the Lord God preserve and protect you, send help from above, sustain the legacies of our beloved M.M., and rebuke all evil from you. To the entire university community, let us take courage and be strong, the onus is now on us to make him proud by fulfilling his lofty dreams and hopes for KWASU to which he gave his all includig himself.
Adieu Professor M.M. Akanbi, a great man of faith and passion.
Sunday Ojo, Ph.D
Ag. Director,
Centre for Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training,
Kwara State University, Malete.
