By Is’haq Babatunde
Today, Monday 20th of March, 2023, makes it exactly 120 days, equivalent of four months, that we sadly lost our beloved Prof. M.M. Akanbi SAN to the cold hands of death. The announcement of his passing shook the whole Nigeria and beyond. It came as a rude shock and received with great disbelief.
It is an undisputable fact that the late Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Prof. Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi SAN, of blessed memory, has gone out of our sights but never out of our hearts. There are many factors that keep his memory alive. His love for people around him, especially the less privileged in the society, as well as his exceptional philanthrophy towards people who came his way worth remembering. These and many other traits he possessed obviously stood him out as a loving, caring, and humane personality and a man of honour.
This year’s (2023) Ramadan brings fresh memory of Prof. Akanbi’s annual generosity through the doling out of Ramadan packages to people irrespective of social status. Some of his friends, relatives, including yours sincerely (his PA), were beneficiaries of his Ramadan goodies.
As a Personal Assistant to him from 2020 till 2022, when he answered the call of his creator, I am privy to the volume of food items distributed annually within and outside Ilorin, even to Fufu Community where he was Director, School of Preliminary Studies, University of Ilorin before joining KWASU as Vice Chancellor.
As if that was not enough, Prof. Akanbi brilliantly introduced the culture of hosting staff of KWASU during Ramadan. Aside 2020. This event featured staff of the institution and members of the community breaking their fasting in his official lodge, GRA, Ilorin. The feast was carefully and meticulously arranged on a regular basis, as staff members were invited category by category. Staff of KWASU are living witnesses to this auspicious event.
The train of this annual Ramadan get-together usually took off with the invitation of the Principal Officers followed by Deans and Directors, Unions, Alumni Association, Student Union, MSSN, Student Associations, Vice Chancellor’s office, University Drivers, as well as childhood friends and many more. Different days were set aside for each category.
It is a culture that was warmly received and acknowledged by the staff of the institution. It is surprising to know that Prof. Akanbi used his personal money for this kind gesture.
A very young and vibrant law teacher and administrator with zeal and commitment for community development, his footprints would remain indelible in the sand of time.
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