By Is’haq Babatunde
It is exactly 90 days today Monday, 20th of February, 2023 that our beloved late Vice Chancellor of the Kwara State University, Prof. Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi SAN left for the world beyond. Though he has left this sinful world, he left an indelible mark that will forever remain a reference point for the current and incoming generations to take cue from.
Prof. Akanbi’s memory will continue to linger in our hearts. He worked assiduously to put smile on the faces of people around him, especially the indigent members of the society.
The forthcoming fasting period (Ramadan) reminds me of his annual kind gesture to the needy. He had been doing that several years back before he became the KWASU Vice Chancellor despite limited resources. As his Personal Assistant, I was privileged to oversee the distribution of his Ramadan gifts in the last three years (2020,2021, and 2022). The items distributed were very voluminous. The materials included cartons of milk, bags of rice and Semovita, cartons of sugar, and cash donations.
Aside Ramadan gifts, late Prof. Akanbi was known for periodic distribution of food stuff and cash donations from his monthly income. Those who were close to my late boss will attest to this fact. Even when he was on sick bed in Lagos, October last year, he gave me money to distribute to selected less privileged in the society as well as low income earners in KWASU like cleaners and security agents.
May Allah accept his return and make all the above efforts abundantly rewarded on the day of resurrection and take good care of the family he left behind.
It is utterly cleared that death is inescapable, no one, irrespective of social and economic status, and no mater long life one enjoys on the surface of the earth, one can not escape the finality of death. What is more important is to make a good name because of posterity.
