TRIBUTE: Professor Muhammad Mustafa Akanbi, SAN By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa
He was quick to declare his support for Aluta, the progressive struggle of students against all oppressive tendencies. So I fell in love with him.
He came ordinarily as one with a silver spoon, an ajebuta or the privileged one. His father was at the time the incorrigible President of the Court of Appeal, a no nonsense jurist and later pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
But then I later got to meet Muhammed, MM as we call him. Very young, simple and unassuming. So very humble and even criticizing the status quo. He was quick to declare his support for Aluta, the progressive struggle of students against all oppressive tendencies. So I fell in love with him. He was a very handsome young man with the wisdom of an elder. He didn't carry on as a silver soon at all and he was ready and willing to go through all the rigors of academic life in Great Ife.
With his simple approach to life, he became the darling of all. Always punctual in class, MM was extremely very brilliant, never taking anything for granted. He was so much in love with me and BF (Aturu), so he would approach us to seek explanation for the reasons behind any particular students' struggle and once convinced (which was so in most cases), he would declare his open support and even go ahead to help recruit other students. So we became so very close throughout our university days.
The momentum of friendship deepened more when we got to the Law School in Lagos. Given his position, his father was then in his official quarters on Queens Drive, Ikoyi. MM would invite us to Ikoyi in the BQ and at times in the main house, to diner and to read and discuss academics. He had an open door policy and didn't discriminate against anyone at all. As a devoted Muslim, he was very principled but was very accommodating and detribalized. We finished Law School and he moved on to the academia, where he excelled gloriously.
MM had many firsts. He was our first classmate to bag professorship in Law, at a very tender age and he was also the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria in our set. MM loved helping and raising up others. When he got to know that I was applying for elevation, he came to me and took me through the rudiments and offered to help in any way. On the day of my swearing in, he even got to the Supreme Court hall ahead of me, fully robed in his SAN regalia, to honour me. The previous day, MM had mobilized Great Ife Law Alumni and all JLF (Just Law Forum) members in Abuja to treat me and my family to a sumptuous reception.
It was not a surprise when MM was announced as Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Ilorin. He quickly set out on revolutionary reforms in University and he had great plans to turn the place around within the shortest time. But death snatched him.
At the tender age of 52, MM was destined to reach the greatest height available but God loved him more.
Adieu great man of integrity, wisdom and intellect.
May God comfort your family, all JLF, your colleagues in the Inner and Outer Bars and the government and good people of Kwara State and grant you eternal rest.
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Aishat Sulu-Gambari Park Muhammed Danjuma Ayodele Shittu Kolawole Akande Earlyon Technologies Mohammed Ghali Alaaya Oke-Kura Abdullahi AbdulMajeed Moshood Kashimawo Abiola Tunji Folami Yusuf Ali Abdulquawiy Olododo Monthly Sanitation Saliu Shola Taofeek Chief Imam Of Ilorin Solomon Edoja Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye Bello Oyebanji Ilorin General Hospital Usman Yunusa Yoonus Lawal George Innih International Public Sector Accounting Standards Isau VADA Oyedun Juliana Funke Baboko Primary School Ministry Of Women Affairs And Social Development Vasolar Consortium Binta Abubakar-Mora Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Tunji Moronfoye KWASEIC Mansurat Amuda-Kannike Shoprite Ajibike Katibi Kola Adesina Lanre Aremu Abdulwahab Ololele Owu Fall Sidikat Alaya Yeketi N-Power AGF Abdulrazaq Babajide Ajayi Ojo Fadumila Reuben Paraje Kwara State University Of Education IYA YUSUF Balogin Alanamu Fatima Abolore Jimoh Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship Issa Oloruntogun Hamza Usman Adekunle David Dunmade Assayomo Olatunji Moronfoye NTA Ilorin AGILE Programme Association Of Kwara State Online Media Practitioners Taibat Ayinke Ahmed Esuwoye Owode Market Flights To Ilorin Olatunde Olukoya Saka Asiat Ayinke Umar Gunu Senate Presidency Tunde Yusuf Sheriff Shagaya Shagari JAAC IHS Mohammed Saidu Nigerian Correctional Service

