TRIBUTE: Professor Muhammad Mustafa Akanbi, SAN By Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa

Date: 2022-11-23

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.

Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Ibrahim Jawondo     Muritala Olarewaju     CACOVID Palliatives     Samari     Umar Bayo Abdulwahab     Yahaya A Paniyaro     Yusuf Lawal     Sabitiyu Grillo     Bayo Lawal     Ramat Oganija     Fulani     Sunset Workers     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Ilota     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Raimi Iyanda     AIT Ilorin     Salami Adekunle     Kemi Adeosun     Mansur Alfanla     Lola Olabayo     Timothy Akangbe     Moji Makanjuola     Crystal Corner Shops     Aliyu Adebayo     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Tafida Of Kaiama     Abdullah Janet Amudat     Garba Ayodele Wahab     Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq     Oke-Ode     Shonga     Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange     Ayobola Ipinlaiye     Kwasu     Sa\'adu Salahu     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Ilorin.Info     Bursary     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     Dasuki Belgore     Kassim Babamale     Elewu     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore     ITP     Ajia-Bako     EndSARS     Baboko Primary School     Isiaka Saka Opobiyi     Yahaya Seriki     UITH     Ilesha-Gwanara     Patience Jonathan     Federal Polytechnic Offa     Oba Sulaiman Asude     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Ministry Of Women Affairs And Social Development     Kwara State Pension Board     HYPPADEC     PharmAccess Foundation     Sheikh Ridhwanullah El-ilory     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     Muhammad Toyin Sanusi     Read With Me     Modibbo Kawu     Shero     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Femi Gbajabiamila     Yusuf Arowosaye     Iyaloja-General     David Oyedepo     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Afolasade Opeyemi Kemi     Deji Ajani     Mansurat Amuda-Kannike    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Nigeria Customs Service     Jamila Bio Ibrahim     Shuaibu Yaman     Arandun     Elelu     Wakilin Mata Lafiagi     Okeose Christian Cementary     Hijaab     Saka Aleshinloye     HICA     Bashir Badawi     Bolaji Gambari     Yusuf Lanre Badmus     Abdulrazaq Sanni     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Lanre Aremu     Amada Jidda     Yakub Ali-Agan     Tescom.kwarastate.gov.ng     Sidikat Akaje     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Jimoh Olusola Imam     BIR     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     Tunji Arosanyin     Salami Adekunle     Busari Alabi Alausa     Suleiman Ajadi     Kassim Babamale     Balikis Jawondo     SWAN     Abdulfatai Ahmed     Abdulmutalib Shittu     Hamza Usman     Revenue Court     Eleja Taiwo Banu     Okanlawon Taiwo     March 18     Ilorin South     Hajj     Kwara State Governor     Ijakadi     Oja-Oba     Erubu Oba Zubair     Manzuma     Surajudeen Akanbi     JAMB     AbdulHakeem Ajibola Akanbi     Adedayo Yusuf Abdulkareem     Galadiman Ngeri     Saka Isau     Rueben Parejo     Saka Abimbola Isau     Ishola Abdullahi     Ileloke     Dele Momodu     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Sunset Workers     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     Ilorin International Airport     Peter Obi     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Raji AbdulRasaq     Afonja Descendants Union     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Ibikunle Ogunleye     Oke-Ode     Kamaldeen Ajibade     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Toyosi Thomas     Isau     Christopher Odetunde     Olabanji Orilonishe     KwaraLearn     Taofik Abdulkareem