TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR MUHAMMED MUSTAPHA AKANBI SAN

Date: 2022-11-24

I am late in writing this tribute (about 76hrs late) because I have been living in denial. I had been hoping that the news of MM's death is a hoax and that it would be refuted. I am away somewhere in East Africa when the occurence occurred. Having interrogated the concept of death severally in the past, I never contemplated that the Angel of Death will visit MM so soon at 51.

Am I crying? No, I am not. I have witnessed and read so much about death and the after effect it leaves in the family and society. It is just that my face is wet with hot tears, because I can now understand the passion and anguish on MM's face the last time I was with him in his office in August and the excitement in his weak voice when I spoke with him on phone in October, informing him about the positive resolution of previously intractable MLS problem as well as the approval of commencement of Medical degree programme by the NUC!
Looking back, I can now testify that Professor Akanbi seemed to have a premonition that he may not complete his 5- yr term as Vice- Chancellor which would have been due in April, 2025. He was so much in a hurry to impact a definitive culture on Kwara State University. Few examples of actions taken within his short reign at KWASU include: reform of the lyrics of the music for the university anthem, thereby making listening to it, heart- moving; introduction of a definitive way of conducting Inaugural lectures; delivering a First Class Convocation ceremony, in line with Keffi Declaration of the Association of Vice- Chancellors of Nigerian Universities; engineering production of a new Strategic Plan (2022 - 2027) and commencement of its gradual implementation; revolutionizing administrative set- up at Council, Management, Faculty and sub- set levels; introduction of Green Campus initiative; engendering a new lease of inter- personal and inter- group relationship; broadening of academic activities with introduction of new programmes; according due respect to all persons as humans irrespective of their positions in life; working hard to correct past errors and administrative shenanigans; engagement of Alumni and pro- active resolution of potential student problems; real time sanctioning of erring staff and students; bending over backward if he is made to realize that he took what appears as 'harsh' decision on any matter, especially concerning matters of discipline; and so on and so on and so on (too numerous to attempt listing here). He was fond of saying that a number of his initiatives will mature long after he must have left KWASU, but we did not know that he was predicting his premature(?) leaving not only KWASU, but the world itself.

In fact, in retrospect, I now have reasons to believe that the last birthday ceremony he organized was his way of saying ADIEU to us. He said some things on that day that are now indicative of somebody who suspects that his end is near.

His immediate family, his friends and KWASU community should take solace in the fact that his 51 years on earth and 32 months as KWASU Vice- Chancellor is so IMPACTFUL, so much so that his Legacy is already stamped on the sand of time.

Bye Bye, our brother, our friend, our Vice- Chancellor.

From: Professor Musbau A. Akanji, FAS

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Kwara TV     Durbar Festival     Eruku     Funmilayo Zubair     Yunus Oniboki     Kupchi Hosea Maxwell     Sanitation Exercise     Isiaka AbdulRazaq     Pilgrims Board     Suleiman Mora Omar     Halidu Danbaba     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Toyin Abdullahi     Folorunsho Erubu     Muhammad Yahya     Kwara State Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Abioye Bello     Mohammed Saidu     Binta Abubakar-Mora     Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria     Sidikat Alaya     Yetunde Balogun     Ayinde Oki     Dunmade     JUSUN     Bisi Kristien     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Owu Fall     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     Jani Ibrahim     JAAC     Ohoro Of Shao     Aro Yahaya     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Okeose Christian Cementary     Afusat Nike Ibrahim     Senate Presidency     Yusuf Aiyedun     Buari Edun     Javed Khan     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Adesoye College     TVC Female National Debate     Osinbajo     Zubair Folorunsho Erubu     Abdulfatai Baakini     Adeleke Ogungbe     Medinat Folorunsho Salman     Government House     Aiyedun     Durbar     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Abdullahi Atanda     Oyun     Ado Ibrahim     Ganmo     Sadiq Umar     Monthly Sanitation     Abdulrazaq Aiyelabegan     Face Masks     Abubakar Baba     Gobir     All Peoples Party     Forgo Battery     AbdulRauf Keji     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     N-Power     LEAH Charity Foundation     Share/Tsaragi     Adeniyi Ojo     Gbenga Olawepo     Ishaq Oloyede     Lai Mohammed     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Joseph Daudu     Reuben Paraje    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Mohammed Haruna     Samari     Odolaye Aremu     Ahmed     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Suleiman Mora Omar     Khadijat Ayoola Yusuf     Hassan Abdulazeez Elewu     Elections     Saheed Popoola     Ebola     Kumbi Titiloye     Kale Belgore     Tuesday Assayomo     NIRSAL     GAMA     Haleeman Salman     Salihu Yahaya     EFCC     Musa Yeketi     Idofin     Atiku     Yemi Sanni     Abdulwasiu Bolaji Adeyi     Salihu Ajibola Ajia     Ilorin Emirate     Bluenile Associates     Forgo Battery Company Limited     Pilgrims Board     Abdulrasheed Akogun     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Adaramaja     Olomu     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Muhammed Danjuma     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     IFK     Abdulkareem Alabi     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Federal Road Maintenance Agency     Sadiq Buhari     High Court     Patigi Regatta     Mahe Abdulkadir     Elekoyangan     Congress For National Consensus     Lucky Omoluwa     Zainab Abass     Bilikisu Oniyangi     GRA     Ali Ahmad     Makama     Isapa     Sunday Fagbemi     ARMTI     Olabode George Towoju     3MTT     Baaziki Sulaiman     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Seni Saraki     Abdulmumini AbdulRazaq     Kulende     Funmilayo Mohammed     Shonga     KWACOBPA     Niyi Ogundiran     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Park     Isiaq Khadeejah     Yusuf Aiyedun     Salami Adekunle     Kwara State Geographic Information Service     Kunle Suleiman     Sulaiman Gado     LABTOP     Hamid Bobboyi