Kwara gov Abdulrazaq, NBA, others mourn KWASU VC Akanbi who died at 51

Eminent Nigerians and groups including the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Nigerian Bar Association have commiserated with the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, over the death of the institution’s vice chancellor, Prof Muhammed Mustapha Akanbi (SAN).

Akanbi died at the age of 51.
A statement from the university’s social media on Sunday night said the VC died in Lagos after a protracted illness.
“The sad event took place after a protracted illness. We urge all to remember the immediate and extended family and the University in prayers in this very trying time,” the post said.
Also in a condolence message by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Kwara governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, described as painful and shocking the death of Prof. Akanbi.
“We submit to the decree of Allah who gives and takes. It is against that backdrop that we mourn the vice chancellor who answered Allah’s call tonight. He was a true and humble servant of Allah and we beseech our God, the oft-forgiving and merciful, to grant him al-jannah Firdaus.
“The professor of law was a colossus who played the leading role to open a new chapter of academic excellence and greatness for KWASU. Our condolences go to his family, immediate and extended, to KWASU and the rest of the academic community, and to members of the bar and the bench in Kwara State and across the country,” the statement added.
Similarly, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, expressed sadness over the incident, adding that it was “quite shocking, unfortunate and saddening.”
The Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin, Ridwan Musa, said “The Janāzah prayer will be offered on his remains immediately after Salatul-‘Asr at his residence in Ilorin, on Monday.
Late Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi became a professor at the age of 40 years and was appointed as Vice Chancellor at 49.
The KWASU Registrar, Mrs Kikelomo Salle, in a statement issued in Ilorin Sunday said, “Burial arrangement will be announced soon.”
Prof. Akanbi was born to the family of late Hon. Justice Muhammed Mustapha Adebayo Ajao Akanbi and late Hajia Munfaatu Aduke Akanbi.
He hails from the Ile magaji Kemberi, Awodi, Gambari Quarters, Ilorin East, Kwara State.
He attended various primary and secondary schools across the country i.e Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Okigwe in Imo State. Prof Akanbi graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife with a Bachelor’s degree in law in the second class division in 1993.
Akanbi attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island Lagos, where he also bagged the second class upper division. He was called to bar in 1995.
During his service year in 1995 – 1996, Akanbi served the nation as a legal assistant in the legal unit of the Central Bank of Nigeria in Lagos.
Between March 1996 and 1998, he practised as a junior in the law firms of Wole Bamgbala & Co, Lagos, Olawoyin and Olawoyin, Lagos and Ayodele, ‘Gafar & Co, Ilorin respectively.
Prof Akanbi bagged a master’s degree in law (LLM) in 1998 from University of Lagos, Akoka. Between 2004 and 2006, he attended the prestigious Kings College, University of London, United Kingdom for his doctorate degree in law (Ph.D) which he bagged in a record time of two years.
During his doctorate programme, Akanbi also earned a Graduate Certificate (Non-award Route) in Academic Practice (GCAP), from the same university in 2005.
In August 1998, Akanbi joined the service of University of Ilorin as a lecturer 2 in the Department of Business law, faculty of law of the University. By dint of hard work and perseverance, he rose through the ranks and was appointed a Professor of Law in the Department of Business Law in October 2012.
In 2014, he was also appointed an adjunct professor of law at the Kings University College, Accra, Ghana for a period of one year.
In over two decades career period in the University of Ilorin, Akanbi had held several administrative positions, chief of which were: Sub-dean of the faculty of law, Head of Business Law Department, Faculty of Law, Postgraduate Representative, Senate member, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Deputy Director, Centre for Research Development and In-House Training (CREDIT) and Director, School of Preliminary Studies, Fufu, University of Ilorin.
Akanbi has over 60 national and International publications in reputable peer-review journals with a bias in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Arbitration Law.
Other research areas include conflict resolution laws, corporate management law and practice.
In 2017, Akanbi completed a BADEA-UNITAR Online Course on Private Sector Development (2017) with specialisation on Ease of Doing Business in Africa and was awarded a Certificate of Completion by Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and United Nations Institute for Training and Research (BADEA-UNITAR).
Akanbi has a number of cutting-edge and trans-disciplinary research projects and consultancy to his credit, some of which include: Lead researcher (2016- 2017), ‘Developing Interventions: Understanding Prosecutors’ Routine and Pretrial Practices’. (A research project involving 6 countries: USA, Mexico, South Africa, Ukraine, Poland and Nigeria) commissioned by the Open Society Justice Initiatives, New York.