The management of the Kwara State University (KWASU) has suspended academic activities for one week to mourn its Vice Chancellor, Prof Muhammad Mustapha Akanbi (SAN).
The university announced Akanbi’s death on its Facebook page Sunday night, urging prayers for his family and the university. He was 51.
But according to the school’s registrar, Dr. Kikelomo Sallee on Monday, “a one week of mourning has been declared by the university.”
“All activities are hereby suspended in the University from today Monday November 21 till Sunday November 27, 2022 for us to mourn this immense loss
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“I urge everyone to put the wife, children and family of Professor Akanbi in prayers as well as the University and we pray Allah forgive his sins, widen his grave and grant him admission into jannatul Firdaus,” Sallee added in a statement.
Late Akanbi, it was gathered, died on Sunday night after a protracted illness at a private hospital in Lagos.
He will be buried today at GRA, Ilorin, the residence of his late father and former President of the Court of Appeal who was also pioneer chairman of the ICPC, Justice Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi (retd).
Although he had survived COVID-19, he had been flown abroad a few times in the last one year over an undisclosed illness.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described the VC’s death as “painful and shocking”, adding that he was a true and humble servant of Allah.
“He was a colossus who played the leading role to open a new chapter of academic excellence and greatness for KWASU”, AbdulRazaq said in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye.
Similarly, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari expressed sadness over Akanbi’s demise describing the incident as “shocking, unfortunate and saddening”.
The late VC became a professor at the age of 40 and was appointed Vice Chancellor at 49. He is a former Director of the University of Ilorin School of Preliminary Studies.
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