-Buhari, Saraki, Atiku, Tinubu, others mourn
Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara, the State of Harmony, yesterday stood still following the demise of the pioneer chair, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Off ences Commission, and first Wakilin Ilorin, Justice Mohammad Adebayo Mustapha Akanbi.
At about 2.30, the remains of the former President, Court of Appeal, were lowered into the grave at his Ilorin GRA residence, with the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Salihu Bashir, leading the Janazah prayer that preceded internment.
And for the children, they saw his mortal end some five days ago as the octogenarian could barely eat, but placed on oxygen for survival.
In a brief prayer after the burial rites, the Chief Imam of Ilorin prayed Allah to receive Justice Akanbi as His true servant.
He expressed delight that the late jurist led a virtuous and righteous life, urging Nigerian leaders across board to emulate his simple life style and exemplary conduct “through which he impacted positively on the lives of numerous people.” We saw it coming- Akanbi’s first child Speaking on the last moment of their late father, Akeem, the first child, recalled that they(the children) saw it coming.
He said: “I was with him till 10 pm yesterday (Saturday) but he was no longer withus at that moment.
For not eat anything.
He was placed on oxygen.
We all saw it coming, he saw it coming, we saw it coming but no one wanted him dead.
“And that is why those of us that are in Abuja came around to stay with him.
I have been in Ilorin in the last three weeks.” On his legacies, Akeem, a director in the Court of Appeal, Abuja , said the greatest challenge before the family is how to sustain the legacies left behind by their father.
He said throughout the life of the octogenarian, he never for once put the name of the family into shame or disrepute.
“He died a great man ,we pray that we will be able to keep the flag flying.
At no point that our family name was put to shame.
He died a contented man,” Akeem added.
Tributes Also speaking in the same vein, Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN, said, “my last moment with him was less than 24 hours; we were with him in the hospital till around 4:30 pm .
He saw us except that he could not speak to us.
I perceived that as we were leaving his bedside, his eyes were rolling and he was looking at us as we were leaving.
At that moment, we knew he was trickling away.” Saraki, Ahmed, Emir, Others Mourn Akanbi Kwara state governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed, in his condolence message, described as shocking and devastating the passing away of the pioneer ICPC chair.
The message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, said the state and indeed Nigeria has lost a rare gem, philanthropist and revivalist.
“Justice Akanbi’s years in the bench as an incorruptible judge, his stint at ICPC, struggle for good governance and involvement in community services would remain indelible in the history of Nigeria,” Ahmed said.
In his own message, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Traditional Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, expressed sadness over the death of the jurist.
In the message signed by the National Secretary of Shehu Alimi Foundation for Peace and Development, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, the emir described the late Akanbi as an incorruptible judicial officer who served the nation without blemish.
“We have lost a rare gem in the Ilorin Emirate and nation at large.
The history of judicial system in Nigeria would not be complete without adequate reference to the tremendous contributions of the late Wakili of Ilorin.
We were together in the judiciary at different point in time up to the Court of Appeal.
“I can vouch for him anywhere because he was such an indefatigable personality whose major interest was nation-building, uprightness, preservation of professional ethics among other salient features of a worthy ambassador,” the monarch recalled.
Similarly, Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr.
Ali Ahmad, described Justice Akanbi as one of the best judges ever produced by the Nigeria judiciary.
A condolence message issued by the Speaker’s Special Assistant on Media, Shuaib Abdulkadir, said the late jurist was an icon of Nigeria’s judiciary, stressing that his demise was a collosal loss to the nation.
The Speaker noted that the jurist was acknowledged for his deep knowledge of law, describing him as a disciplined personality and an incorruptible jurist per excellence.
In a similar tribute, APC national spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Akanbi’s passage is a painful and irreplaceable loss to the Ilorin Emirate, Kwara state and Nigeria as a whole.
He described the late Akanbi as a man of peace, integrity and honour who, as a lawyer and judge, contributed greatly to the development of Nigeria’s legal system.
Others who also paid glowing tributes to the legal giant include an APC chieftain, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Kehinde Eleja, SAN and a host of others who said, he will be sorely missed by all.
The roll call A crowd of sympathisers at the GRA residence of the foremost jurist include; Kwara state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, a retired President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, pioneer Grand Kadi of Kwara state, Justice AbdulKadir Orire, Kwara state’s Chief Judge, Justice Sulyman Kawu, Mallam Yusuf Ali, Oba Adelodun Salman, Kehinde Elena, Saka Isau all SANs , and the state Grand Kadi, Justice Ola AbdulKadir.
Others are; former Grand Kadis in the state, Imam Oba Fulani, AbdulMutalib Ambali and Solihu Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, JAMB’s Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, Vice Chancellors of the University of Ilorin, Kwara state University, Malete, Al- Hikmah University; Professors Sulymam AbdulKareem, AbdulRasheed Na’ Allah and Ibrahim Taofi k, respectively.
Also in attendance were former Kwara Chief Judge, Justice Raliat Elelu- Habeeb, Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Mas’ud Elelu, former minister of Transport, Bio Ibrahim, former Speaker, Kwara House of Assembly, Babatunde Mohammed, members of the state executive council, and prominent Islamic scholars from far and near.
