Recently, Pioneer Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi (rtd), relives his surgical experience after returning from a medical trip abroad. UMAR BAYO ABDULWAHAB reports.
Justice Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi, a former President, Court of Appeal and pioneer Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is a media delight any day, anytime. This is because he is always prepared to hit the nail on the head, no matter whose ox is gored. When he speaks, the power-that-be are always rattled.
But for some time now, he’s been off the public radar owing to some health challenges bordering on old age. And when he returned from the United Kingdom where he underwent surgery, the jurist made a public reappearance, and he never disappointed despite his fragility. But this time, he was recalling his face-to-face encounter with the angel of death (Azharailu).
Yes, the erstwhile anti-corruption czar is in his late 80’s, this however did not remove from him the activism as he articulated his experience before a bewildered audience, comprising seasoned academics, judges,lawyers, journalists and educationists among others, in Ilorin, his home town and capital city of Kwara state.
The occasion was a book exhibition, convened by him under the umbrella of his foundation, Mustapha Akanbi Foundation (MAF), to sensitise stakeholders,including parents, on the need to promote reading culture amongst Nigerians.
The exhibition followed the procurement of 10,000 book collection by the jurist in addition to the already existing collections. The books, according to him, were procured from the UK during his medical sojourn, with the intent of stocking a memorial library situated within the premises of the foundation, and named after his late loving and lovable wife,Hajia Munfa’atu Akanbi.
Though visibly weak, the jurist still looks radiant and full of life, with an expression of satisfaction and a life of self-fulfilment written all over his face.
Baba, as fondly called by all as a mark of reverence, expressed gratitude to Allah for sparing his life after undergoing a 9-hour surgical operation in London.
The encounter
In what he described as an “encounter with the Angel of death”, the soft-spoken incorruptible judge caught the rapt attention of his audience, who listened as he relived his surgical experience.
Following with keen interest, the “exclusive” audience in the sizable Hall of the Knowledge House, venue of the event, situated at his House No 6, Agba Dam Road, GRA, Ilorin, savoured from the wisdom and wise counsel of the sage.
The 9-hour operation, the Ghanaian trained jurist recalled, was ordinarily supposed to last for not more than five hours, saying he survived it by divine intervention. He said, those who saw what he went through told him that nobody ever survived such condition.
Reliving the effects of the surgery on him, Akanbi told his guests how difficult it was for him to recall past events as fast he used to do.
Citing an instance, he revelled his audience with a story of how one of his children writing a book, requested him to crosscheck some facts for him in a paragraph, which he said took him 40 minutes to remember. “It took me 40 minutes to now remember what I can recall in 5 minutes, though my doctor said my recovery is going to be gradual.”
Akanbi said he believes Allah spared his life to enable him realise his dream of immortalising his wife through the project he had embarked on shortly after her demise, hence the inspiration.
The former ICPC boss said he decided to speed up the project “after I had an encounter with Azarayilu, (Angel of Death). I believe God wanted me to finish this project that is why I am alive today”, a confession the audience greeted with a loud chant of Allahu Akbar (Allah is great).
Challenge to the affluent
While commenting on the exhibition, Justice Akanbi stressed the need for the affluent to invest in meaningful ventures that will benefit the society, rather than amassing unnecessary wealth,saying “we cannot continue to depend on government for everything.”
He said the project was being financed from his little resources as a way of promoting scholarship, assuring that “it is going to be a public library where everyone can come and access materials.
“Today, my children know what they will inherit and what they cannot inherit, they cannot inherit knowledge platform, they cannot inherit Mustapha Akanbi Foundation. “
Words for treasury looters
Though, the occasion was supposed to be a book exhibition, but in his usual element, the former ICPC boss also used the opportunity to remind corrupt Nigerians who have looted public resources that Allah’s judgement awaits them in the hereafter .
“Let those people who think they can steal our money and get away with it not die, because if they die, God will ask them to account for it”, he admonished.
The Knowledge Platform
The platform is a creation of the Akanbi family as a foundation, established to promote knowledge and scholarship . The outfit, which houses a central mosque, library and archive, was established by the former ICPC boss to immortalise the late matriarch.
The permanent structure of the library, situated within the foundation’s premises, is currently under construction and at an advanced stage.
The knowledge platform, according to its coordinator, D. Usman Oladipupo Akanbi, has received from the family’s patriarch, his “100-year-old hand written Qur’an” as donation to the library.
Celebration of family legacy
Expectedly, the book fair which attracted dignitaries from far and near, had in attendance members of the academia, judiciary, education, as well as friends, families and relations of the Akanbis.
Speaking at the events, former National President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Wale Okediran, described the event as a “celebration of family legacy”.
He said while many influential Nigerian families would squander their resources, building mansions which they might not live in their entire life, the Akanbis chooses to promote knowledge and scholarship.
“It is very uncommon to find a family that is devoting its little resources to the promotion of scholarship. What we usually see in Nigeria are people squandering a lot of money building mansion”, he said.
Probably concerned on what becomes of the project in future, the former ANA president, while expressing optimism that the project “will outlive Baba” also hoped that “it will become a family tradition”.
And in a swift reaction, Baba interjected and quickly allayed the fears of the public when he declared that “it is going to be a public library where everyone can come and access materials. Today, my children know what they will inherit and what they cannot inherit. They cannot inherit knowledge platform, they cannot inherit Mustapha Akanbi Foundation.”
Living a Spartan life all through, the jurist’s latest decision to further immortalise his wife, even in his old age, is a mark of dedication and manifestation of appreciation to the memory of the late matriarch.
Besides, It is quite astonishing that even on his sick bed, the bearded elder statesman, was still concerned about how to positively touch the lives of the society, a decision some members of the audience described as a rare demonstration of uncommon service to humanity.
