Exactly six years ago, on April 1st, 2020, an announcement sparked a wave of curiosity across our academic community. Given the date, many wondered whether the appointment of Professor Mustapha Akanbi, SAN (1971-2022), as the Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU) was an "April Fool" prank. I remember confirming the news to a senior colleague, pointing to the official credence of the government's statement. For me, that day didn't just mark a change in university leadership; it brought into my world a man who would become a brother, a mentor, and a friend.

Today, as I reflect on that date, I am struck by how time flies and how deeply the "net worth" of our university was enriched during his brief but brilliant stint.

I only knew "Oga" for two and a half years, but that was enough time to witness a visionary at work. From our very first meeting at the Sango Office, where he delayed a high-level meeting just to give me his rapt attention, it was clear that he was a leader who valued people over protocols. He was pleasantly cordial, affable, and possessed a rare courage to drive reforms.

In the short time he held the reins at Malete, he fundamentally redefined our identity as "The Green University for Community Development and Entrepreneurship." He didn't just talk about change; he engineered it. From securing NUC accreditations for the Medical degree program to standardizing our administrative structures and birthing the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, his footprints are ingrained in the very soil of this institution.

Beyond the academic milestones, he was a servant leader. He boasted about the quality of KWASU's manpower, talent-hunted with precision, and acted as a mediator who harmonized our trade unions. He sang the university anthem with a passion that was soul-stirring, gesticulating with a power that moved everyone in the room. He was as quick to provide a "Students Park" for relaxation as he was to enforce discipline against misconduct.

His life was a lesson in humility and objectivity. I recall how he insisted on placing Justice Kawu before his own illustrious father, Justice Akanbi, in my book Kwara Icons, simply because it was the fair and respectful thing to do within the legal hierarchy. That was M.M. for you eminently fair and dispassionate.

As we mark this anniversary of his first day in KWASU, we remember a man who reached the peak of the legal and academic worlds at a young age (SAN & Prof.), yet never lost the common touch. He founded the MMGIVIT Charity Initiative because he was always thirsty to lift others.

His demise was a depletion in the net worth of our network, but his legacy remains our capital. April 1st is no longer a day for pranks, but a day to remember the beginning of an era of excellence. May the soul of our dear brother and Vice Chancellor, Professor Muhammed Mustapha Olaroungbe Aremu Akanbi SAN, continue to find rest in Al-Jannatul Firdaus. Amin.

Abdulwaheed Musa, PhD
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Kwara State University, Malete
April 1st, 2026