The Chairman of the Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, has expressed deep grief over the death of Justice Mustapha Akanbi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Akanbi was the Pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Commission (ICPC).
He died at the age of 85 years.
Ndoma-Egba in a statement on Thursday in Abuja commiserated with the immediate family of the deceased, the government and people of Kwara.
He urged them to be consoled by the virtues, integrity and patriotism of the late jurist.
Ndoma-Egba described the late Akanbi, also known as the Wakili of Ilorin, as an incorruptible, forthright and virtuous jurist whose rulings where hardly disputed while on the bench.
According to him, the during Akanbi’s tenure as Chairman of the ICPC, he fought corruption with uncommon passion, courage and sincerity of purpose.
“The late Justice Akanbi would be remembered for his contributions to the fight against impunity in the country.
“Justice Akanbi earned the love and respect of all for his fatherly love, integrity, righteous living and love for humanity, irrespective of your tribe, religious beliefs and status in life.
” Justice Akanbi’s legacies would be indelible in the hearts of Nigerians as an apt example of true and godly living,” he noted.
He eulogised the late Akanbi’s many contributions to the development of his immediate community and state in general.
The late Akanbi was elevated to the Court of Appeal in January 1977 and became President of the Court of Appeal in 1992 and voluntarily retired as President of the Court of Appeal in 1999, after a distinguished service period of 25 years.