Mustapha Akanbi (jurist)

Muhammad Mustapha Adebayo Akanbi (11 September 1932 – 3 June 2018) was a Nigerian lawyer and judge, who served as President of the Nigerian Court of Appeal (1992–1999) and inaugural head of Nigeria's Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (2000–2005) before his death in 2018 at the age of 85. Quotes I am a believer in the unity of our country. Those agitating for secession say they are being marginalised or sidelined, but that is not a good reason to split Nigeria. We should be able to find a solution to the issue of marginalisation or whatever their reason is. I also believe that those engaging in agitations are the younger generation who are being misled. They did not witness the civil war where a lot of lives were lost. I was working in the Ministry of Justice at that time and some of us went for prosecution in Sokoto from Kano. A lot of people were killed even before the war when the Igbo wanted to declare Biafra under Chukwuemeka Ojukwu. But they eventually surrendered and Ojukwu ran away. His second in command, Philip Effiong, was the one who gave up and said Nigeria should remain one. Yakubu Gowon, who was the military head of state, accepted and said there was no victor, no vanquished. The Igbo suffered a lot during the war, so I don’t see any reason why we will be calling for Nigeria’s breakup. If you knew what happened during the war, you would not ask for a repeat. But I am happy that Igbo elders have seen reasons and have disassociated themselves from the agitators. I hope others would learn from them because our greatness lies in our unity. If they want restructuring, they can readjust, but not to go to the extent of wanting to leave Nigeria. The government will not allow them to do that because, as the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall.’’ Inasmuch as there is no appeal, the court is right until there is a contrary view about it. I understand that the people were going too far; the IPOB had started having their own police, which could be dangerous. I don’t want to use the word, terrorists. However, until the court of law decides otherwise, it is legally right. But if they are not happy, let them go to the court of law because there is always the right of appeal. Let us stop worshipping money. Because most of our leaders are worshipping money, they don’t give opportunities to people based on merit; hence they put round pegs in square holes. If we continue like that, it would not work. The best thing is for us to work together and be our brothers’ keepers. We should not only want everything to ourselves, children or family.