How does it feel to be sixty years on God’s earth. Well, it depends on individuals. But for the average Nigerian, turning sixty is indeed an occasion to celebrate God’s mercy, grace and blessing. The reason is simple enough: according to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), current life expectancy in Nigeria stands at 56.05 year – and that is even situational. It is 50.8 years in the North-east.
Without a doubt, reaching 60 is a signal to start embracing every moment, cherishing every memory, and celebrating the incredible journey of one’s life.
It is a milestone to look back at the past six decades of laughter, love, experiences and wisdom – and to look forward to many more years of happiness and fulfillment surrounded by loved ones, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
And for family, friends and associates of the celebrant, it is a season to remind them of all the wonderful achievements and experiences that have shaped their remarkable life – and a celebration of all the years of making a difference in the lives of those around them.
For Professor Musibau Akintunde Akanni, reaching the ripe age of 60 years is indeed an incredible milestone to celebrate. The journey has been uneven, the effort focused and unrelenting, the lessons learnt in wisdom, strength and fortitude… and the harvest has been mercifully sumptuous and rewarding.
“Then which of your Lord’s favours will you… deny?”
Professor Akanni has been a true son of Nigeria and his life has – like most in his age group – been molded by the evolution of the modern Nigeria. A lifelong journalist, human rights and pro-democracy activist and university teacher, he had truly lived and contributed his quota in shaping the contours of the National life.
From his days in the newsroom as a reporter with the National Concord to his time at the barricades as a staff of the Civil Liberties Organization, Akanni had been at the frontline of the resistance to military rule. And he has the scars of battle to show for it (though mostly mental now in the form of memories).
Memories of playing cat and mouse with the security agents of the Abacha military junta intent on caging opposition voices. Memories of days cooped in the junta’s detention cells sharing dingy beds and miserable meals with other political detainees. Memories of late nights and early mornings holding meetings and implementing strategies to promote and support, well, civil liberties alongside activists such as Ayo Obe, Olisa Agbakoba, Ismail Ibraheem, Innocent Chukwuma and others.
These memories has indeed served in the making of an intellectual giant and the wisdom learnt could be seen in the public intervention essays and articles that Professor Akanni continues to regularly churn out of his fecund mind.
But beyond his public duties, perhaps Prof Akanni has been most successful in his private life where he has been an epitome of selfless service. A quintessential ‘opomulero’, he has continued to provide support and succour to anyone lucky enough to cross paths with him. And he does this with characteristic humility and fear of God.
A family man blessed with an understanding and supportive wife, Prof Akanni must have seen through college not less than 10 youngsters who are not his direct biological children. And several others are still being helped along. He is also a ready ear, heart – and purse – for family and friends in need of any of these. It is truly amazing how he does it.
One reason could be his abiding fealty to God and a strong faith in the teachings of Islam. Indeed, his life is a testament to the saying that “Hasbunallahu wa ni mal Wakeel” (Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.)
As he turns 60, it is uncertain how the time would change our brother and friend. But one can only deduce that the change can only be for the better. For most, 60 years is the age to formally retire from active work and embark on new undertakings to occupy one’s time. For Prof Akanni, this is not necessarily the case. As a university professor, he has the opportunity to continue to teach, educate and raise tomorrow’s leaders for the next one decade – and even beyond.
BORN on April 20, 1965 at Ede, Osun State, Akanni is professor of Journalism and Development Communications at the Lagos State University. A media scholar and development expert with experiential assets in diverse communication practices and scholarship, he is an alumnus of Ilorin, Columbia, Leicester and Ibadan Universities as well as the Institute of Social Studies, Den Haag, Netherlands. He has been a multiple award-winning scholar, including being a distinguished British Chevening Scholar and a Netherlands NUFFIC Fellowship awardee.
Akanni’s professional erudition has earned him coveted positions including being a director of Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID; International Advisory Board member of Dubawa, Nigeria’s first indigenous international fact-checking organisation; visiting faculty member of Savannah Business School as well as being an editorial advisor for The Point newspaper
Robustly published locally and internationally as an academic, researcher and media analyst, Akanni has served as a resource person for training, editing tasks, stakeholder mapping as well as for other long and short-term consultancies for local and international organizations including UNDP, DFID, Internews, OSI, NIPR, Friends of the Earth, Nigeria and so forth. Above all a family man and father, he is husband to Hajiya Bukola Akanni, lawyer and senior civil servant with the Lagos State Government.
