President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday paid tribute to the former president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, praising him for his “enviable integrity and incorruptibility.”
In a statement, he said Akanbi would be long remembered for his enormous contributions in bringing credibility and respectability to the country’s judiciary.
He noted that the death of the pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission was a colossal loss, not only to the Nigerian judiciary, but the country as a whole.
"Being respected by the people for your honesty and patriotism is the best legacy a man can leave behind.
"In a country where corruption is perceived as fashionable, Akanbi stood out as a remarkable man who put personal integrity and selflessness before the desire for money outside his legitimate income," Buhari said.
The president affirmed that Justice Akanbi’s greatest achievement was leaving the public service with his integrity intact and untainted.
He testified that throughout his distinguished career in the judiciary and public service, Akanbi resisted the defeatist mindset that ‘if you can’t beat them, join them.’
"Great men like Akanbi didn’t believe in joining evil because it was popular or supported by the majority," the president said.
