I am greatly saddened by loss of Professor Aderemi Kuku, a great mathematician and a wonderful friend. I had the honor of meeting Prof. Kuku at ICTP (Trieste) TWAS and began a deep friendship nurtured by our common mathematical research interests and passion for service to humanity, especially higher education in Africa. I have warm memories of Prof. Aderemi Kuku and family visiting me in Bonn, while I was at Max Planck Institute, and an official invitation to lecture in the topology seminar at UW Madison during my time as a faculty member. I called him affectionately Kuku, and his kind smile opened my heart each time I called him. My dear friend Kuku, I shall miss you forever. My sympathies to Mrs. Kuku and family.

I remember meeting Professor Kuku more than 30 years ago during mathematical activities in Africa and many times since then. He was so enthusiastic for mathematics, and science in general, and so active for the scientific community, and so friendly and encouraging. He has always supported the development of initiatives for mathematics in Africa, and specially the efforts for women in mathematiics. He was so full of positive energy. I miss him a lot.

TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR ADEREMI KUKU
The death of Professor Aderemi Kuku, a senior colleague, an elder brother, a senior friend, is a painful end to a journey of almost five decades!
I never imagined I will be writing this so soon.
You were my elder brother through my divine friendship with your brother Professor Titi Kuku in our undergraduate days. Since then you became my academic role model!
I had been the beneficiary of the relationship.
Where do I start?
Worthy of mention is that you not only supported me to be elected as President of African Mathematical Union, but stood by me throughout my tenure.
You were my senior friend!
In my heart you'll always be;
I wish we never had to part.
But now I have to let you rest in the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So now this is my goodbye...
May the love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ abide with his wife, children, family and friends. Amen.

Bishop Adewale Solarin, FMAN, FPNGMS, FNMS,
Professor of Mathematics,
President, AMU-PAMO Commission;
COMSATS Distinguished Professor of Mathematics;
UNESCO Chair of Mathematics;
Former Director/CEO, National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, Nigeria;
Former Member, Scientific Board, IBSP-UNESCO, Paris;
Former President, African Mathematical Union;
Chairman, Board of Trustee, Association of Nigerian Women in Mathematics.

A Tribute to Professor Aderemi Oluyomi Kuku

In March 1941, a Neutron star descended upon Itantebo, Ijebu Ode. No one could have predicted that this star would grow in geometric progression into a large shining star. From Itantebo, the star took off and encircled the universe, making stops at Lagos, Kampala, Ife, Ibadan, New York, Italy, Louisiana, China, Abuja and many other cities and countries around the world. By the time Professor Kuku came back home to take his final bow, he had morphed from a Neutron to a gigantic Pistol Star, recognised all over the globe for his intellectual rigour.

My Uncle, Professor Kuku, was a man of conviction and a firm believer in hard work. He distinguished himself in one of the most challenging areas of human endeavour - Mathematics. He was a Professor of Professors who left his footprint in the sands of times. He was a pride to the Kuku Family, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, Africa and the Black race. He took the Kuku name and made it a household name in the most prestigious ivory towers worldwide. He also dispelled the lies of white supremacy about the inferiority of the black race through his razor-sharp mind, thereby bringing racial pride to the black race.

He helped me out at a particular time in my life when I faced racism at work in the UK. My mother asked me to speak to Uncle, and when I called him, he gave me valuable advice on dealing with racism at the workplace and put the racism faced by blacks like me in the west into perspective.

Thanks for your contribution to humanity, and Rest in Power.

Ahmed Olayinka Sule

I have heard so much about Professor Kuku (having read his popular book - Abstract Algebra) before I came in contact with him during the Conference on Computer Science, Algebra and Applications held at Universite du Ougadougou, Burkina Faso in 1997 where he was one of the two Major Speakers. I have since met him in many other Conferences including the last one which was the 2018 International Congress of Mathematicians held at Rio, Brazil. He was very passionate about the development of Mathematics in Africa and Nigeria in particular. He was able to motivate many budding Mathematicians into becoming big wigs now in Mathematics across continents. Professor Kuku would travel to the end of the earth even when he was over 70 to attend Mathematics meetings. One of such meeting was held at the University of Goroka, Paupa New Guinea in 2014. It was a huge surprise for me to have met him at that Conference as it took a lot of efforts to convince me to attend that conference due to the distance from Nigeria despite full sponsorship.
I am certain he was instrumental to my appointment as an Associate of the Abdus Salam ICTP during his tenure as a Resident Mathematician at ICTP. For this I remain eternally grateful.
Although Professor Kuku has transited to the great beyond he has been able to leave his marks on the sand of times.
May his soul rest in perfect peace. May the Balm of Gilead comfort his immediate family and his other loved ones.

Olusola Adeniran
Professor of Mathematics (Algebra)

Aderemi Kuku, The Mathematics community salute you. Your contribution was great.
Johann Engelbrecht, University of Pretoria, South Africa

TRIBUTE TO PROFESSOR ADEREMI OLAYOMI KUKU, FAS
Professor Aderemi Kuku, FAS, a dear friend and colleague of many years, a great scholar of global dimension, well known across nations as a mathematician of high repute, has been called home to be with the Lord.
He lived a focused life, devotedly used his time, intellect and resources to serve God and mankind and for whatever he believed in that is true and honorable. A truly family man, devoted to his wife, Dr. Funke Kuku, children and family.
He took his friendship seriously and demands loyalty reciprocally. The world would miss him for he has left giant foot prints in the sand of time. He chose mathematics as his discipline quite early and pursed it with all his energy and attained great heights , and earning a PhD from University of Ibadan, He became a professor of mathematics at the University of Ibadan, Dean of the Post Graduate School. He is well known across the globe as a great mathematician, He have raised many generations of students who have became giants in the field of mathematic, He later moved to the International centre for Theoretical Physics at Trieste, an establishment, created by Nobel Prizel Winner in Physics, Professor Abdul Salam. This is an Institute where only the best in the world of mathematics and physics dared to tread to carry out research in mathematics and physics also taught Associates and Colleagues which he did excellently and efficiently. After more than ten years at Trieste, he moved to the Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton USA, where Professor Albert Einstein once also worked, He was well sought after as a scholar and taught mathematics at many Institutions in the USA of America. An International Conference on mathematics – K theory in particular  was called to celebrate his achievements in mathematics in China for his 70th Birthday, He has won the Nigeria nation’s highest prize for science. He was elected President of Africa Mathematics Union and served has President Africa Science Academy He was a fellow of the Nigeria Academy of science. With such an impactful life, we must all give thanks to God to have been privileged to share in his exemplary life with a big foot print in the sand of time, Our deep condolence goes to his widow Dr Funke Kuku, the family and the many people across the globe for the loss of a rare gem in scholarship and steadfastness, of true devotion to God and service to mankind. He is recognized at home with an Otunba title from the Awujale of Ijebu.
He will surely be missed, but would live eternally in our heats for his friendship and good deeds
Professor & Princess G.B. Ogunmola.

I first came in contact with late Professor Kuku as an undergraduate student of mathematics in October 1980. He taught my class several maths courses including abstract and linear algebra, commutative algebra, group and rings, and others. He later became the sitting head of department when I was graduating in July 1984. A talented and dedicated teacher of mathematics.

He was instrumental to my appointment as a Regular Associate of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy (ICTP) during his tenure as a Resident Mathematician at ICTP. Prof Kuku was also instrumental to my appointment as a postdoctoral fellow at ICTP after my PhD program in Jan 1999. He contributed immensely to my professional development as a young researcher and scholar.

I pray that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God the Father and the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ comforts the family, the widow, the children and the entire mathematical community in Nigeria and abroad left behind by Professor Aderemi Kuku. In Jesus name.

Ezekiel Olusola Ayoola, PhD,
Professor of Mathematics & Deputy
Vice Chancellor, (Administration)
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

Death is sometimes referred as reminder, it reminds us that we are dust, we are taking out of dust, and the dust will our bodies returns, death remind us that we are not on earth forever, but temporarily, Prof you have fulfill your part, we asked God to grant you eternal rest, bye Prof Aderemi Kuku