Bio
July 5, 2021
Professor Monsur
Akangbe Kenku was born on December 14, 1942 to Alhaji Nojiu Buraimoh Kenku and
Alhaja Nimota Aduke Kenku, in Lagos Island, Lagos State.
He passed away on June 24th, 2021 and is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren.
Professor Kenku briefly attended Ireti Primary School, then went on to Lagos Government School in 1953. In 1956, he was admitted into Ahmadiyyah College, Agege before taking his school certificate examination in 1960.
He gained admission to the University of Ibadan in 1961, where four years later, he graduated with a first class degree in mathematics.
That same year, Kenku got admitted into Balliol College, Oxford for his doctorate degree which he completed three years later and then joined the University of Ibadan. He rose through the hierarchies to become an associate professor in 1981 and was appointed a full professor of mathematics in 1983 at the University of Lagos.
Besides these, Professor Kenku had some stints in Berkeley, California and the Institute of Advanced Studies, Princeton, where he made contributions to the field of number theory. His novel proof of the Stark-Heegner theorem is widely referenced worldwide.
In 1983, Professor Kenku was appointed commissioner of works and transport in Lagos State, serving for three and half years before returning to lecturing at the university of Lagos where he served as Head of Department of Mathematics.
He became chairman of Crusaders Insurance, a position he held from 1993 till 2012 whilst simultaneously lecturing at the University of Lagos until he retired in 2012.
Professor Kenku was a Fellow of the Nigerian Mathematical Society, a member of the Nigerian Actuarial Society, London Mathematical Society, American Mathematical Society and the Vice President, Oxford and Cambridge Society of Nigeria from 1997 to 1999.
He was an active member of Ikoyi Club, Lagos where he loved to play and watch lawn tennis.
He passed away on June 24th, 2021 and is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren.
Professor Kenku briefly attended Ireti Primary School, then went on to Lagos Government School in 1953. In 1956, he was admitted into Ahmadiyyah College, Agege before taking his school certificate examination in 1960.
He gained admission to the University of Ibadan in 1961, where four years later, he graduated with a first class degree in mathematics.
That same year, Kenku got admitted into Balliol College, Oxford for his doctorate degree which he completed three years later and then joined the University of Ibadan. He rose through the hierarchies to become an associate professor in 1981 and was appointed a full professor of mathematics in 1983 at the University of Lagos.
Besides these, Professor Kenku had some stints in Berkeley, California and the Institute of Advanced Studies, Princeton, where he made contributions to the field of number theory. His novel proof of the Stark-Heegner theorem is widely referenced worldwide.
In 1983, Professor Kenku was appointed commissioner of works and transport in Lagos State, serving for three and half years before returning to lecturing at the university of Lagos where he served as Head of Department of Mathematics.
He became chairman of Crusaders Insurance, a position he held from 1993 till 2012 whilst simultaneously lecturing at the University of Lagos until he retired in 2012.
Professor Kenku was a Fellow of the Nigerian Mathematical Society, a member of the Nigerian Actuarial Society, London Mathematical Society, American Mathematical Society and the Vice President, Oxford and Cambridge Society of Nigeria from 1997 to 1999.
He was an active member of Ikoyi Club, Lagos where he loved to play and watch lawn tennis.