The Southern Illinois University (SIU) Foundation has established a dedicated student memorial fund in honour of Ghanaian forestry professor Dr. Kofi Akamani, who was fatally shot at his home in Illinois over the weekend.
The announcement was made as more than 200 students, faculty members and relatives gathered on Tuesday, September 22, for a campus vigil organised by the SIU Forestry Department to honour the late professor.
The 6 p.m. vigil was held on the front lawn of the Agriculture Building, where colleagues and students remembered Dr. Akamani as a kind and dedicated educator who had taught forest recreation and conservation social science at SIU for 15 years.
The memorial fund is intended to preserve Dr. Akamani’s legacy and support students in his field of study.
His brother, Solomon Abache, and daughter, Mary, attended the vigil and expressed appreciation for the support and affection shown by the university community following his death.
Colleagues described Dr. Akamani as gentle, positive and committed to helping people develop a deeper understanding of the environment.
The gathering ended with participants singing “Amazing Grace” and a traditional Ghanaian song in recognition of his Ghanaian heritage.
Dr. Akamani, 48, was fatally shot on Saturday, September 19, at his home in rural Murphysboro, Illinois.
His estranged wife, Betty Akamani, 35, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and endangering the life of a child. Prosecutors told the court that the couple had been separated for two years and were undergoing divorce proceedings.
She has been denied release from the Jackson County Jail and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary court hearing on October 6, 2026.
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