- Prof. Akama’s story is a powerful testament to visionary leadership, demonstrating how one leader’s commitment to education, institution-building and collaboration can transform not only an institution, but also communities and generations of people.
- His double recognition in 2026 reflects a legacy built on service, mentorship, innovation and the courage to open doors for others, proving that true leadership is ultimately measured by the lives empowered and opportunities created.
- From Kisii University to national recognition, Prof. Akama leaves behind a legacy that continues to inspire, reminding us that the greatest leaders are those who believe in people, build lasting institutions and create pathways for others to succeed.
African youth are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; they are the architects of Africa today. Dare to learn, innovate, build, lead and transform. Just as Elijah Nyaanga built Scholar Media Africa with his own hands and turned an idea into a platform impacting Africa and the world, every young African has the power to create something that outlives them.
Prof. John Sorana Akama, PhD
For Prof. John Sorana Akama, 2026 is fast becoming a defining chapter in a remarkable journey of leadership, scholarship and public service.
On October 20, 2026, during Kenya’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, Prof. Akama is expected to receive yet another major national honour after being nominated by the Heroes Council for recognition as one of the country’s heroes.
The recognition comes barely weeks after he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Scholar Media Group Africa (SMEGAFRICA) during the 2nd Annual International Scholar Media Africa Conference and SMEGAfrica Excellence Awards, held on August 5-7, 2026, at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi-Kenya.
The three-day conference brought together more than 150 participants from 17 countries, culminating in a grand finale at which 45 individuals were honoured for outstanding contributions across different sectors.
For Prof. Akama, however, the two honours represent more than personal accolades. They provide a moment for Kenya to pause and reflect on the impact of a man whose leadership helped transform an institution, a town and thousands of individual lives.
The Architect Behind a University’s Transformation
The national recognition document describes Prof. Akama as a leader whose contribution spans higher education, institution building and public service.
As the pioneering Principal of Kisii University College and later the first Vice-Chancellor of Kisii University, he presided over what would become one of the most remarkable institutional transformations in the region.
The university grew from approximately 300 students and only two degree programmes to more than 30,000 students and over 200 accredited programmes, producing more than 40,000 graduates in disciplines including law, medicine, journalism and many others.
Under his leadership, major infrastructure projects were also undertaken, including a 3,000-seat library, ICT centre and laboratories, alongside efforts to secure approval for new professional programmes.
But those numbers tell only part of the story.
As Rev. Fr. Lawrence Mandere of St. Andrew Kaggwa Catholic Parish, Nyansiongo, observed in a heartfelt congratulatory letter dated September 7, 2026, Prof. Akama’s impact went far beyond the university gates.
“This recognition is a fitting tribute to a distinguished academic leader whose contribution to the development of higher education has extended far beyond the walls of the university,” Fr. Mandere wrote.
He described Prof. Akama’s tenure as “a remarkable chapter in the history of university education in Kenya,” noting that his leadership demonstrated vision, perseverance, strategic thinking and an unwavering commitment to expanding access to university education.
When a University Becomes an Engine of Community Transformation
Perhaps one of the most compelling dimensions of Prof. Akama’s legacy is the relationship between institutional growth and community development.
Fr. Mandere noted that the growth of Kisii University stimulated wider economic and social transformation in Kisii town and its surrounding communities.
Demand for housing increased. Businesses expanded. Transport providers, food suppliers, landlords and traders found new opportunities. The circulation of money increased, while supporting infrastructure and electricity connections expanded alongside the growing population.
But, perhaps most importantly, the university opened doors for families who previously considered higher education beyond their reach.
Many students from ordinary families gained opportunities to pursue university education because the institution was within their reach.
This, Fr. Mandere argued, is part of what makes Prof. Akama’s leadership legacy so significant: he did not merely administer a university; he helped make higher education accessible to people who might otherwise have remained excluded.
The Minnesota Connection, and a Legacy of Collaboration
Prof. Akama’s leadership also created international bridges whose impact continues to be remembered.
Among those celebrating him are members of the Minnesota Kenya International Development Association (MKIDA), a diaspora organisation founded in 2003 that works around education, economic and cultural welfare, mentorship, literacy, health and community involvement.
MKIDA members remember Prof. Akama as a leader who understood that universities should not operate in isolation.
They credit the collaboration with Kisii University with helping facilitate the shipment of books, medical support, student assistance and international academic linkages.
Prof. Akama himself explained the significance of the relationship, noting that MKIDA members helped Kisii University receive 40,000 relevant books, particularly in medicine and law, while also donating medical equipment to the university’s Medical School.
He further noted that scholars from the University of Minnesota conducted joint research with Kisii University academics, including agriculture research supported by organisations such as USAID and the Ford Foundation.
“It is my genuine hope that this long term collaboration with the University of Minnesota is still going on and will continue into the future,” Prof. Akama said.
That sentiment captures a defining feature of his leadership: building relationships whose benefits outlive the person who initiated them.
“You Were a Unique Leader”
The MKIDA congratulatory messages were deeply personal.
One member described the work as beginning as “a dream of economic and social empowerment, with education as the anchor,” adding that the partnership sought to make a difference rather than serve personal interests.
Another message captured Prof. Akama’s leadership philosophy in simple but powerful terms:
“You were a unique leader. You knew what collaboration and strengthening linkages meant for the university. You knew keeping an open door policy was a great way to move the university forward. You were reachable and responsive and this made working with you pleasant.”
Another admirer wrote: “We are indeed riding on the pillars, the strong foundation. You are that visionary leader that set pace. Continue soaring.”
And another described the recognition as “well deserved,” thanking God for Prof. Akama’s life and praying for many more years of health, strength and wisdom to continue transforming lives.
Lilian Gisesa offered perhaps one of the most succinct descriptions: “A true visionary son of Gusii for a great vision of bringing Education closer to the people.”
A Personal Tribute from SMEGAFRICA
Among those celebrating Prof. Akama is Scholar Media Group Africa (SMEGAFRICA) CEO Amb. Elijah Nyaanga, who describes the professor’s influence in deeply personal terms.
Nyaanga says Prof. Akama was among the people who believed in his dream when he was starting Scholar Media Africa, supporting him financially and encouraging his vision while Prof. Akama was Vice-Chancellor of Kisii University.
“He showed a rare gesture,” Nyaanga says, recalling that while many people prefer associating with those who have already succeeded, Prof. Akama was willing to stand with a young person still struggling to build a dream.
“He didn’t have to be your relative or even your friend. That’s the true Prof. Akama,” Nyaanga says.
For Nyaanga, the professor became more than a university leader.
“He has been my father, guiding me and encouraging me to keep pushing,” he says, adding that he owes Prof. Akama a great deal for the support, belief and mentorship extended to him.
A Double Honour, But One Enduring Legacy
The Lifetime Achievement Award from SMEGAFRICA and the forthcoming Mashujaa Day recognition therefore arrive not simply as two trophies on a distinguished résumé, but as two public acknowledgements of a much deeper legacy.
One celebrates a lifetime of achievement.
The other places that achievement within the broader story of Kenya’s national development.
Yet Prof. Akama’s own reflections suggest that his greatest satisfaction lies not in the honours themselves, but in the lives changed through the institutions and relationships he helped build.
From classrooms to laboratories, from libraries to international partnerships, from students to academics, entrepreneurs and young leaders, his influence has travelled far beyond his years in office.
And perhaps that is the most fitting measure of a true leader—not how long he occupied a position, but what continued to stand, grow and transform lives after he left it.
As Kenya prepares to celebrate its heroes on October 20, Prof. John Sorana Akama’s story offers a powerful reminder that nation-building is not always accomplished through dramatic moments.
Sometimes, it happens quietly through education, open doors, collaboration, mentorship, institution-building and an unwavering belief that ordinary people deserve extraordinary opportunities.
That is the legacy being celebrated.
And for Prof. Akama, the honours may be arriving decades after the work began, but they are arriving at a moment when a grateful generation is saying, unmistakably: We saw what you built. We benefited from it. We remember.
