Kofi Akamani: Former KNUST Student Who Became US Professor Shot Dead, Wife Arrested
- Ghanaian academic Kofi Akamani was shot dead in Illinois at the age of 48, with his wife arrested in connection with the incident
- The late professor began his academic journey at KNUST, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Planning
- Akamani became a professor at Southern Illinois University and gained international recognition for his environmental research
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A remarkable academic journey that began at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) took Dr Kofi Akamani from Ghana to respected institutions abroad.
Source: UGC
The 48-year-old Ghanaian professor died after he was shot in Jackson County, Illinois, on Saturday, September 19, 2026. He was transported to the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, where he was pronounced dead.
His wife, Betty Akamani, has reportedly been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Investigators are still examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, and the charges have not been proven in court.
Kofi Akamani’s journey from KNUST
Dr Akamani earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Planning from KNUST in July 2003. His studies in Ghana laid the foundation for a career centred on environmental sustainability, natural resources and community development.
He continued his education at the University of Oslo in Norway, obtaining an MPhil in Culture, Environment and Sustainability in 2006.
He later moved to the United States and completed a PhD in Natural Resources at the University of Idaho in 2011.
Dr Akamani subsequently joined Southern Illinois University, where he became a professor of Forest Recreation and Conservation Social Science in the Department of Forestry.
His research focused on rural communities in Ghana and the United States. He studied how communities that depend on forests and other natural resources could become more resilient amid climate change.
At SIU, he taught courses including Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management, Forest Resources Administration and Policy, Social Influences in Forestry and Natural Resource Conflict Management.
Kofi Akamani’s international recognition
Beyond the classroom, Dr Akamani served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sustainable Forestry. He also participated in expert grant-review panels associated with the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture and other major institutions.
His international work included contributions to assessments by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the International Union of Forest Research Organisations.
Dr Akamani received SIU’s Early Career Faculty Excellence Award in 2016. In 2023, the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources honoured him with an International Alumni Achievement Award.
His journey from KNUST to becoming a professor in the United States reflected years of academic dedication and international contribution. His death has brought an abrupt end to a career devoted to environmental sustainability, natural-resource management and the wellbeing of rural communities.
Sarkodie fumes as Ghanaian die in SA
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Sarkodie added his voice to mounting outrage over xenophobic violence in South Africa, speaking out after reports confirmed that a Ghanaian national was shot dead during a fresh wave of anti-immigrant attacks.
The rapper took to his social media pages on July 1, 2026, to share his frustration, describing South Africa as one of his favourite countries while making clear that the violence was completely unacceptable.
Beyond expressing personal disappointment, Sarkodie directed a pointed appeal at ordinary South Africans, urging them to be more vocal in their opposition to the attacks.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
