US-based Ghanaian professor Kofi Akamani shot dead in Illinois, suspect arrested
Ghanaian academic and Southern Illinois University Carbondale professor Kofi Akamani, 48, has died after being shot in Jackson County, Illinois, in the United States.
Akamani was rushed to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale following the shooting but was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the incident.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to a reported shooting in progress at about 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, near a residence off Lake Road between Murphysboro and Carbondale.
A woman identified as Betty Akamani, 35, was arrested following the initial investigation and is facing multiple charges. Authorities have not yet disclosed the circumstances that led to the shooting or the relationship between Betty and Kofi Akamani.
The sheriff’s office said investigations into the incident are still at an early stage.
Akamani joined Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2011 as a professor of forest recreation and conservation social science and attained the rank of full professor in 2024. He also served as director of the agricultural sciences doctoral programme and graduate studies in forestry.
His academic career focused largely on natural resource management and the ways rural communities adapt to environmental and economic changes. He contributed to the Fifth National Climate Assessment and was a lead author on international assessments examining biodiversity, water, food, health and environmental issues.
In June, Akamani was elected secretary general of the International Union of Biological Sciences for a three-year term. He also served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sustainable Forestry.
Born and raised in Ghana, Akamani obtained his bachelor’s degree in 2003 before earning a master’s degree from the University of Oslo in 2006 and a doctorate from the University of Idaho in 2011.
His professional achievements included the Southern Illinois University College of Agricultural Sciences Early Career Faculty Excellence Award in 2016 and the University of Idaho College of Natural Resources International Alumni Achievement Award in 2023.