A Tribute to Akunyili: Epitome of Social Responsibility

My last communication with Prof. Dora Akunyili was through a text mes­sage on April 4, 2014 and her two-word response to my prayer­ful encouragement that she was go­ing to recover was “Dalu nwannem.” On getting the news about her death, I was speechless and after a while, I was able mutter under my breathe, “Life is too short.” As I think about this rare breed, I was constantly driven to her tenure as the NAFDAC boss—the job she performed credit­ably and superbly well.
Thus, I have been thinking on the best way to pay a tribute to her until I went back to a story I wrote some years ago where I used people’s re­actions to write about the gem. I elected to pay a tribute to my friend by going to the archives to pull reac­tions of people I used in that story, entitled, “Akunyili: Epitome of So­cial Responsibility”—a piece I wrote when she was appointed the Direc­tor of Programs, Yar’adua/Jonathan Presidential Campaign Committee, to aptly paint an unforgettable im­age of Prof. Dora Akunyili. Though some of the reac­tions may be in the present tense, yet they aptly cap­ture how people feel about Dora.
Here were the reac­tions: Osagie Odeh, a New Orleans-based business­man said, “I think Dr. Akunyili’s appointment as the director of campaign for Yar’adua/Jonathan, is a good move. Dr Akunyili has demonstrated in her previous job, that she can deliver the dividends of de­mocracy to the masses. She is free from all types of Ni­gerian political injustices and she is not tainted. It is a blessing for Yar’adua to have her in his campaign because she brings credibility to the campaign.”
Prof. Charles J. Mambula I, As­sistant Professor of Management stated, “With Professor Dora Aku­nylli on board, the Yar’adua Jona­than Presidential campaign team is nothing less than high credence for good judgment, accountability and integrity. The horizon this credibil­ity will create is therefore far reach­ing and will go beyond the Nigerian and African borders, to the Global. To have the name of someone like Akunyili behind any program will be an honor. She is a person who has already proved herself, even as she has received more international ac­colades and recognition than many leaders in Africa, at her time in of­fice. Professor Akunyili’s achieve­ments at NAFDAC alone, will en­courage the confidence of on-lookers and stakeholders because of what the Professor has stood for and symbol­ized, in observing high standards of ethics and social responsibility. Akunyili has demonstrated herself as a courageous person that has been hailed and is still being respected and admired, the world over. Her type is rare in Nigeria. Of course, there will always be opposing and reacting forces, when someone like Professor Akunyili is involved in any type of organization because of her high standards of transparency. Knowing what she represents, the Professor would definitely be step­ping on the toes of those who have wrong motives and intentions, any­where, anytime. Naturally, it should not come as a surprise and should al­ways be remembered that, Darkness and Light are not compatible. Birds of different feathers cannot flock to­gether. Only people with like minds, with the same purpose, will agree in the right direction for progress.”
Engr. M. Joseph Ogundu, an in­digene of Rivers State residing in Michigan said, “Prof. Akunyili is a clear example of some of the good appointments that our President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has made. I applaud his decision in bringing men and women of this caliber to work in his administration. As one who had been opportuned to lead a major department in American corporation, I am glad to see indi­viduals like Prof. Dora Akunyili perform with such excellence. Her performance shows that she has an un-quenching love for Nigeria and Nigerians and hopefully, her succes­sor in the department she is leaving, will follow in her positive direction. It appears from all indications, that our good professor is an excellent performer and I pray to God to give her the zeal and foresight, in her new assignment. We need a better Nige­ria and some of us in the Diaspora, specifically in the United States, are glad to read about such individuals like Prof. Akunyili. Hopefully, one day, the opportunity will present itself where some of us in Diaspora with extensive leadership experi­ence, will be invited to come home and help lead the nation in the direc­tion that Chief Obasanjo and his team began, 7.5 years ago. We thank God for giving us sons and daughters like Prof. Akunyili. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Chief Jerry Ken Ike, Agrochemist/Businessman said, “Professor Dora Akunyili is one lady every Nigerian is proud of, except for the bad boys. She proved herself in her previous position as the Director General of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAF­DAC) as a great leader, a champion and a motivator and I have that strong faith that she will do the same, with any other appointment given to her; she will bring credibility to Yar’adua/Jonathan campaign.”
Emmanuel Oyedemi Magbagbe­ola, an Irrigation Specialist opined, “Professor Dora Akunyili has done a Herculean task, in NAFDAC to save the lives of many innocent Nigeri­ans from untimely death of fake and adulterated drugs. She is a woman of high integrity who values “good name” to riches, hence she was con­stantly attacked by people of the un­derworld.
An instance was when she was shot at, in her car and bullets went through her headgear and shattered the windscreen, without hurting her. Another episode was when a live tor­toise was found on her chair in the office, one morning. She sprinkled holy water on the tortoise and started her work.
Victor O.C. Nwachukwu, a Hous­ton-based businessman said, “Prof Dr Dora Akunyili, no doubt, in every Nigerian mind, has done creditably well and only God can reward her appropriately. Her posture and posi­tion in taking unshakeable stand in the face of all sorts of threats, juicy monetary and all sorts offers, at the detriment of the Nation, is quite com­mendable. However, her outstanding performance notwithstanding, we should understand she’s a beautiful lady, with a beautiful family to look after. Politics in Nigeria is very vi­cious, demands a lot of unscheduled night and day movements; people are more vulnerable to attacks than sol­diers in the war front. However, ap­pointing Prof. Akunyili as the Direc­tor of Programs, Yar’adua/Jonathan Presidential Campaign Committee, would help the campaign tremen­dously because of her credibility. I must add that, it would be a very tasking and dangerous job for her, at this time.”
Steven Eke, Transport Manager, Intercontinental Bank Plc., Lagos, Nigeria stated, “Nigerians don’t see her as a politician rather, we see her as a humanitarian, who should not associate openly, with any political group. She is still relevant in turning Nigeria around in the new dispensa­tion, but for political reasons, she may not be recognized or considered for relevant appointments if eventu­ally her present political association doesn’t win the race.”
Prof. Soronnadi Nnaji, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineer­ing, at Florida A & M University shared, “This is my response to your call. Dr. Akunyili has proven her­self to be a technocrat of the highest caliber. If she becomes a political op­erative of the PDP, with her accepted appointment as Director of Programs Yar’adua’s campaign, will she con­tinue to be the director of NAFDAC while serving as Yar’adua’s cam­paign worker?