"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in" - Dr. Dora Akunyili's closing proverb after her speech at the National Conference.
This day, my commemoration goes out to a graceful amazon. An icon. A rare gem. Late Dr. Mrs. Dora Akunyili, a woman who clenched the baton of leadership as the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and left her footprints in the sands of time having undauntedly transformed so significantly the face of what the agency used to be prior to her appointment. Her unsurpassed achievements there spoke volumes and put her on the pedestal as a patriotic, diligent, courageous, tenacious and selfless public servant.
Unsurprisingly, her academic and professional pedigree earned her this crucial status. Dr. Dora Akunyili got her First Degree in Pharmacy B. Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and PhD in 1985 from University of Nigeria Nsukka. She was a Post Doctorate Fellow of University of London and a fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists. She was also trained on Senior Management Skills Course in RIPA, London and Computer Education Programme by WHO/UNDP/World Bank sponsored in 1998 and 1994 respectively.
From 1978-1981, Dr. Akunyili started her career as a Hospital Pharmacist in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Afterwards, from 1982 to 1986, she ventured into academics as a Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in U.N.N. There, she made steady progress from Lecturer 1 in 1986 until when she was made Senior Lecturer in 1990. In 1992, she transferred to College of Medicine, U.N.N. where in 1996, she was made a Consultant Pharmacologist, until her appointment as the Director General of NAFDAC on 12th April 2001. Before this time, she was a part-time lecturer of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, Lagos, Nigeria from 1992-1995 and for four years, served as the Zonal Secretary of Petroleum Special Trust Fund, where she coordinated all projects in the five South Eastern States of Nigeria (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States).
Evidently, the onus to sanitize the nation of substandard foods and drugs at a time sugar syrup and chalk tablets were marketed as actual drugs fell on Dr. Akunyili. Then, various studies put the prevalence and circulation of fake drugs in Nigeria at above 60 percent. Devious individuals made riches from indulging in such deviousness. It meant she was going to step on toes, touch a living lion's tail and endanger her personal safety. Did she cower at the considerable enormity and risk of the task? Not in the least. She just wasn't one of the people who wriggle out of their call and purpose to serve and make the world a better place. She came forward and accepted the mantle, worked so vibrantly, negotiated death threats, rebellious attacks and antagonisms with a sense of purpose, fortitude, integrity and uncommon passion.
She was endowed with so much gifts and she made sure to use them. She worked hard.She achieved so much.She strengthened the modus operandi of NAFDAC, instituted the culture of excellence and honesty by creating relevant channels that tracked the integrity of drugs from conception through production, distribution and dispensation. Brilliantly, she introduced the registration of all drugs by giving them codes as a way of controlling sold and consumed substances in the country. For imported drugs, she went to their countries of origin, established well structured pre-shipment checks before exportation. As a Minister of Information and Communication, she initiated the Good People, Great Nation re-branding project to address Nigeria's negative image, home and abroad. As the member of Federal Executive Council, she revealed the state of health of the immediate past President Umaru Yar'Adua, when everyone else played to the gallery. Such courage and uprightness.
I never met her in person, but greatly admired the eloquence and intensity with which she spoke on air during interviews or conferences. She appeared assertive and thus offered no apologies for her course of actions."Agu Nwanyi", I'd mouthed off on such occasions. She was strong. Her sense of style I appreciated, traditional and elegant. She was an embodiment of the best parts of womanhood. Dr. Dora Akunyili was all that.
I marveled at her passion and bravery, when she stood as a delegate at the National Conference to deliver a speech in frailty, at a time when her doctor probably told her her days were numbered, refusing an offer to rather deliver her speech seated. That, to me is a manifestation of her genuine love for her country. This is no doubt how she would want to be remembered, as someone who fulfilled her pledge to be faithful, loyal and honest, someone who served Nigeria with all her strength, someone who defended Nigeria's unity and upheld her honour and glory. Her legacy lives on.
May her beautiful soul rest in peace.
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