Nigerians can’t forget Dora Akunyili – Jonathan

By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that it would be difficult to forget Professor Dora Akunyili because of her sterling achievements, especially as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Jonathan said this at a requiem mass held in her honour at the Pro-Cathedral in Area 3, Abuja.
He said: “This is our last assignment in honour of our sister. Dora was a professor of medicine. At the public level she served in Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), NAFDAC and then minister.
“Dora was more known as DG NAFDAC more than when she served as a minister. Most Nigerians knew Dora because of her service. So most of the offices we look for, anybody who has opportunity to serve we should all serve because what will endear you to people is not necessarily the office you hold but the service you render.
“As a minister, Dora was good. We were very happy to work with her. She was diligent, intelligent, very forthright, and extremely patriotic and, above all, she was extremely brave and could say anything right or wrong and did not care whose ox is gored. That was Dora for you. She sought to protect the lives of Nigerians as DG of NAFDAC and never compromised as regards those who traffic fake drugs.
“One thing that endeared her to me is that, probably I’m one president that has worked with so many women.
“Today, our dear sister has left us but to my brother, her husband, as the Bishop has told us about the virtues of a good wife, you have to thank God you will get that respect as her husband because of her achievements.
“To my children, your mother was a very dynamic woman because her works and identity has given you what silver and gold cannot give you. Yes, it might not translate to monetary rewards, but many will respect and want to assist you as her children because of her. We pray that those of us serving when we die people will respect our children because of our deeds like Dora. So you have to thank God for that.”
In his remarks, husband of the deceased, Dr. Chike Akunyili, said Dora demonstrated true love for her country both in words and deeds.
He recalled how Dora, who was an American citizen as a result of winning a lottery, dropped her green card at the immigration post in the US when she was asked to either be a US citizen or a Nigerian.
He said: “Dorothy was an elephant and if I start talking about her we will not leave. We went to Florida, and there at the immigration, they told her: look, you are an American citizen, because she won the lottery and that was what favoured us. And here you are, you have a Nigerian diplomatic passport, you must surrender one. She used her left hand to drop her green card and retained her diplomatic passport. So, you can see the level of her love for this country.”
He commended Nigerians, especially Mr. and Mrs Jonathan, for the comfort they offered him in his moment of grief, stressing that the special valedictory session by the Federal Executive Council consoled him immensely.
In his homily, the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Hassan Matthew Kukah, said, “The reality of funerals is as Jesus demonstrated to us that tears is part of our emotions as He wept for his friend, Lazarus.”
Those who attended the requiem mass were First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), members of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, Chief Edwin Clark, Dr Andy Uba and Stella Okoli, among others.