Dora Nkem Akunyili: A Tribute

By Francis Agbo

Exactly two years ago, precisely on June 7th 2014, a day after my birthday, in far- away India, the cold hands of cancer snatched my second mother, former NAFDAC DG and Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili, OFR.  She was 59. For me, she was a mother of the motherless, activist in government, a courageous turn-around expert, uncommon anti -fake drug czar, anti-corruption crusader, a disciplinarian, a compassionate public servant and a devout Christian of catholic faith!

*Dora Akunyili

Going by what I know about her medical history, particularly her proactive regular medical check- ups abroad, it was difficult for me to accept her passing.  Even after I had joined her husband, siblings, and her former governor, Mr. Peter Obi, to deposit her remains at the National Hospital mortuary, Abuja, it was difficult to grapple with the irredeemable reality of her death. I continued to wallow in this state of disbelief even after she was laid to rest on August 28, 2014 in her Agulu country home, (Anambra State). 

I waited in vain for a miracle.  I had thought that one day, I would see her. Two years down the line, when her early morning calls ceased coming, I accepted the reality of her death. Indeed, I now know I can only see Dora in the hereafter because there is life after death! I joined Dora on the 6th of January 2009 as one of her media aides. Before I got to her office on the eight floor of Radio House, Garki, Abuja, she was already on her table treating files and dishing out instructions to staff of the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications.

I had thought that she would be struggling to fully settle down to work having been sworn in as minister in December 2008. But I saw a confident and passionate woman who took charge of her responsibility as if she had held the portfolio for years!  She had commissioned a media guru and a well-respected editor to hunt for a Special Assistant that would manage her image. Though I had been interviewed and selected for the job by the consultant and my CV sent to her, Dora still went ahead to interview me.

She then congratulated me after our interaction and allotted an office to me that same day. I was lodged in Chida International hotel, Utako until I was given a place in Wuse 2 both in Abuja. One thing that struck me on the 6th of January was that apart from me, many journalists were recommended by her kinsmen and friends in the media industry to work with her even for free. And those who couldn’t pass the Dora test left unhappy because many professionals especially journalists wanted to manage Prof. Akunyili to among other things, tap from her media savvy and fountain of knowledge.

She was very close to her aides and staff of the ministry; she even called us by our first names. She called me Francis my son. In spite of her busy schedules, she kept tab with our birthdays and congratulated us on our birthdays, in some cases, bought gifts for us. It was also on record that as minister, she personally wrote letters to senior journalists and correspondents covering the ministry on their birthdays. The letters were also followed by birthday gifts. This superb public relations sense, passion for Nigeria, uncommon courage, brilliance, industry, syllogism and patriotism endeared her to Nigerians and made her the reporters delight any day.