President Goodluck
Jonathan, Tuesday, challenged public office holders to strive to be recognised
by the quality of service they rendered while in office rather than the
position they held, describing the late former Information Minister, Prof. Dora
Akunyili, as a patriotic Nigerian who had no rivalry in service. In a a remark
at the requiem mass for the former Minister of Information, Dr. Dora Akunyili,
at the Catholic Pro-Cathedral Church, Area 3, Garki, Abuja, President Jonathan
said the late Prof. Akunyili would be etched in the memory of Nigerians for
decades because of her sterling achievements, especially as Director General of
the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC. The
President, who expressed happiness that he was able to attend the mass in
honour of the late Akunyili, noted that his presence at the service was a “last
assignment in honour of our sister.
”While
describing Professor Akunyili in superlative terms, the President said during
her life time, she was “diligent, intelligent, extremely patriotic, and
extremely brave.” The President said: “Dora was a professor of pharmacy.
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. He urged Nigerians to emulate her life in public service.
“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. At times, you noticed rivalry amongst women, but with her you never
noticed any rivalry.
“Today, our dear sister has
left us but to my brother, her husband, as the Bishop has told us about the 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 have 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.
Homily
In his homily at the Mass,
the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Hassan Matthew Kukah, said funerals
should be one of the proudest moment as Christians as they serve as a reminder
of the mortality of man.
“The reality of funerals is
as Jesus demonstrated to us, that tears are part of our emotions as He wept for
his friend, Lazarus.
“We know that Jesus went
and came back. It is that simple act that Christians believe that death is the
beginning of new life,” he said.
True love
Late Dora Akunyili’s
husband, Dr. Chike Akunyili, in his remarks on behalf of her family, extolled
his late wife as a patriot who demonstrated her true love for her country, both
in words and in deeds.
He thanked the President
and his wife for the comfort they offered him in his moment of grief, adding
that the special valedictory session by the Federal Executive Council, FEC,
contributed in consoling him immensely.
He said: “When Dora
died, I saw the special FEC session in her honour that helped me in my grief.
When I also had the opportunity to meet the President in his office, he held my
hands and comforted me with kind words, saying, “Give me any date for Dora, I
will be there,” and today he is here.
“Dorothy is 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.
“Once in her local
government, they brought a trailer load of fertilisers, what did Dorathy do?
She shared all to the community. They told her that this was not how it
is done and she said, this is how it will be done. “Even as a professor, if you
see her in the home, she would hold water for me to wash my hand. And I would
tell her, Mummy, you are a professor and she would say, “I married Nkem before
I became a professor.”
“One day, we went for
medical checkup and we found a lump at her lower abdomen. Doctors said she had
seven months.
“But she said, ‘you are not
the husband I married, you are always dejected, what happened?’ And I told her
that the doctors said she had seven months to live. She said doctors have
spoken, God has not spoken, and seven months became two years and three months.
“Dora had a message for this country; it was a message of love, courage and
steadfastness. Even when she was in pain, she still attended the national conference.
You all heard what she said at the conference that ‘a country grows great when
old men plant trees, whose shade they will not live to enjoy.
Some of the
personalities requiem at mass, yesterday, were the First Lady, Patience
Jonathan, Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, members of National
Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, Chief Edwin Clark, Andy
Uba, Stella Okoli, former ministers, Pauline Tallen, Odien Ajumogobia, Olusola
Obada, among others.
Her death was a national
loss — Sambo
The Vice President, Arch.
Namadi Sambo said the death of Dora Akunyili was not only to her family but
also to the country in general.
He described her as a
patriotic and dedicated Nigerian, who excelled and succeeded in achieving the
goal of whatever opportunity given to her.
She hit the Nigerian public
imagination as a thunder — Maku
In his own tribute, the
Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku who described the late Dora as one of
the Nigeria’s most outstanding public servants, said the Professor hit the
Nigerian public imagination as a thunder in dry season, immediately after she
was appointed the Director-General of NAFDAC.
She was a reformer — SGF
Also in his own tribute,
the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim
Described her as a reformer
and a true nationalist and accomplished professional.
Anyim, who also described
the late Dora as a great Nigerian that brought NAFDAC to lime light said she
also saved millions of lives and left indelible mark in the minds of the
people.
She was a game changer —
Health Minister
The Minister of Health,
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said he was pained and devastated by her death, and
described her as an outstanding patriot who believed so much in the net
She was full of plans and
energy — Okonjo -Iweala
The Coordinating Minister
and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, described her as a woman of
passion, strength and conviction who fought hard to make sure that fake drugs,
both those who sell them and those who manufacture them, will become as much a
thing of the past.
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