Anambra Lawmakers Want Akunyili Immortalized

From Ignatius Okpara, Awka

As the remains of former Director General, National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Dora Akunyili arrived the country from India, the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili, has requested the State Government to immortalize the late amazon. The request was made on Wednesday in Anambra during the house plenary session.

Late Dora Akunyili

A member representing Anaocha 1, state constituency, Ebele Ejiofor moved the motion, urging his colleagues to support it, as he described the late Minister of Information and Communication “as a distinguished and selfless servant of Nigeria”.

He maintained that Akunyili, was “an internationally acknowledged and renowned Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, an erudite scholar, seasoned Administrator and a visionary leader who championed the foremost national re-branding campaign christened: Nigeria; Good People, Great Nation”.

The lawmaker noted that she meritoriously and honorably served her country in various capacities such as member of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) DG, NAFDAC and as a Federal Minister and very recently as the state delegate to the ongoing national confab.

“Despite these services rendered, she exhibited accountability, fairness, impartiality, transparency and high level of professionalism in her life time”, the legislator stated further.

Supporting the motion, Mr Tony Muonagor, representing Idemili North corroborated the motion, describing it as timely and worthy, as deceased showed high level of patriotism, honesty and transparency during her course of service to the nation.

“In Akunyili’s case, it was proved that honesty pays, her honest life shoot her to lime light during former President Obasanjo’s regime”, he stated. The lawmakers unanimously consented that Akunyili was a rare gem and deserved to be immortalized as a way of appreciating and encouraging hard work.

In the main time, the Federal Executive Council members honoured Professor Akunyili with eulogies yesterday during their weekly meeting in Abuja. Professor Akunyili’s death news filtered into airwaves last weekend after battling with a strange and undisclosed ailment. She died in an India hospital where she has been receiving treatment some about two years ago.