MOTHER DORA: Three Lessons She Taught Me

After almost sixty years on planet earth, Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili has left us a remarkable legacy. Making her mark globally as one of the more innovative, honest, and selfless icons that lived purposefully for the sake of others.

I never had the opportunity to meet this great woman, filled with compassion and grace, strength and wisdom, however, the works she did and the result she commanded has taught me a great number of lessons. Mother Dora like Thomas Jefferson has taught me that honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. I listened to her sometime on the television and looked at her with an inestimable measure of admiration while she talked about her days as a zonal secretary of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund and why she returned an unspent balance of money in foreign currency meant for her medical bills in the United Kingdom. Accordingly to her, it will out of place to have such money in her custody, let alone spend it. This singular gesture of honesty and accountability made way for her appointment as director of NAFDAC.

Mother Dora has taught me that you need courage mixed with the force of love called selflessness to pursue your vision if it must be accomplished, because there are obstacles and contenders hungrily waiting to hinder it. Yes! That’s true. We can’t stop talking about her days as the director of NAFDAC and how she came as our long awaited saviour and brilliantly resuscitated the almost moribund agency and gave the institution a sense of direction and vision. It was the era when fake drugs littered the drug market like trash on the street. An era when counterfeit drug producers and importers had a field day at the expense of millions of lives that was endangered, infact many died from sub-standard drug ingestion than the sickness itself. Like Nelson Mandela rightly said, you take the frontline when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership,” Mother Dora took the frontline in the battle against counterfeit drugs and adulterated food products that threatened the lives of Nigerians. She fought against vicious and deadly barons and their minions, sanitized the system and kept a clean and enviable integrity, although she almost lost her life in the process. Today, the ordinary man on the street is certain of original behind-the-counter drugs, little children and pregnant women with low immunity can look up with hope and smile because Mother Dora fought the battle to keep them alive. Yes! She did.

Lastly, like Barrack Obama, Mother Dora has taught me that in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it. Her sense of patriotism is worthy of emulation. She loved her country with everything in her and worked fervently to rebrand the image of the nation. Few weeks before her transition to eternity, she appeared at the national conference in obedience to the call of duty despite her health challenge. My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the bereaved family, fans, friends and well-wishers. I’ll miss her intellectual presence in governance, fierce loyalty to Nigeria and her unwavering support for the just cause of humanity. Professor Dora was a mother i never met yet she taught me honesty, courage and patriotism.

Azotani Chuka Francis
Awka (eustacechuks@yahoo.com)

i predicted this wonderful lady'death some years ago,but people thought i was cazy,,now they said cancer this cancer that, but me i said,the wise men saw her star as a future treat to the high class criminals,,then the killed her like idiagbon,,thats my personal opinion bit me,,,,,i.e if someone like idiabgon and Dora, were giving an opportunity to be the president and vice president on naija in this present time hmmm,naija could turn to western country within 4years, i strongly b'live this,,,and then people like lagos fashola, lucky duke and anambra peter obi will be his ministers,,well will never hapen,but let it be