TALK OF A WOMAN WHO UNDERSTOOD POWER AND USED HER PROWESS FOR GOOD.

Yesterday, I had spent the early part reminiscing on why I started the Non Governmental Organization, Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation nearly 4years ago. I stumbled on the advocacy DVD produced when Nigeria turned 50. It highlighted the purpose of the event-“ to celebrate the journey of the Nigerian woman in the last 50years in Nation Building and to set the agenda for the next 50”. It was this gathering that mandated the transition of Arise Nigerian Woman, a program, into a platform and foundation for more women participation and emergence in political office and leadership positions in Nigeria. I will come back to this. Then I heard about the passing of Professor Dora Akinyuli; the one time Director General of, The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC. Dora had, at a risk to her life, taken on the opportunity to serve her motherland Nigeria and serve she did,with all her strength even when her family faced numerous death threats in all those years. In the end she won the war on fake drugs and food and is the reason behind the practice of NAFDAC REGISTRATION NUMBER even found on the popular pure water sachets of today and much more changes that has since occurred at NAFDAC. She was to face more challenges; as on December 17, 2008, she became the Minister of Information up until December 15, 2010.Saddled with the daunting task of changing the perception of Nigeria’s growing negative global image,she rolled out the Rebranding Nigeria Campaign, with the slogan,” Nigeria- Good People , Great Nation”, this was met with ridicule and slow acceptance in many quarters. Dora’s ultimate test of strength and character was to come in 2010 when the nation was faced with a near political stalemate and she Dora, had called on the cabinet to ask the ailing President Umaru Yar'adua to hand over power to his deputy. According to a memo circulated to the senate at the time, Akunyili was said to have sent the memo for the sole purpose of seeking cabinet support to help resolve the political stalemate in the country, by passing a resolution calling on Yar'adua to officially hand over power to his vice, in the person of Goodluck Jonathan who was later sworn in amidst Nigerians show of solidarity. This perhaps is a good place for President Goodluck Jonathan to step back and reflect over that time past and the sacrifice others made for him. To reminisce about people like Dora, the Save Nigerian Groups rally by many Nigerians all over the world clamoring for justice for his enthronement, women,men,youths and children were included in that rally in January of 2010, some in a bitter winter cold conducted by Nigerians in the Diaspora like the UK, Poland to mention a few, and one of which I was a participant too. So in Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation’s quest to see more women in the political space and leadership positions , our vision and clamor I would say becomes relentless, because the Nigeria woman definitely plays her role in Nation building and Dora is the epitome of a woman we are referring to, to be in power, not to be seen for her outfit, perfect make and no voice heard. But to challenge and bring change to the statusquo, and this is at all levels of position and authority. That’s how the lives of women and girls generally can improve for the better. Imagine how many mothers who otherwise would have mourned the death of their wards killed by fake drugs and food she averted. Any human life lost affects a mother somewhere. I bet she didn’t do all this because she was a woman, she did it foremost because she had it in her as her core values, which were clear to her- that compromising on anything short of the truth is a danger to human life and not worth the riches in the bank. She added training to her passion in other to show herself approved and was a professional at it to the end. So other women seeking positions without service 1st, please rethink. Akunyili never gave up her dream for more service, even as she would later resign in Dec 2010, to run for the seat of the Senate for Anambra Central on the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) platform in April 2011, but was defeated by Chris Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Dora was not intimidated but instead immediately sent a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission disputing the result. She was fearless and swam in the tide just like any man would have. Today we are all paying tribute to an Amazon, a Nigerian with a true heart of service. Even in her dressing, she remained modest yet elegant, in her own way devoted to cultural promotion. Let the other women in power today and the near future and women everywhere learn from the life and times of Dora Akinyuli because as she served,she unarguably was also busy writing her one legacy in history, for a day such as this, when we are all rolling out the scorecard. If it’s for the likes of Dora that Arise Nigerian Woman Foundation exists for the lobbying of more qualified women in positions of power, then the struggle, the ups and down is all well worth it. I duff my hat to a great man, in the person of Dr. J.C. Akunyili, of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, for allowing his wife the space and time to be his friend, wife,mother of his children and the true servant of Nigeria and mankind that she was. DORA, THANK YOU FOR STANDING TALL AND REPRESENTING THE WOMENFOLK WELL AND SETTING THE IDEAL STANDARD FOR US ALL. HOPEFULLY WE SHALL NOT LET YOU DOWN BUT CARRY ON THE BATON. YOU HAVE ONLY GONE HOME TO REST, INDEED, REST OUR AMAZON. DORA NKEM AKINYULI- July 14, 1954 - June 7,2014