WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE 1

Chronicled by Afronuts @ Wednesday, February 27, 2008

DORA AKUNYILI

I remember the first time I actually got to properly see the picture of the enigma of a woman called Dora Akunyili, my first reaction was, “So its this beautiful woman that’s showing all these fake drug peddlers serious pepper?”

I had thought it would be some-stone-faced vicious fire breathing Madame that would scare kids away with just a stare.
I was dead wrong. The strongwoman of NAFDAC has this sweet smile and lively eyes such that if you saw her for the first time, quizzical musings would bombard your mind left, right, centre.
In a country that is bedeviled with all manner and forms of corruption in high places with all manner of national treasury pilfers parading themselves as our leaders, its surprising and shocking that a member of the womenfolk can rise up and do things properly.


I will transparently say that I am ashamed of almost all the men that have occupied seats of leadership in Nigeria. There are minutely very few men that I can stand up for and acclaim that they are people I admire.
I have the gut feeling that if a man had been in the hot seat of leadership of NAFDAC, he would have masqueraded about throughout his tenure eating up from the coffers of funds he could get his hands on while promising Nigerians that they would ‘bring culprits to book’(Culprits of whom would have been caught earlier but ‘settled’ their way out of being brought to justice).


Dora Akunyili came on the Job and didn’t just do her Job but took it way beyond the expectations of Nigerians. Not even a close brush with death when an assassination attempt was made on her life could deter her from continuing her job. Her defiance in getting the Job done was reflected when she once quoted in an interview;



"My coming here and not doing the work is greater than any sin in the ten commandments. I just leave it to God and put in the effort that is humanly possible. I refuse to be intimidated. My life is in the hand of God. They forget that so many people have died because of fake drugs, even my own sister. If she had had the right insulin, she wouldn't have died.”


Dora has become so popular and beloved by many that she has taken the place of the ultimate role model in the lives of many Nigerians. Today more women are beginning to contemplate trying out the political terrain.



Dora’s performance has ultimately proven that women should never be taken for granted when it comes to handling the mantle of leadership. In a society that is undoubtedly patriarchal in nature, she has succeeded in breaking the jinx that women can’t do it like the men. Unfortunately, she even does it better than most men. That was actually proven when she bagged the Silverbird Television man of the year award. It’s funny that it was meant to be ‘man of the year’ but a woman ended up clinching it!




I needn’t mention that Dr Dora Akunyili is well read and has pedigrees that have equally proven that they are not a waste of accolades since her performance has paid off. It’s quite unusual in a society where there are people fronting pedigrees and achieving no noteworthy exploits in leadership. I strongly believe that until the world has noticed your efforts, then you are really a great person. Dora has drawn global attention and will remain a veritable point of reference in Nigerian history.