I don’t know much of Nigeria’s political history, but I can remember when Prof Dora Akunyili of blessed memory was the director general of NAFDAC, how she fought against adulterated drugs. 

Igbo traders in the Drug and Allied market at Bridge-Head Onitsha were mostly affected. A lot of goods were seized and burnt. In fact the battle affected more Igbos than other tribes. 

Nigerians applauded her.

She successfully completed her service at NAFDAC, and was later appointed as Nigeria’s Minister of Information during the regime of Late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Late Prof Dora Akunyili | Google Images

She carried forward the energy to rebrand Nigeria. 

And it wasn’t too long, she’d already given Nigeria the slogan we use today; 

Nigeria, Good People, Great Nation.

Then, when you tune to NTA, you hear her talk about MDG goals, Agenda 2020…and all the promising projects which gave hope that Nigeria was driving somewhere.

She was very keen to save Nigeria. 

Her Nigeria rebranding campaign gained global attention. 

Everything was going smoothly until the then President Umaru Yar’Adua got ill and was flown out of the country.

For weeks, Nigerians were kept in the dark as to the health situation of the president.

Even as the Minister of Information, Dora could not give the exact account of the situation of the president as she had no access to the President. 

Tension was everywhere.

It was at that hot moment that Prof Dora, tabled a memo advising the Federal Executive Council to accept that Yar’Adua was no longer fit to lead.

And requested that power should be handed over to Jonathan who happened to be the Vice President at the time.

And all of a sudden, all hell broke loose.

Some members of the cabinet who didn’t want a transfer of power allegedly shouted down the motion.

From then, she started receiving blows from all corners, and the rest is history.

Late Prof Dora Akunyili When She Was Sick | Google Images

When Sahara Reporters ask her why she did that, read her words;

“

What I want is for us to stabilize this country because it is the only country we can call our own. I’m passionate about Nigeria and I didn’t start today. I literally took a bullet for this country when I was fighting drug counterfeiters for almost eight years. They nearly killed me in the village. I missed death by the whiskers. So, anybody who is saying why is she doing this, I say why are they saying this?

Reference Sahara Reporters

“

In my opinion, Igbos have always wanted to fix Nigeria.

However, having the ambition to fix Nigeria as an Igbo is not a problem. The problem is, will other tribes tolerate you when you want to cut their excesses?

May Her soul Rest In Peace 🙏