Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili is well known to us. She was Nigeria's former Minister of Information, and the erstwhile Director-General of NAFDAC.Often times, we see her on our television screens wearing a well-knotted headgear on her head, and toothy smile on her seraphic face. This sight has become familiar to us. Unarguably, Akunyili is a phenomenon that is very fascinating. Little wonder, she has become my role model since I encountered her on the pages of newspapers some years ago.Her phenomenal rise to fame is rooted in her innate mental gift, providential intervention, courage and uncommon industry. These personal qualities and factors combined to shape her personality, and contributed to her achieving resounding success in her endeavours. Being a very brilliant pupil, she earned government scholarship that saw her through post-primary and university education. The robust education she acquired prepared her for the roles she has been playing in nation- building.Now, Akunyili is popular with us based on the war she waged against fake drug manufacturers and the famous memo she fired to FEC during the political stalemate. Her fame is daily increasing as international organisations are falling over themselves to bestow awards on her. The name Akunyili is still synonymous with anti-fake drug war long after she served as the Director-General of NAFDAC. Her landmark achievements and noble and praiseworthy deeds have imprinted her image in our collective psyche.When dissecting and decoding Akunyili's character, one should look out for these innate qualities and character traits in her: honesty, fearlessness, courage and patriotism. People with these qualities are few in our country.A honest lady, while at NAFDAC, she staked her life to rid Nigeria of fake and injurious drugs. This demonstrated her courage and patriotism.Were Akunyili a poor, unsuccessful and disillusioned Nigerian, we would have thought that she was trying to commit suicide or martyrdom. But, Akunyili, an achiever and lover of life, is not vainglorious; neither is she frustrated and unfulfilled to warrant her engaging in self-destruction. Love for us and Nigeria motivated her to take on murderous fake drug manufacturers at a great risk to her life. A citizen's love for her country is called patriotism. And, she is very patriotic.Her patriotic deeds remind me of this saying: 'Don't think of what your country will do for you, but what you will do for your country.' Her public service record encapsulates and emblematises that axiomatic political saying. Now, in this milieu of corrupt political leadership, Akunyili has come across as a breath of unpolluted air. This political Amazon contested the April 2011 election for the Anambra Central Senatorial zone.She ran a robust campaign that was issue- based and devoid of abusive and rancorous language, and mudslinging. Even when provoked and insulted, she kept her cool.Anambra, her home State, is a patriarchal society, and the people are not enamored of female politicians. I remember Anambra men saying this: "A women whose urine does not flow in a jet straight line across the drainage cannot represent us in the Senate when Dr. Chris Ngige, a man, is in the race.' She fought against that gender bias by postulating that gender- equality is our inalienable fundamental human right. Akunyili won over the die-hard male chauvinists with her articulation and unveiling of her plans and mission for seeking to represent us at the Senate. So, political analysts believed that she would win the Anambra Central Senatorial election.Sadly, she lost the election owing to the massive rigging that characterised it. Expectedly, she went to the Election Tribunal in Awka to file a petition. The first Election Tribunal in Awka led by Justice Bwala was dissolved for allegedly receiving bribe and engaging in unprofessional conduct that perverted the course of justice. But, the current in Awka has proved to be the same as the previous one. On October 4, 2011, it ruled that form Tf008 was filed by the lawyer representing Akunyili. To our surprise, it struck out Akunyili's case on October 20, 2011 for non-availability of form TF008 in the case files. We would like the judges not to compromise their integrity and reputation Akunyili had appealed the perverse ruling at the Appeal Court, Enugu.These are trying times for this Professor of Pharmacology and nemesis of fake-drug manufacturers. She is not disillusioned and hopeless. On the contrary, Akunyili is known to be an indefatigable and dogged fighter. She has deployed the same mental and physical energy she used in routing fake-drug makers in seeking electoral redress at the court and tribunal, as she has the courage of her convictions.This Amazon who is a nation- builder with leadership qualities, integrity, courage, fearlessness, forthrightness and outspokenness deserves a high place in the architecture of our super- structure.But, we urge the election tribunal at Awka and the Appeal court at Enugu to do the right thing. The judiciary is still the last hope of the common man.'Okoye, a poet and unpublished novelist, lives in Anambra State.
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