Gowon, Abubakar, Others Converge for Akunyili
By Eugene Agha
Two former Military Heads of State, General Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, First Lady, Chief (Mrs.) Stella Obasanjo, House of representatives Speaker, Alhaji Bello Masari, Finance Minister, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Charles Soludo, and captains of industry including Alhaji Aliko Dangote were among the important dignitaries that showered encomiums on the Director General (DG), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Dora Akunyili, as she celebrated her 50th birthday yesterday at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Gowon and Abubakar described the NAFDAC boss as an icon who has come to turn around the image of the nation through her war against fake and substandard goods.
They said the fact that Akunyili was able to gather together eminent personalities from within and outside the pharmaceutical industry goes a long way to show that she was a woman of integrity and honour.
''We are celebrating the first century of a lady who is dear to us. We are here to celebrate a life well spent being that the celebrant has excelled in whatever she does'' he said.
General Gowon who could not hide his adoration for the NAFDAC boss stated further that Nigeria needs more of Akunyili to put things in the right perspective.
Also speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the Ghanaian Food and Drug Control, Mr. Emmanuel Igiako, stated that before Akunyili mounted the saddle of leadership of NAFDAC, drugs from Nigeria were not allowed to be imported into Ghana and other West African Countries. He added that he was proud to say that drugs from Nigeria were being sold all over Ghana.
''I remember a particular period when the customs impounded some containers of drug allegedly smuggled into Ghana from Nigeria. When I took a closer look at the park I discovered to my relief, not because I would like to encourage smuggling, but because it had NAFDAC registration number on it,'' he said.
Igiako noted that this was an indication of how Akunyili was held in high esteem, not only in Nigeria but also in the West African Sub- region.
He stated further that few years ago the Ghanaian government would not allow anything from Nigeria, but that their opinion had changed in the past three years, having studied closely the activities of NAFDAC under the leadership of Akunyili.
''I see Akunyili, not only as a sister but as a senior colleague who has always given me words of advise when it was needed most. I wish I could be like her'' he added.
Responding, Akunyili said it gave her a great joy to see people, even those whom she had had brushes with during the war against fake and sub standard goods, say good things about her.
She stated that all she had done was not because she was too intelligent, but that it was God that was actually directing her on what to do.
Other dignitaries who attended the occasion include the Governors of Lagos and Imo States, Senator Bola Tinubu and Chief Achike Udenwa, Chairman Globe Motors, Chief Willy Anumudu, the representative of the Oba of Benin, Omonoba Erediawa, Chief Evan Igho Osagie, the Obaifo of Benin Kingdom and Chief Woghireim, the Obasouwa of Benin among others.
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