Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili (OFR), the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), is an internationally renowned Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, Erudite Scholar, Seasoned Administrator, and a visionary leader.
Prior to her present appointment, she was a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Pharmacologist in the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka (U.N.N.), Enugu Campus.
Prof. Akunyili was born in Makurdi, Benue State (Nigeria) on the 14th of July 1954 to Chief & Mrs. Paul Young Edemobi. Her educational career started with her passing the First School Leaving Certificate with Distinction in 1966, and the West African School Certificate (W.A.S.C.) with Grade I Distinction in 1973 (both in Nigeria), which earned her the Eastern Nigerian Government Post Primary Scholarship and the Federal Government of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship respectively. It is remarkable that throughout her high school career, Dora Akunyili was always first in her class – a record that has never been broken in the school to date.
She got her B.Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and P.hD in 1985, both at University of Nigeria Nsukka (U.N.N.). Prof. Akunyili won the best student award in the school of Pharmacy in her very first year in the school and the Vice Chancellor’s Postgraduate and Research Leadership prize in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences for 1984/85 and 1985/86 academic Sessions.
She was promoted to the rank of a Professor in October, 2000 by the same University.
Prof. Akunyili’s educational career started with her passing the First School Leaving Certificate with Distinction in 1966, and the West African School Certificate (W.A.S.C.) with Grade I Distinction in 1973 (both in Nigeria), which earned her the Eastern Nigerian Government Post Primary Scholarship and the Federal Government of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship respectively. It is remarkable that throughout her high school career, Dora Akunyili was always first in her class – a record that has never been broken in the school to date.
She got her B.Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and P.hD in 1985, both at University of Nigeria Nsukka (U.N.N.). Prof. Akunyili won the best student award in the school of Pharmacy in her very first year in the school and the Vice Chancellor’s Postgraduate and Research Leadership prize in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences for 1984/85 and 1985/86 academic Sessions.
She was promoted to the rank of a Professor in October, 2000 by the same University.
Prof. Dora Akunyili was appointed Zonal Secretary of Petroleum Special Trust Fund (P.T.F.), coordinating all projects in the five South Eastern States of Nigeria from 1996 – 2000.
As a Scientist and a Scholar, she has presented 20 papers in various Local and International Scientific Conferences, published two books and 33 Journal Articles. She also supervised PhD and Masters candidates, and is currently supervising six Postgraduate students in the College of Medicine U.N.N.
Prof. Akunyili has held positions of responsibility in University of Nigeria Nsukka which include: serving in six Senate Committees and various faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Committees of the University from 1986 –1992.
She is a very active member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (P.S.N.) where she has served in various capacities notably as the National Vice President of Association of Lady Pharmacists (1992-1995) and President of the Enugu State Branch from 1992-1998.
She is also a member of other learned societies, a few of which are New York Academy of Science, International Union of Pharmacology, and International Pharmaceutical Federation.
Prof. Akunyili is a Post Doctorate Fellow of University of London and a Fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists.
For her industry and commitment to the values of honesty and transparency, Prof. Akunyili has received over 260 Awards and Recognitions locally and internationally, prominent among which are: – Recognition as an Icon of Hope for Nigerians (2002) by President Olusegun Obasanjo. Conferment with the National Order of the Federal Republic – OFR (2002), Integrity Award (2003) by Transparency International in South Korea, International Euro Market Award (2003 & 2005) by European Marketing Research Centre (EMRC)-Belgium, Total Quality Leadership Award (2003) by the African Institute for Democracy and Good Governance, Special Award for Combating Economic Crime (2004) by International Chamber of Commerce-Commercial Crime Services (ICC-CCS) – London, African Civic Responsibility Award (2004–2005) by African Times–USA, Quintessence Award (2004) by African Writers Endowment Inc. USA, SACAIDS Humanitarian “Hero of our Time Award” (2005) by Save Africa Congress for AIDS (SACAIDS), New York, Industrial Pharmacy Medal Award (2005) by International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Person of the Year 2005 Award – Silverbird Communications Ltd, Lagos, 05-01-2006, Distinguished Award as a Role Model of Nigerian Society Ahmadu Bello University Students’ Union Government (ABUSUG), Zaria, Nigeria. 08-07-2005, Merit Award Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria 27-05-2005, Merit Award Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) 05-08-2005 ,Merit Award – Nigerian Medical Association, FCT., Abuja Branch, 14-12-2005. Recently she was also awarded by the Times as one of the 18 best heroes of our time. She has been described as a woman with a drug warrior who is on a mission to put an end to illegal drug dealers. For this purpose , she has been the target of many assasination attempts, like this article found in the Times last year, “Dr. Dora Akunyili and her family were driving down a rural road in Nigeria three years ago when snipers opened fire on her car. ” The back windscreen was shattered,” she says. ” A bullet pierced through my head scarf and grazed my scalp.” Akunyili had been targeted by a drug gang–but not the kind that sells heroin or cocaine. These drug dealers traffic in counterfeit medicine–ineffective at best, deadly at worst–and as director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Akunyili’s job aims to put them out of business. Bad medicine is a huge problem in…”. This shows the gravity of the work this great lady undertakes.
When asked about her job , she said “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. “The forces of darkness have risen up against us to distract us, to intimidate us, and to return us to the status quo ante, but I have made up my mind not to fail God, who has elevated me to this position. He is my sustenance and my defender. It does not matter what they do, they must fail. When they gather against me, because it is not of God, they shall fail for my sake. I am on the side of righteousness. God is with me I have no reason to be afraid.”
This great icon has just been recognized by her state which is Anambra state as a great lady and we at unilagfaces.com want to join with the world in recognizing this distinguished and great icon and wish her a happy 52nd birthday which occured on the 14th of July 2006.
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