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| Dora Akunyili |
I find it such a coincidence that two iconic
women died within the same time period of each other. The death of Dora
Akunyili was announced earlier today (although quite frankly I believe she died
since last week when we first heard the rumors). Whatever the case though, the
fact remains that she has passed on and I feel a kind of pain in my heart even
though I never knew her personally.
The second woman who passed on and made
such a great impact while she lived and even in death was Maya Angelou a black American who stood as the voice of the ‘Black Woman’ amidst a formidable force to
silence that specie.
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| Maya Angelou |
The coincidence is that Maya passed on ten
days ago which was precisely the 28th of May and a private memorial
service held today the 7th of June at Wake Forest University, North
Carolina, where Maya Angelou served as the Reynolds Professor of American Studies
from 1982 until her death.Hmnnnn...Dora Akunyili died on the same day as Maya Angelou’s wake keep ceremony.
Accolades have been pouring in from all
major TV and radio stations across the country for Dora because she was a woman
who made a difference especially in a corrupt system she found herself while
serving as the Director-General of the National Agency For Food and Drug
Administration and Control(NAFDAC) from 2001-2008
Before she took over this position Nigeria
was known as a place where fake and substandard food and drugs were dumped
without any regulations but Prof Akunyili fought this menace with dogged
passion despite risks to her personal safety.
Which is why even though she became
Minister of Information from 2008 till 2010,it is still her service as DG of
NAFDAC that people always remember her for because she made such a huge impact.
It is also amazing to note that despite
battling cancer for the past two years, the renowned pharmacist and administrator
was still very passionate about a better Nigeria and was until her death an
active delegate at the ongoing National Conference.
For her commitment to the values of honesty, transparency and selfless service, Professor Dora Akunyili who died at the age of 59 had received over six hundred Awards and Recognitions locally and internationally.
As for Maya Angelou, a prolific author and poet who died aged 86, tributes haven’t stopped pouring in for her by artists, entertainers and world leaders including Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.
She wrote books, plays, poems, movies and television shows spanning over fifty years. Many of her works are still being used in schools and universities worldwide.
Maya Angelou was also very active in the Civil Rights Movement for the emancipation of black people in America and worked with Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X respectively.
Speaking at her Wake-keep today, Michelle Obama was quoted as saying “Maya Angelou’s words carried a little black girl from the South side of Chicago all the way to the White House!”
So to these great women I say “Adieu…till we meet at the Master’s feet to part no more! Rest In Peace.
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