Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili (OFR)
was born in Makurdi, Benue State (Nigeria) on the 14th of July 1954 to Chief
& Mrs Paul Young Edemobi. She is a devout Catholic and is happily married
to Dr. J. C. Akunyili, a Medical Practitioner and they are blessed with six
children and three grandchildren. Her hobbies include reading, writing, cooking
and travelling. She speaks Igbo and English fluently.
Prof. Akunyili, is an
internationally renowned Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, Erudite Scholar, Seasoned
Administrator, and a visionary leader.
She has served her country in
numerous strategic positions including as Director-General of the National
Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Federal
Minister of Information and Communication.
Educational Career
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 top of her class -
a record that has never been broken in the school to date.
She got her B.Pharm (Hons) in
1978 and PhD in 1985, both at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). 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
Professor of Pharmacology in October, 2000 by the same University.
Working/Employments Experiences
Prof. Akunyili started her
working career as a Hospital Pharmacist in the University of Nigeria Teaching
Hospital (UNTH) Enugu in 1978. In 1981, she ventured into Academics as a
Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
UNN. In the University system, she made a steady progress from lecturer I in
1986 until she was made Senior Lecturer in 1990.
In 1992 she transferred to the
College of Medicine, UNN and became a Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996. She
also worked as a part time lecturer at the West African College of Pharmacists,
Lagos, Nigeria from 1992-1995.
She was appointed Supervisory
Councilor for Agriculture in Anaocha Local Government of Anambra State, Nigeria
from 1994 – 1996. Prof. Dora Akunyili was appointed Zonal Secretary of
Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF), where she coordinated all projects in the
five South Eastern States of Nigeria from 1997 - 2000.
Prof. Dora Akunyili was appointed
Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria from April 2001-2008. Here she recorded outstanding
success. Prior to her appointment, food and drug regulation in Nigeria was
chaotic. All manner of adulterated, fake and substandard food and drugs were
dumped into Nigeria resulting in over 60 percent of fake drugs in circulation.
Unscrupulous individuals made fortunes from such unwholesome practices. When
she assumed office, she brought in a new culture of excellence and honesty to
NAFDAC and the entire Nigerian public service. As a result, the level of fake
and counterfeit drugs in circulation dropped to 16.7 percent with vast
improvement in the food and other regulated sectors. As a commentator in a
national newspaper once wrote, “The NAFDAC Director General is a revolutionary.
She has not only changed NAFDAC, she has also changed the pharmaceutical industry
in the country.”
From December 2008 – December
2010, she worked as the Honourable Minister of Information and Communications,
Federal Republic of Nigeria. As the Honourable Minister, Prof. Akunyili
anchored the Re-branding Nigeria Project driven by the slogan, Nigeria Good
People, Great Nation. The programme was conceived as an internal process to
address Nigeria’s negative image both at home and abroad. Dora has proved her
versatility in all areas of human endeavour as she also ventured into politics
when she aspired to serve her own people in Anambra State as a Senator of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
As a Scientist and a Scholar, she
has presented over 600 papers delivered in various Local and International
Conferences, published 4 books and written scientific articles published in 37
local and international journals. She also supervised PhD and Masters
candidates.
Positions/Professional Bodies/Fellowship
Prof. Akunyili has held several
positions of responsibility in Nigeria as a professional in the course of her
career. She served in six Senate Committees and various Faculty of
Pharmaceutical Sciences Committees of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka from
1986 –1992.
From 1992 to 1994, Prof. Akunyili
served as a member of Anambra State Hospitals Management Board and State
Advisory Council for Women Commission. She has also served the Pharmaceutical
Society of Nigeria (P.S.N.) 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. Internationally, as Director
General of NAFDAC, Prof. Akunyili was appointed Chairman of West African Drug
Regulatory Agencies Network (WADRAN) in March 2006 and as Vice Chairman of the
International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (IMPACT) in
November 2006.
She is a Post Doctorate Fellow of
University of London, Fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of
Pharmacists, Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and member
of other learned societies, a few of which are New York Academy of Science,
International Narcotics Control Board, United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Expert
Committee, Association for African Medicinal Plant Standards (AAMPS), Global
Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV),
and International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD).
Awards/Recognition
For her industry and commitment
to the values of honesty, transparency and selfless service, Prof. Akunyili has
received over six hundred Awards and Recognitions locally and internationally,
notably among which are:
- Conferment with the National
Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and
- Recognition as an Icon of Hope for
Nigerians by President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo(2002);
- Person of the Year 2005 Award by Silverbird Communications
(2006);
- Nigeria’s Five Greatest Living Legends Award by Silverbird Group and
Vanguard Media (Dec. 2009);
- Recognition as Nigerian Woman of Distinction during
the Nigeria @ 50 Independence Anniversary Celebration (Sept. 2010);
- Minister of the Year 2010 by Nigeria Royalty Award (Dec. 2010).
- Integrity Award
by Transparency International in South Korea (2003);
- Honoured as one of the 18
heroes (Health) of our time by TIME Magazine,
- New York (2005);
- Grassroots Human
Rights Campaigner Award by Human Rights Defence Organization (International
Service) in British House of Commons (2005);
- Special Award for Combating
Economic Crime by International Chamber of Commerce-Commercial Crime Services
London (2004);
- Amazon of Integrity by National Council of Women Society (2004);
Pharmacist of the Year Medal Award by International Pharmaceutical Federation,
FIP (2005);
- Honourary Degree of Doctor of Laws by University of Bristol, London
(2006);
- Honorary Georgia Citizen by The State of Georgia, USA (2006);
- Agribusiness, International Euro Market and Transbusiness Awards respectively
for 2003, 2005 and 2006 by European Marketing Research Centre (EMRC), Brussels;
- Elected Honourary Member of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Of Great Britain,
London, by The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Of Great Britain, London (2008);
- Conferred with the prestigious Harmony Tribute Award by Planet Africa
Television Canada (2010).
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