Chidiogo, one of the children of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, tells ARUKAINO UMUKORO about her mother’s legacy
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m the fifth child among six children
of Dr. John Chike Akunyili and Prof. Dora Akunyili. I had my first
degree from the University of Pennsylvania and Sciences Po, Paris, and a
master’s degree in Economics and International Relations and
Development from SAIS Johns Hopkins University, Bologna, Italy and
Washington DC, US. I currently lead the Global Shapers Community, an
initiative of the World Economic Forum, across Africa and the Middle
East.
It’s truly a privilege to support almost 2,000 young people and
the dreams across the continent to build the Africa that we want. What
most people don’t know about me is that I speak seven languages: Ibo,
English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese. For me, Nigeria
is home, and I look forward to serving and supporting her renaissance.
How was growing up for you?
Growing up for me was wonderful,
experiencing the love of a big, tightly-knit family, having a mother
that took very good care of us and always showered us with attention and
affection. We grew up in Enugu. My mother was a super woman, she gave a
lot of herself to make sure we could dream and become anything we
wanted to be. At the core of that was the value of contributing to
humanity. Growing up, we always visited the sick and the needy. Mum made
all efforts to ensure that we are conscious of the people around us and
how we can help people in need.
What are some of the values you learnt from your mother?
She had a beautiful heart. She did not
procrastinate or wait for tomorrow. The moment she decided to do
something, she just got it done. This is something I learnt from my
mother. She also instilled in us the values of gratitude for whatever we
have, even in difficult situations. She taught us the value of having
faith in God and reaching out to Him for guidance from above, knowing
there is nothing that we ask of God that He cannot do for us. She
instilled the value of humility in us; that we should be humble no
matter what we are, where we come from or our achievements. Also, she
instilled in us the value of hard work, having a life purpose and
vision. She was extremely hard working, a trait I also learnt from her
and it continues to guide me.
How did she discipline her children whenever they erred?
My mother was more of the ‘good cop.’ It
was dad that was the disciplinarian. She showered us with love and
affection and focused on teaching us those life values, of caring for
other human beings, and to be the best that we can be.
She was quite a fiery and passionate person. How did she react whenever she was angry?
She was indeed a fiery and passionate
person. But she wasn’t one to get angry over nothing or without good
reason. When she did get angry, one would truly know that they had
erred. She had more of a righteous anger, which served the purpose of
correcting you. She never kept a grudge.
Did she use the cane?
No, my mother never flogged us.
How much influence did your mum have on your career choice and that of your siblings?
She taught us to be hard working, to
stand for something and to have a passion for change. All that helped us
in various ways. We (my siblings and I) are all in places where we are
all working to make the lives of others better. My sister, Njideka, who
recently won the 2016 Prix Canson Prize for Art on Paper award, has been
featured four times in the New York Times for the work she is
doing, telling her every day stories through her art, and inspiring so
many people. Three of my other siblings are medical doctors, working to
help others in need. I work with a community of young people, Global
Shapers, at the World Economic Forum, with a mission and purpose to
improve the state of the world. All of us were influenced by the values
that we learnt from both our parents. My mother taught us that life can
be so well lived so that long after one is gone, people would always
remember the work that you have done and the values you added to their
lives.
You have obviously made a name for yourself. How would you say your mum’s name opened doors for you?
It has garnered me a lot of goodwill and
beautiful entry into people’s hearts. I’ve had strangers hug me with
tears in their eyes after knowing my identity; those moments when people
look at you differently because they feel a connection to you, because
they felt a connection to our mother. For me, I think these are the
doors it has opened, doors to people hearts and homes, which I am very
grateful for.
Your mum is widely regarded
nationally and internationally for her selfless service to the nation.
How would you describe her as a mother?
As a mother, she was like a lioness; she
was very protective of us. I think I would say she was a mother to all,
to an extent, a mother of the nation; she fought for the betterment of
people. She was God-fearing, loving and protective. She always
encouraged one to live up to one potential and capabilities. As a
mother, she was really a blessing. All my life, I would be grateful to
have had her positive influence, for the values she instilled in me, for
the so much love she shared with us and showed us as a mother.
What are some things you would like to share about your mum that Nigerians don’t know about her?
My mother loved pineapples, oranges and
roasted corn. She was extremely funny. She loved cracking jokes. She had
multiple pet names for calling each one of us at different moments. She
never missed the 9 o’clock news. She prayed with the rosary all the
time. I don’t like speaking about my mum in the past tense. She is a
wonderful woman, extremely loving and caring. So many people came to her
for so many things and she was always willing to help or go out of her
way to help. There was nothing fake about her. She was an extremely
authentic person.
What was her likes and dislikes?
She did not like dishonesty in people,
and when people don’t look out for each other as human beings. She did
not like corruption in all its forms or any vices. She disliked
selfishness. She liked forthrightness. She loved God, the Holy Trinity
and the Virgin Mary. She loved the church and the institution of
religion, which she was attached very strongly to. And she loved all her
children, and I speak beyond the six of us (biological children), she
truly loved all those she called her children, and they were many. She
loved life. She loved humanity and she loved Nigeria to the point of
death, and she was willing to give up her life for that which she loved.
She loved watching the news, being around people, worshipping, going on
pilgrimage whenever she could, she loved reading and reflections. She
was a big thinker.
What kinds of books did she like reading?
She liked reading books on current
affairs, inspirational books. She loved Oprah, biographies of Nelson
Mandela, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama; she loved reading about the lives
of inspirational people she could learn from.
Was she a sociable person?
I would say she was an open person. She
was a people-person, connecting and working with people and engaging
their minds and ideas.
Was she big on fashion and fashion accessories?
My mother had a gift of presence. She
would walk into a room and literally fill up that room. She wasn’t into
fashion; she just dressed in a way that made her comfortable. She
enjoyed dressing in a way that represented who she was; a true,
beautiful, loving and open spirit. She loved African prints and the
colours.
What was her favourite drink?
She liked fresh juices. She never
touched alcohol. I don’t think she has had any alcoholic drink all her
life. And she never touched caffeine; no coke, alcohol or caffeine. She
was more into natural juices, local fruits and local food.
Can you describe her relationship with your father?
My father was an example of how a man
can be supportive of his wife, the same way a woman can play that role
and be supportive of her husband. They were supportive of each other,
their choices and their careers. He supported her journey, and I think
that exactly captured their relationship, as partners; and partners
support each other on their personal and professional journeys.
Your mum recorded numerous
achievements as the Director-General of the National Food and Drugs
Administration and Control. What did she tell you about her experiences
and the challenges she encountered in her fight against fake/
sub-standard drugs and food products, including the period when she was
almost assassinated?
We lived a lot of these experiences with
her. We lived the moment when she got the call from former president
Olusegun Obasanjo, offering her the NAFDAC job, and how she took on the
job head-on, and the passion she had for it. She often spoke about the
pain of her sister that died from fake/substandard drugs and how much
that had hurt her, and how she wondered how many other people’s
children, aunties, sisters, wives, mothers, uncles, would die from
people’s greed. So, she shared a lot of that frustration over the state
of the country and corruption. We also shared with her in her successes,
going with her on international trips, and sitting there, watching her
get recognitions for the incredible work she was doing in tackling such a
problem. We were in the car with her during the assassination attempt
on her life. There were bullets flying everywhere, there was chaos. One
could see the hole in her scalp; the bullets had scrapped her scalp and
grazed her hair. Many people would be scared at that moment, but then
she was more resolute in her vow to eliminate fake drugs. She had made
that difficult decision, and that it was the right thing to do. She
shared a lot of herself through her work to save Nigeria. She ran for
the Senate and spoke of how much she wanted to change the East and
Nigeria. She would tell us of all the dreams that she had for the women
in the East, in Nigeria. When we were young as children, she would go on
for hours sharing her dreams on transforming the region and her love
for the people and how she would serve them, and she did just that.
Were you not scared for her
life after the assassination attempt and didn’t your family or dad put
pressure on her to give up her position as NAFDAC DG?
One couldn’t tell my mum to give up on
something she believed in. I think we all understood that she was on a
mission, and she inspired the family. Yes, we had our concerns. All we
could do was pray for her safety and that God would guide and see her
through.
During the administration of
the late Umaru Yar ‘Adua, there were talks of a cabal which had
encouraged the misinformation about Yar’Adua’s health. There was some
controversy about her stand on this issue, can you clarify this?
I think history has answered that
question. It is clear what happened in terms of the voice that she spoke
with. People would always have opinions that they formulate, and there
are many opinions out there; I’m not going to speak for or against it.
How did she react to some of the criticisms towards her?
Being the wise woman that she was, when
she felt something was wrong, she would speak up about it. I would say
she handled criticisms from a very far distance. Ultimately she was calm
and found comfort in God guiding her to doing the right thing.
How did she create time for her family, despite her busy schedule?
She always found a way to create time to
spend with her family. Even when I was out of the country, many times I
needed her advice; she was always there for me and stopped whatever she
was doing to give her time to me. She was not just a mother to just the
six of us, but to many others. Many people would attest to this; she
was never too busy for anyone. She always made herself available. She
always went out of her way to give. She was always there for us as we
grew professionally as young adults, and she was a beautiful sounding
board. My mother showed us great love and was extremely devoted to her
children.
How did your family feel
about her attending the National Constitutional Conference despite the
condition of her health then? How did your family cope during her
illness?
We were anxious. But again, my mother
was extremely resolute when she made a decision. And we had learnt to
trust her judgement whenever she made a decision. We felt the strength
of her conviction and we gave her support. It was something that was
very important to her. Ultimately, history now shows that she was right.
Although it was very difficult, she went the extra mile to share her
voice, her love and dreams for Nigeria and the future of the country,
and the roles that we all have to play.
What was your last conversation with her?
The last thing that I said to her
face-to-face was that I loved her and she shared the same sentiment. I
had shared these words at her passing: “To many, she was an icon, to
others, she was an inspiration, to me, she was my mother and all of the
above.” What I told her during the last week before she died stays with
me. Before her death, I had shared with her: “I am your daughter, and
you raised me, you have been in the midst of everything, mummy, and that
is the strength that is now mine and all of us your children. It is
also the strength of a whole nation; you touched so many lives, and that
is a blessing that must not be taken lightly.”
How has your family coped since her passing?
We have stayed strong and we continue to
be showered by the blessing that was her life. We have forged a
stronger relationship with each other and being strong for one another.
It is beautiful to have mourned with so many people that loved her, and
all the people that honoured her in her death. That was really special. I
feel her presence so strongly always. We are doing incredible things in
the family. My siblings across the states are doing incredible service
in their work; myself too, in my own way, I’m serving the world, Africa
and Nigeria, to the best of my ability and growing in that ability. We
feel the blessings of her legacy, and we want to live the rest of our
lives honouring that legacy and all the values that she instilled in us,
to really make sure that her life and all she stood for would never be
in vain.
What is her legacy?
I think Nigeria must never forget the
role that each one of us has to play. I think her legacy is the power
and the role and responsibility that we have to play in doing our best
wherever one finds oneself with honesty, integrity, and passion for
improving the lives and livelihood of Nigerians, of people and humanity
as a whole. And she was able to single-handedly, without any hesitation,
do that, even at the cost of her own life. Her legacy is that of living
a life that is worthy of emulation and inspiring, so many can look at
that life and know that Nigerians can be role models and also be a force
of positive change for ourselves, our families, our communities,
country, and continent. Her legacy is that of a woman who ushered the
way towards a new national mindset and one of a unified Nigeria.
How should Nigerians remember her?
We should remember her prayer for
Nigeria, in terms of the great nation that she hoped for. Also, I look
forward to celebrating with many Nigerians her birthday on July 14, in
honour of the memory of this woman that was so selfless and loving and
was a passionate believer in the success of Nigeria. We should ask
ourselves how we are contributing to make Nigeria a great nation, where
quality becomes the norm and not an abnormality. We should ask
ourselves, how are we holding ourselves and our government accountable?
How are we living the change that we want to see in Nigeria?
Has the Nigerian government done enough to honour her legacy?
The Anambra State government recently
honoured her concretely with the construction of a women development
centre in Awka, which was renamed the Prof. Dora Akunyili Women
Development Centre, Awka. We attended the event and we were very humbled
to see how Nigerians have embraced her for the work she had done and
honoured her by this monument that will empower even more women to
achieve their own true potential. Nigeria continues to honour her in
many ways, and we are all very grateful for that.
Source: Punch
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