A Prayer For Aunty Dora: By Dele Momodu
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funmilayo
Dec 26, 2008, 1:53:24 AM12/26/08
to USA Africa Dialogue Series
A Prayer For Aunty Dora
Pendulum By Dele Momodu
Make no mistake about it. I am a great fan of Dr. Dora Akunyili. It is
impossible not to love this exceptional Nigerian who took on the
murderers among us who usually travel all the way to Asia to import
fake and extremely dangerous drugs, all in the name of making money by
any means possible. It is doubtful if any Nigerian woman, dead or
alive, is more popular with the ordinary and not so ordinary
Nigerians. The passion with which she has fought the demons among us
has been acknowledged and appreciated by most of us. Even the
Columbians would be grateful to have a Dr. Akunyili to tackle the drug
warlords who have turned their country and beyond into a land of
misery.
Dr. Dora Akunyili has since become an accomplished bullet dodger in
the process of executing her crusade. Her life has been critically
threatened. Her brother was only recently abducted by God-knows-who.
Thank God nothing untoward happened to him. There is no limit to what
evil people can get up to. The case of Aunty Dora, as many admirers
fondly call her, is like that of someone riding the tiger. How do you
climb down without being devoured by the wild animal?
I met this highly emotional lady several years ago and I instantly
fell in love with her great aura. In her simplicity, Aunty Dora is a
very natural woman. She radiates undiluted beauty in her mostly
traditional dresses. She’s a roaring lioness who screams her self
hoarse when confronted by evil. She’s a devout Catholic who believes
in the service of her creator. Her daughter was getting married in
Cote D’ivore and we had offered to cover it free of charge. It was our
modest contribution to a woman who had worked tirelessly at protecting
our lives. She never forgot the simple favour. I was so moved to tears
when she turned up at my mum’s funeral last year, all the way in our
little town of Gbongan in Osun State. She stood by us like an Iroko
tree as if the dead was her mum.
Most of her critics have always alleged that Dora Akunyili is a media
creation. My defence has always been that the media is always a much-
needed tool for any crusade. All the powerful and largely successful
members of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s kitchen cabinet were close to
the press. Nasir El Rufai had the media in tow as he waged a physical
and metaphysical war against very powerful landlords in Abuja. God had
to intercede on his behalf to survive the virulent attacks against his
person. His good friend, the demoted police officer, Nuhu Ribadu, has
not been that lucky. But the media has remained so loyal, despite the
fact that Obasanjo went overboard in the powers of life and death
given to Ribadu and the supersonic promotions he got as reward for his
effort.
The World Bank expert, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala enjoyed a whirlwind romance
with the media. So did her hardworking colleague, Oby Ezekwesili.
Sometimes too they suffered some media bashing. But they were the
authentic gladiators who could never be ignored. Dora Akunyili was
primus inter pare in that league. You must get the flow of my preamble
by now.
The recent appointment of Aunty Dora as Minister of Information and
Communications caught many of us unawares. I’m sure it must have hit
her like a thunderbolt. Everyone had hoped that she would be posted to
the health ministry, where she’s expected to perform wonders again.
Our health sector has been comatose for decades and we are desperately
in need of a magician like Dora Akunyili. But most of the appointments
in Nigeria always numb our senses. There are two theories in the case
of Aunty Dora. One is that the Yar’Adua government perceives her as a
media-friendly woman, and would love to tap into her goodwill. The
other is that some fifth columnists want to rubbish her integrity by
inviting her to sell a difficult product.
That is why I believe Aunty Dora deserves our prayers. The fears of
most of us are not misplaced. This government is slower than a snail.
The taciturnity of this government is legendary. The president of
Africa’s most populous nation vanished into thin air without a trace
for nearly three weeks. He simply vamoosed without any of the geniuses
in power thinking that he owes the nation an explanation. A simple
matter of appointing ministers became a matter that dragged on for
eternity. And if the new ministers were expected to rejuvenate the
ailing government, we were soon deflated by the sheer irrationality of
the appointments. All manner of over-recycled people were dumped on us
in a country of over 140 million people. Unfortunately for us, ours is
not a place where people can reject appointments. Even those who have
achieved or acquired everything in life still crave appointments.
Power is the greatest aphrodisiac in Nigeria.
It is under this complex condition that a wonderful lady like Aunty
Dora is expected to operate. It is certainly a tough job. What makes
the job tougher is that I know that terrain a bit. The civil servants
are going to give her plenty of grief. There is no escape. They have
been around for a long time, and have perfected the art of perfidy. My
files in the ministry have developed wings on several occasions. And
most people tend to be experts at dodging responsibilities. Nothing
moves them. Everyone has one godfather or the other who can protect
him on the day of reckoning. They can turn a man into a goat and a dog
into a woman. There is nothing like the fear of God. I have tried to
preach to a few friends around that money can never solve all problems
but goodwill can take care of most needs.
Aunty Dora would also have to contend with the impatience of our
people. Nigerians have been so badly battered and are tired of the
insensitivity of the men and women in power who only see government as
an invitation to treat, and never as service to the people. The people
are not interested in propaganda and falsehood. They want food and
shelter. They want good healthcare. Whosoever can make that happen is
their friend. He would always occupy a special space in their hearts.
I believe Aunty Dora will try her best. We hope her bosses will make
the job easier for her by doing what is right most of the time. She
must also restructure her ministry by attracting the kind of people
who understand modern techniques of communications and have the tools
to work with. The era of pushing files up and down at ministries
should be a thing of the past by now. Files would stop disappearing
when the right structures are erected. Training of personnel is also
very important, and those not trainable, should be phased out
gradually. Nigeria can not continue to function as if we live in a
jungle. We are well-endowed and should make the best of all that we’ve
been blessed with.
Information should be about the nation and not about government
events. Most news on government channels are repugnant. On the day
Yinka Craig died, I laboured in vain to see how his life and times
would be celebrated. Nigerians simply carried on as if nothing
happened. Please compare this to how the Americans celebrate their
fallen heroes. Nigerians need some respite very desperately. Life is
hard and miserable. The roads are bad despite the billions we see in
every year’s budget. No water. No electricity. The hospitals are sick
to the high heavens. It is bad news everywhere you turn. The Minister
of Information should not just inform the people, she should be bold
to inform the government about its failings. The feed-back she gives
would always keep the government alive to its responsibilities. This
she owes her fans like me.
Pendulum By Dele Momodu
Make no mistake about it. I am a great fan of Dr. Dora Akunyili. It is
impossible not to love this exceptional Nigerian who took on the
murderers among us who usually travel all the way to Asia to import
fake and extremely dangerous drugs, all in the name of making money by
any means possible. It is doubtful if any Nigerian woman, dead or
alive, is more popular with the ordinary and not so ordinary
Nigerians. The passion with which she has fought the demons among us
has been acknowledged and appreciated by most of us. Even the
Columbians would be grateful to have a Dr. Akunyili to tackle the drug
warlords who have turned their country and beyond into a land of
misery.
Dr. Dora Akunyili has since become an accomplished bullet dodger in
the process of executing her crusade. Her life has been critically
threatened. Her brother was only recently abducted by God-knows-who.
Thank God nothing untoward happened to him. There is no limit to what
evil people can get up to. The case of Aunty Dora, as many admirers
fondly call her, is like that of someone riding the tiger. How do you
climb down without being devoured by the wild animal?
I met this highly emotional lady several years ago and I instantly
fell in love with her great aura. In her simplicity, Aunty Dora is a
very natural woman. She radiates undiluted beauty in her mostly
traditional dresses. She’s a roaring lioness who screams her self
hoarse when confronted by evil. She’s a devout Catholic who believes
in the service of her creator. Her daughter was getting married in
Cote D’ivore and we had offered to cover it free of charge. It was our
modest contribution to a woman who had worked tirelessly at protecting
our lives. She never forgot the simple favour. I was so moved to tears
when she turned up at my mum’s funeral last year, all the way in our
little town of Gbongan in Osun State. She stood by us like an Iroko
tree as if the dead was her mum.
Most of her critics have always alleged that Dora Akunyili is a media
creation. My defence has always been that the media is always a much-
needed tool for any crusade. All the powerful and largely successful
members of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s kitchen cabinet were close to
the press. Nasir El Rufai had the media in tow as he waged a physical
and metaphysical war against very powerful landlords in Abuja. God had
to intercede on his behalf to survive the virulent attacks against his
person. His good friend, the demoted police officer, Nuhu Ribadu, has
not been that lucky. But the media has remained so loyal, despite the
fact that Obasanjo went overboard in the powers of life and death
given to Ribadu and the supersonic promotions he got as reward for his
effort.
The World Bank expert, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala enjoyed a whirlwind romance
with the media. So did her hardworking colleague, Oby Ezekwesili.
Sometimes too they suffered some media bashing. But they were the
authentic gladiators who could never be ignored. Dora Akunyili was
primus inter pare in that league. You must get the flow of my preamble
by now.
The recent appointment of Aunty Dora as Minister of Information and
Communications caught many of us unawares. I’m sure it must have hit
her like a thunderbolt. Everyone had hoped that she would be posted to
the health ministry, where she’s expected to perform wonders again.
Our health sector has been comatose for decades and we are desperately
in need of a magician like Dora Akunyili. But most of the appointments
in Nigeria always numb our senses. There are two theories in the case
of Aunty Dora. One is that the Yar’Adua government perceives her as a
media-friendly woman, and would love to tap into her goodwill. The
other is that some fifth columnists want to rubbish her integrity by
inviting her to sell a difficult product.
That is why I believe Aunty Dora deserves our prayers. The fears of
most of us are not misplaced. This government is slower than a snail.
The taciturnity of this government is legendary. The president of
Africa’s most populous nation vanished into thin air without a trace
for nearly three weeks. He simply vamoosed without any of the geniuses
in power thinking that he owes the nation an explanation. A simple
matter of appointing ministers became a matter that dragged on for
eternity. And if the new ministers were expected to rejuvenate the
ailing government, we were soon deflated by the sheer irrationality of
the appointments. All manner of over-recycled people were dumped on us
in a country of over 140 million people. Unfortunately for us, ours is
not a place where people can reject appointments. Even those who have
achieved or acquired everything in life still crave appointments.
Power is the greatest aphrodisiac in Nigeria.
It is under this complex condition that a wonderful lady like Aunty
Dora is expected to operate. It is certainly a tough job. What makes
the job tougher is that I know that terrain a bit. The civil servants
are going to give her plenty of grief. There is no escape. They have
been around for a long time, and have perfected the art of perfidy. My
files in the ministry have developed wings on several occasions. And
most people tend to be experts at dodging responsibilities. Nothing
moves them. Everyone has one godfather or the other who can protect
him on the day of reckoning. They can turn a man into a goat and a dog
into a woman. There is nothing like the fear of God. I have tried to
preach to a few friends around that money can never solve all problems
but goodwill can take care of most needs.
Aunty Dora would also have to contend with the impatience of our
people. Nigerians have been so badly battered and are tired of the
insensitivity of the men and women in power who only see government as
an invitation to treat, and never as service to the people. The people
are not interested in propaganda and falsehood. They want food and
shelter. They want good healthcare. Whosoever can make that happen is
their friend. He would always occupy a special space in their hearts.
I believe Aunty Dora will try her best. We hope her bosses will make
the job easier for her by doing what is right most of the time. She
must also restructure her ministry by attracting the kind of people
who understand modern techniques of communications and have the tools
to work with. The era of pushing files up and down at ministries
should be a thing of the past by now. Files would stop disappearing
when the right structures are erected. Training of personnel is also
very important, and those not trainable, should be phased out
gradually. Nigeria can not continue to function as if we live in a
jungle. We are well-endowed and should make the best of all that we’ve
been blessed with.
Information should be about the nation and not about government
events. Most news on government channels are repugnant. On the day
Yinka Craig died, I laboured in vain to see how his life and times
would be celebrated. Nigerians simply carried on as if nothing
happened. Please compare this to how the Americans celebrate their
fallen heroes. Nigerians need some respite very desperately. Life is
hard and miserable. The roads are bad despite the billions we see in
every year’s budget. No water. No electricity. The hospitals are sick
to the high heavens. It is bad news everywhere you turn. The Minister
of Information should not just inform the people, she should be bold
to inform the government about its failings. The feed-back she gives
would always keep the government alive to its responsibilities. This
she owes her fans like me.
tunji AZEEZ
Dec 26, 2008, 5:43:46 AM12/26/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
I think that the major reason why Nigerians and the world at large have been commenting on the posting of our dear heroine ( or do I say 'Shero'?) Prof. Dora Akunyili is that we have come to know her very well as a woman who gave to our nation a kind of hope that things can actually work if those at the helms of affairs want them to. Before then I had never heard her name. Based on our knowledge of this remarkable Nigerian, we were looking forward to her bringing her Midas touch to our health ministry, a ministry still enmeshed in financial scandal of the Grange- Iyabo Obasanjo era. Yes, our fears are not misplaced at all.
However, in a country that prides herself- and rightly too- of having some of the most brilliant minds in the world, a country where these minds are seldom allowed to function optimally- let us pray that aunty Dora will be allowed to work as she did at NAFDAC. Dele Momodu got it right when he says that civil servants in our ministries generally and the information ministry specificall may prevent auty Dora from bringing the much needed sucor to the ministry. I know what he means as well as other Nigerians. As a junior staff in the civil service many years ago, and later as a senior staff for a short while after graduation in another ministry, I can say that there is very little that is civil in our civil servants. I know that it is easier managing a parastatal like NAFDAC than managing one armophous contraption called a ministry. Most (UN)civil servants would want to tell auty Dora ' how -it- is- done- so- that- it-
wont -be- done' or frustrate her efforts outright.
But I have an abiding faith in aunty Dora, as I have in Governor Fashola, to deliver anywhere she is posted to. It is not her profession that turned NAFDAC into a hosehold name in Nigeria and everywhere. it is her commitmment to her country and to the ordinary citizen. it is her resolve to remain courageous even in the face of death. For me, with these sterling qualities and her posting to the information ministry, she is even better placed to expose the ills in our polity, including ills in the health ministry, NAFDAC and other agencies. What she needs beyond our prayers, is our support in whatever way we can give it.( Pls, I dont mean financial support a la Okereke o!). We can even support her by positively criticising her if she does not perform as she did at NAFDAC at her new post!
But while we are on aunty Dora, let us hope that with her new appointment, NAFDAC does not go back to slumber while Nigerians die of fake drug related cases. Attention should not be shifted away from NAFDAC if we want it to serve us as it did in the golden years of aunty Dora. I hope that Dr Akanya (I dont know if I got the name right) of Standards Organisation Of Nigeria and other DGs would take a cue from aunty Dora and let their parastatals serve Nigerians as they should.
Tunji Azeez
Dept. of Theatre Arts & Music
Lagos State University.
Lagos
|
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Dec 26, 2008, 10:51:33 AM12/26/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com, USA Africa Dialogue Series, funmilayo
"A Prayer For Aunty Dora"?
I am getting sick and tired of these endless 'eulogies' to these Nigerian
'Super Women' - "the case of Aunty Dora, as many admirers fondly call
her", Aunty Professor Okereke (of the Nigerian Stock Exchange), The World
Bank expert, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, her hardworking colleague, Oby
Ezekwesili..."
With all these "women wonders" working "selflessly" for Nigeria, the
country keeps sinking further.
Something just doesn't quite compute here.
Must the praises of public officials who are being more than handsomely
compensated - by any standard in the world - for the minimal services they
perform for the nation also be hero-worshiped and turned into tin
godesses?
And the implicit nepotism of it all -'Aunty This', ''Aunty That'!
What exactly have these Nigerian 'women wonders' achieved to deserve this
constant praise-singing, and even that we be called upon to offer prayers
for them - prayers we cannot offer for ourselves and our own families?
Since when are public officials driven to perform by the power of prayes
only?
My bad! I forgot prayers also make pastors' vehicles move 200 miles on
empty - in Nigeria of course!
I bet God will have in the meantime established a special ministry: 'The
Ministry of Nigerian Prayers.'
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
"funmilayo" <arow...@aol.com>
I am getting sick and tired of these endless 'eulogies' to these Nigerian
'Super Women' - "the case of Aunty Dora, as many admirers fondly call
her", Aunty Professor Okereke (of the Nigerian Stock Exchange), The World
Bank expert, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, her hardworking colleague, Oby
Ezekwesili..."
With all these "women wonders" working "selflessly" for Nigeria, the
country keeps sinking further.
Something just doesn't quite compute here.
Must the praises of public officials who are being more than handsomely
compensated - by any standard in the world - for the minimal services they
perform for the nation also be hero-worshiped and turned into tin
godesses?
And the implicit nepotism of it all -'Aunty This', ''Aunty That'!
What exactly have these Nigerian 'women wonders' achieved to deserve this
constant praise-singing, and even that we be called upon to offer prayers
for them - prayers we cannot offer for ourselves and our own families?
Since when are public officials driven to perform by the power of prayes
only?
My bad! I forgot prayers also make pastors' vehicles move 200 miles on
empty - in Nigeria of course!
I bet God will have in the meantime established a special ministry: 'The
Ministry of Nigerian Prayers.'
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
"funmilayo" <arow...@aol.com>
tunji AZEEZ
Dec 26, 2008, 11:23:56 AM12/26/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Dear Dr Ojo
Really, I dont understand why praises to deserving mortals would make you 'grow sick'.
it is human to pat when to pat and to slap when to slap. If we criticise bad people, shouldn't we also praise good ones? And what is this about you not understanding what these 'super women' have done? That you could pick them out of millions of people shows that you KNOW that they've done something. And please understand that no one is 'hero worshipping' anybody although there is nothing wrong to worship deserving heroes. That the country is still the way it is is not the making of these women. What you need to accept is that if other people put in place to run our affairs do their bit as these 'super women' have done and are still doing, the country and her citizens, including you, will be the better for it.
And for some of us, prayer for the nation does not stop us from praying for our families for it is only when the nation runs the way it should that families living in it can know true peace and prosperity.
|
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Dec 26, 2008, 12:54:32 PM12/26/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com, usaafric...@googlegroups.com, tunji AZEEZ
Tunji Azeez:
Thank you for your rejoinder.
Now, please help me further, something still doesn't quite seem to gel:
Yar'Adua' administration is turning out to be a no-show administration -
nothing to show for anything so far. Yar'Adua is no better for Nigeria,
than Obasanjo was it seems.
Obasanjo was bad as a head of state.
Yar'Adua is showing himself to be no better.
However, these two failed and failing leaders have the special gift to
appoint "high achieving women", whose REAL achievements for the generality
Nigerian populace - as against special 'interest groups' - I am still
frankly having some serious problems seeing or appreciating.
Thus, Obasanjo and Yar'Adua are terrible as heads of state, but the women
they appoint to public offices somehow are "superlatives"?
Uhm?
Can Condolezza Rice' "achievements - or lack therof - be judged
independently of the Bush administration?
"...prayer for the nation does not stop us from praying for our families
Now I get it!
And since the prayers praying Nigerians have not yet reached the right
crescendo, "the nation is [NOT YET] running the way it should", and
therefore the "families living in it can [NOT YET] know true peace and
prosperity".
Did I get that right?
Solution:
Let Nigerians turn up the volume of their prayers - let's the prayer
factories working 24/7 until we reach the appropriate production level.
In Nigeria, people DON'T WORK for "true peace and prosperity" - we PRAY
for them to happen by MIRACLE!
See now why God would need a separate "Ministry of Nigerian Prayers"?
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
Thank you for your rejoinder.
Now, please help me further, something still doesn't quite seem to gel:
Yar'Adua' administration is turning out to be a no-show administration -
nothing to show for anything so far. Yar'Adua is no better for Nigeria,
than Obasanjo was it seems.
Obasanjo was bad as a head of state.
Yar'Adua is showing himself to be no better.
However, these two failed and failing leaders have the special gift to
appoint "high achieving women", whose REAL achievements for the generality
Nigerian populace - as against special 'interest groups' - I am still
frankly having some serious problems seeing or appreciating.
Thus, Obasanjo and Yar'Adua are terrible as heads of state, but the women
they appoint to public offices somehow are "superlatives"?
Uhm?
Can Condolezza Rice' "achievements - or lack therof - be judged
independently of the Bush administration?
"...prayer for the nation does not stop us from praying for our families
for it is only when the nation runs the way it should that families living
in it can know true peace and prosperity." - Tunji Azeez
Now I get it!
And since the prayers praying Nigerians have not yet reached the right
crescendo, "the nation is [NOT YET] running the way it should", and
therefore the "families living in it can [NOT YET] know true peace and
prosperity".
Did I get that right?
Solution:
Let Nigerians turn up the volume of their prayers - let's the prayer
factories working 24/7 until we reach the appropriate production level.
In Nigeria, people DON'T WORK for "true peace and prosperity" - we PRAY
for them to happen by MIRACLE!
See now why God would need a separate "Ministry of Nigerian Prayers"?
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
Gemini
Dec 27, 2008, 8:08:28 AM12/27/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Yes, yes, she is a saint, and as soon as the Pope
has finished with Mother Theresa we expect etc. etc. etc., but ... as Sahara
Reporters reminds us, when Dora Akunyili had her run in with late Adedibu over
the sale of pharmaceutical products in Ibadan, Adedibu said that the real
problem between them was his refusal to recommend her for a ministerial
appointment ...
So, however good a job she was doing at NAFDAC -
and yes, she was indeed doing a relatively good job - she apparently wanted
to move on. Now she has. No need to keep on lamenting about
NAFDAC. If she did a good job there, let's see whether it survives her
departure.
Ayo
ibk...@gmail.com
Dec 28, 2008, 1:13:31 AM12/28/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
Ayo,
Between Dora's word and Adedibu's word, whose would you believe?
It is hard to do well in the Nigeria being strangled by the Adedibus of Nigeria and they are many. Nobody says Dora is a saint and neither are you.
You would have shown saintly aspects of yourself had you only praised her for the good work she did and wished her well in her new role.
The sainthood preface was cynical and wholly unnecessary. When we show no respect to genuine heroines like Dora Akinluyi we breed and perpetrate more Adedibus who will strangle us.
Happy new year.
IBK
From: "Gemini"
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:08:28 +0100
To: <USAAfric...@googlegroups.com>
Between Dora's word and Adedibu's word, whose would you believe?
It is hard to do well in the Nigeria being strangled by the Adedibus of Nigeria and they are many. Nobody says Dora is a saint and neither are you.
You would have shown saintly aspects of yourself had you only praised her for the good work she did and wished her well in her new role.
The sainthood preface was cynical and wholly unnecessary. When we show no respect to genuine heroines like Dora Akinluyi we breed and perpetrate more Adedibus who will strangle us.
Happy new year.
IBK
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Celtel Tanzania
From: "Gemini"
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:08:28 +0100
To: <USAAfric...@googlegroups.com>
adeyemi bukola oyeniyi
Dec 28, 2008, 3:28:06 AM12/28/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
This thread reminds me of the Yoruba adage that says 'Eni ti a fe, ki
ni abuku' - a loved one is usually faultless. Just as many find it
difficult that in spite of the zeal and efforts of Ribadu to rid
Nigeria off corruption and corrupt practices, people like me still
write 'serves him right' when the pot simmers for him. It is not
because we suppport the madness going on in Nigeria, but because we
desire equal rules for equal folks.
Same goes for St. Dora. I was at NAFDAC office in Lagos early this
year with a proposal, which aims at allowing Nigerians to access
NAFDAC database of drugs, pure-water, breverages, etc for their expiry
dates, dates of manufacture, and any other details that would allow
Nigerians have a saner society with their cell phones. The cost of
accessing the dbase will be borne by the customers and not Nafdac. In
fact, NAFDAC would reap bountifully from it. It costs 5 naira; of
which 2 naira belongs to NAFDAC while 2 naira belongs to the service
provider and 1 naira as mine. The cost was to be in form of airtime. I
designed the programs and asked NAFDAC to take up the procurement of
the computers, gateways, routers, switches, and all that. Besides the
above, all NAFDAC is required to do is to compile the data end for
public consumption. I went to the extent of loaning equipment to
demonstrate how it worked. Well, may be tomorrow, they will show
interest in it.
During my numerous trips to NAFDAC office for feedback from Abuja, i
discovered that simple data administration, our DEAR NAFDAC lacks.
Besides, i also witnessed a row between an IT student who went on
inspection and discovered that most companies in beverage production
in Lagos are using contaminated inputs. One of the big guns in NAFDAC
Office in Lagos not only slapped the young man for writting a report
indicting these companies, one beverage producer openly asked why he
was changing their cars regularly if they could write such a report
about his company.
One would expect a greater latitude and a public outcry from Nigerian
press over the issue. May be tomorrow, something would come out.
Another Yoruba adage says: Ni ilu awon afoju, olojukan le j'oba- in
the country of the blinks, even a one-eyed man could rule. When a
nation is bedridden with ills for too long, any hope is hope. Permit
me to ask: Of what use are professors, doctors, award winners in
medicine, health related professions, etc when the very thing they are
claiming to be gurus over is daily decimating millions of Nigerians.
Although Prof. Dora did a commendable job while heading NAFDAC, but
fake drugs, non-functional but NAFDAC certified drugs and breverages
abound in Nigeria.
In fact, Dora, Ribadu, Iweala, etc are being toasted and mentioned
everywhere today because Nigeria is bad and they acted differently.
For me, none of them is a genuis deserving of the torrent of accolades
they are getting. Sadly, this might not be a popular opinion.
On 12/28/08, ibk...@gmail.com <ibk...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ayo,
>
> Between Dora's word and Adedibu's word, whose would you believe?
>
> It is hard to do well in the Nigeria being strangled by the Adedibus of
> Nigeria and they are many. Nobody says Dora is a saint and neither are you.
>
> You would have shown saintly aspects of yourself had you only praised her
> for the good work she did and wished her well in her new role.
>
> The sainthood preface was cynical and wholly unnecessary. When we show no
> respect to genuine heroines like Dora Akinluyi we breed and perpetrate more
> Adedibus who will strangle us.
>
> Happy new year.
>
> IBK
> Sent from my BlackBerry(R) smartphone provided by Celtel Tanzania
--
Sent from my mobile device
***************************************************************************
This e-mail may contain information which is privileged and intended for the
recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise
immediately,
and do not disclose the contents, or take copies.
***************************************************************************
Bukola Adeyemi, OYENIYI
OFFICE ADDRESS:
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,
REDEEMERS UNIVERSITY, LAGOS/IBADAN EXPRESSWAY, MOWE, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.
POSTAL ADDRESS:
P.O.BOX 22115, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN POST OFFICE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN,
IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA
TEL.: 234 806 290 9894
***************************************************************************
ni abuku' - a loved one is usually faultless. Just as many find it
difficult that in spite of the zeal and efforts of Ribadu to rid
Nigeria off corruption and corrupt practices, people like me still
write 'serves him right' when the pot simmers for him. It is not
because we suppport the madness going on in Nigeria, but because we
desire equal rules for equal folks.
Same goes for St. Dora. I was at NAFDAC office in Lagos early this
year with a proposal, which aims at allowing Nigerians to access
NAFDAC database of drugs, pure-water, breverages, etc for their expiry
dates, dates of manufacture, and any other details that would allow
Nigerians have a saner society with their cell phones. The cost of
accessing the dbase will be borne by the customers and not Nafdac. In
fact, NAFDAC would reap bountifully from it. It costs 5 naira; of
which 2 naira belongs to NAFDAC while 2 naira belongs to the service
provider and 1 naira as mine. The cost was to be in form of airtime. I
designed the programs and asked NAFDAC to take up the procurement of
the computers, gateways, routers, switches, and all that. Besides the
above, all NAFDAC is required to do is to compile the data end for
public consumption. I went to the extent of loaning equipment to
demonstrate how it worked. Well, may be tomorrow, they will show
interest in it.
During my numerous trips to NAFDAC office for feedback from Abuja, i
discovered that simple data administration, our DEAR NAFDAC lacks.
Besides, i also witnessed a row between an IT student who went on
inspection and discovered that most companies in beverage production
in Lagos are using contaminated inputs. One of the big guns in NAFDAC
Office in Lagos not only slapped the young man for writting a report
indicting these companies, one beverage producer openly asked why he
was changing their cars regularly if they could write such a report
about his company.
One would expect a greater latitude and a public outcry from Nigerian
press over the issue. May be tomorrow, something would come out.
Another Yoruba adage says: Ni ilu awon afoju, olojukan le j'oba- in
the country of the blinks, even a one-eyed man could rule. When a
nation is bedridden with ills for too long, any hope is hope. Permit
me to ask: Of what use are professors, doctors, award winners in
medicine, health related professions, etc when the very thing they are
claiming to be gurus over is daily decimating millions of Nigerians.
Although Prof. Dora did a commendable job while heading NAFDAC, but
fake drugs, non-functional but NAFDAC certified drugs and breverages
abound in Nigeria.
In fact, Dora, Ribadu, Iweala, etc are being toasted and mentioned
everywhere today because Nigeria is bad and they acted differently.
For me, none of them is a genuis deserving of the torrent of accolades
they are getting. Sadly, this might not be a popular opinion.
On 12/28/08, ibk...@gmail.com <ibk...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ayo,
>
> Between Dora's word and Adedibu's word, whose would you believe?
>
> It is hard to do well in the Nigeria being strangled by the Adedibus of
> Nigeria and they are many. Nobody says Dora is a saint and neither are you.
>
> You would have shown saintly aspects of yourself had you only praised her
> for the good work she did and wished her well in her new role.
>
> The sainthood preface was cynical and wholly unnecessary. When we show no
> respect to genuine heroines like Dora Akinluyi we breed and perpetrate more
> Adedibus who will strangle us.
>
> Happy new year.
>
> IBK
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Gemini" <so...@multilinks.com>
>
> Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:08:28
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Gemini" <so...@multilinks.com>
>
> Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 14:08:28
Sent from my mobile device
***************************************************************************
This e-mail may contain information which is privileged and intended for the
recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, please advise
immediately,
and do not disclose the contents, or take copies.
***************************************************************************
Bukola Adeyemi, OYENIYI
OFFICE ADDRESS:
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,
REDEEMERS UNIVERSITY, LAGOS/IBADAN EXPRESSWAY, MOWE, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.
POSTAL ADDRESS:
P.O.BOX 22115, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN POST OFFICE, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN,
IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA
TEL.: 234 806 290 9894
***************************************************************************
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Dec 28, 2008, 12:08:59 PM12/28/08
to Afric...@yahoogroups.com, Africare-New...@yahoogroups.com, Edo-...@yahoogroups.com, Naijain...@googlegroups.com, Naij...@yahoogroups.com, Ni...@yahoogroups.com, TalkN...@yahoogroups.com, Voice Of Uganda, Yorubas-...@yahoogroups.com, USAAfric...@googlegroups.com, adeyemi bukola oyeniyi
"In fact, Dora, Ribadu, Iweala, etc are being toasted and mentioned
everywhere today because Nigeria is bad and they acted [a little]
differently.
For me, none of them is a genius deserving of the torrent of accolades
they are getting. Sadly, this might not be a popular opinion." - Adeyemi
Bukola Oyeniyi
Precisely my own viewpoint too, even if they may not be popular among the
'Worshipers' of the Dora Akunyilis, the Okonjo-Ikweals, the Ribadus, etc
of Nigeria, who are actually maybe ready to erect statues and even build
shrines to these Nigerian "clay gods and clay goddesses!"
You quoted the Yoruba adage that says: "Ni ilu awon afoju, olojukan ni
nj'oba" - in the land of the blind, it's the one-eyed man who becomes the
king!
That's a more accurate rendition of that proverb.
Nigerians have been living and existing so long in DARKNESS, that when we
see the light of a flashlight, we mistake it for a stadium floodlight or a
Klieg light in a film studio
We begin to take kerosene/hurricane bush-lamps for luxuries!!!
And 'Salaakes' become limos!
We shout for joy and admiration! Suddenly, basically MEDIOCRE PUBLIC
officers who may even be under-performing actually - by the standards of
civilized normal societies - suddenly become LARGER than life!
They come to be worshiped as Super-Achievers - when they are merely doing
what they are being handsomely paid to do! And frequently, performing
under par, compared with other sane nations of the world!
Whoever heard of a Nigerian public office holder resigning as a result of
a scandal in the department they head?
Mba! That would be TOTALLY UNNIGERIAN!
Yes indeed, "Of what use are professors, doctors, award winners in
medicine, health related professions, etc., when the very thing they are
claiming to be gurus over is daily decimating millions of Nigerians?"
Good question!
Of course, some people would claim that you and I are merely criticizing
these "Nigerian Supermen and Superwomen" out of ENVY!
Really?
But then, when a people are so used to SUFFERING on a daily basis, and
every minute of their miserable lives, any LITTLE RELIEF signals Xmas Day!
Time to put on your Sunday Best and celebrate!
Will the worshipers of St. Dora Akunyili now please troop out with their
votive candles - we are going on a pligrimage to the Dora Akunyili Shrine
to hold our Sunday service for today!
Dr. Valentine Ojo
Tall Timbers, MD
Amaka
Dec 29, 2008, 10:38:26 AM12/29/08
to USA Africa Dialogue Series
Dear Dr. Ojo,
I understand that you are too overwhelmed by anger and frustration at
Nigeria's progress (or lack thereof) to appreciate the small positive
steps that are being taken.
I do understand, yet I think that position is a mistake. To use your
metaphor, if Nigerians have been living in darkness for so long, then
we have every right to appreciate the light of a flashlight -- some
light is better than none at all. Changing an entire society is not
achieved overnight...one must take small steps towards such systematic
change. And those small steps must be celebrated to encourage larger
steps.
Of course neither Okonjo-Iweala nor Akunyili are perfect. Do you
really expect them to be? It is always easy to criticize policymakers
from the outside. It is much more difficult to actually sit in the
hot seat, implementing and managing controversial policies in a
difficult environment. Since you are so quick to criticize Dora and
Okonjo-Iweala, who have made their own (imperfect) contributions to
making NIgeria a better place, tell us what YOU have done to make
Nigeria a better place? Perhaps you should lead by example then...put
your actions where your criticisms are. You don't have to be put in a
high-profile position or get paid to effect positive change.
--A
On Dec 28, 12:08 pm, "Dr. Valentine Ojo" <val...@md.metrocast.net>
wrote:
>
> read more »
Gemini
Dec 28, 2008, 5:22:03 AM12/28/08
to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
IBK, I'm not sure I need to believe either or to
disbelieve either, since the facts on the ground seem to support both.
Adedibu thought he was above the law, and was indeed treated as being above the
law by the Obasanjo administration so NAFDAC would have had the right to go
after 'his people' if they were in breach of the laws governing the sale and
distribution of food and drugs. Dr. Akunyili has accepted appointment as a
Minister in the Yar'Adua administration. Unlike the US, ministerial
nominees here generally don't know the portfolio that will be assigned to
them when they go for screening by the Senate, and Dr. Akunyili was nominated
alongside a Professor of Medicine and thus may have suspected that she wouldn't
be assigned to the Ministry of Health. In any event, she has accepted her
posting to the Ministry of Information as 'divine', no matter how many of us
think that her talents will be wasted there.
My point is that those who are worrying
that she had been taken away from NAFDAC where she was doing a good job to a
Ministerial position where her performance cannot be guaranteed,
should accept that this move is something that Dr. Akunyili wants. As
someone who relies on the drugs on sale in Nigeria - a situation that is
unlikely to change as I get older - I can only hope that she left confident that
the groundwork and systems she has put in place in NAFDAC will survive her
departure, and believe me, that will be an even greater achievement than the
work she has done while actually in place.
However, it is not my practice to sing praises
simply for the sake of it, I am not seeking recognition as a person
with saintly aspects, nor would I consider that singing the praises of Dr.
Akunyili and 'wishing her well' in any way qualified me for such
recognition. For those of us living in Nigeria, there are real concerns,
and that was my focus in responding to the 'Prayer for Aunty Dora' series of
posts. When Val Ojo asked what contribution Dora Akunyili had made to the
ordinary person in Nigeria, I replied (since he did not seem to know) although
of course, not in terms of the unalloyed praise that you may think is all that a
discussion forum such as this requires. I also call Nelson Mandela 'Saint
Nelson' as I may do others who are presented as being perfect humans send
down to earth when I might have a less one-sided view of their
performance. It doesn't mean that they haven't done great things.
But it is rarely the whole story.
There are times when I may be moved to post a 'Hear
Hear' in response to something on this dialogue series. But this was not
one of them.
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