Among the recently appointed ministers, one whose appointment has attracted perhaps the greatest comments from commentators and pundits is Professor Mrs. Dora Akunyili, former Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drugs Control (NAFDAC) and now minister of Information and Communications. While her selection as minister has been nationally and internationally hailed because of her track record of performance in NAFDAC, many can not understand the rationale for her posting to head the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications. Some consider it as placing a round technocrat in a square hold. We will critically examine this charge later.

Some commentators have also questioned the reason in taking her away from NAFDAC where she was so effective and earned a lot of accolades for battling spiritedly against fake, substandard and adulterated drugs and foods. One online news site Pointblanknews.com even described her appointment as information minister as a blunder on the part of President Umar Musa Yar’Adua. Is her appointment a blunder as claimed by Pointblanknews.com and other commentators? I do not think so. I even think that it was an act of political smartness on the part of Yar’Adua. And why do I say so?

The job of information minister is to sell the policies, programmes and projects of government to both domestic and international “markets”. The question to ask therefore is, does Akunyili possess the qualities of a good saleswoman? The answer is yes with a capital Y.

She is intelligent, charismatic, eloquent, and aggressive in her pursuit of her set goals. Above all, she has credibility. And in her tenure as NAFDAC Director-General, she has cultivated the media and made media men and women become partners in the war against fake drugs. Any one with these social capital or positive attributes is surely a very good candidate for marketing the government.

Dora Akunyili has good name recognition both locally and internationally. She is known both here and abroad as a woman of integrity who can not be compromised. When she is called upon to speak on behalf of the Nigerian government, many are likely to believe her. If you have a candidate like her that can sell Nigeria effectively with ease, why grumble that she is not properly posted and why call it a blunder on the part of Yar’Adua?

Another issue we need to carefully examine is: is it wrong for her to have been taken away from NAFDAC? Every one obviously loves the quality of service that Akunyili offered in NAFDAC and to my mind, it is a salute to this remarkable woman that many prefer that she had been kept in NAFDAC. But the truth of the matter is that even if she is not appointed minister, Mrs. Akunyili will not remain in NAFDAC for ever. One day, she will necessarily have to leave the place for some one else to occupy it no matter how much all of us hate to see her leave.

 We all agree that Akunyili is some one who lives a mark where she works. She has shown that in NAFDAC. Why then do we not want her to leave another mark in another place? And if in the wisdom of Mr. President he feels that Akunyili should be given a chance to make a mark in another sphere of our national life and she agrees with him, do we need to lament too much about that?

I also think that those who are saying that Mrs. Akunyili should not have left NAFDAC are not being fair to her. She as a person has her own ambitions and motivations in life. She has dreams of new challenges she must face and conquer. She was certainly not created to come to this world and fight only drug fakers and adulterators. She was not also created to begin her public career and end it with a department of a federal ministry. A woman of immense abilities and immense goodwill like Akunyili may have her eyes set on higher goals in life, more so as she has convincingly shown every one that she is a person of great substance who can serve this nation in any capacity.

Let us be frank about it. How many of us do not wish to serve our nation at one of the high levels of government as minister of the Federal Republic? If it is the dream of millions of us to serve at this enviable level is it fair of us to then think that Akunyili should have consigned herself to the level of the Director-General of a parastatal under the Ministry of Health?

I suspect that those who think it is not a very good idea to have removed Akunyili from NAFDAC where her efforts have saved millions of precious human lives grumble because they think there may not be somebody good enough like her who can do what she did in the place. The job of being a good regulator of drugs and foods requires someone who is not greedy to accept compromise from manufacturers and producers.

That is the basic requirement. There are of course other attributes found in Akunyili which I have already enumerated but the basic one is the strength of character and the love for humanity to be able to say no to desperate businessmen and organisations who do not mind making blood money. I believe that with careful check a Nigerian like Mrs. Akunyili can be found to take over from her in NAFDAC.

NAFDAC existed in some form before the coming of Akunyili to the place. She breathed life into the organisation with her sense of mission and ability to mobilize relevant stakeholders to help her achieve her goals. The Nigerian society has been sufficiently sensitized by Akunyili’s astute saleswomanship to know the havoc which fake, substandard and adulterated drugs wreak on the society. They have seen what a NAFDAC D-G should be doing to protect society from the menace of drug counterfeiters and adulterators. Any one who takes over from Akunyili and does not live up to her standards will meet an angry boo from Nigerians. I sincerely believe that any other person with Akunyili’s level of integrity, commitment to duty and love for the nation and humanity can equally handle the job.

Lastly, we now come to the issue of whether Akunyili, a technocrat in the health sector is a suitable enough person to man the ministry of information and communications which should be held by a journalist or public relations expert. This brings us to the persistent debate in the field of management as to whether or not certain public offices should be manned by specialists (technocrats) or generalists (versatile individuals with above average intelligence and demonstrable track record of performance in earlier similar or not even necessarily positions). The finding is that what matters really is the ability and disposition of individuals. Some generalists have been known to out-perform specialists in certain positions that require specialists, provide of course that such individuals have the disposition of open mind to get advise and harness such advise for the good of the set up they are leading.

With the attributes of saleswomanship which Akunyili has shown she possesses, my guess is that it will only be a question of time before she proves herself as an effective spokeswoman of the Yar’Adua government.

Mr. Adejumobi, a public affairs analyst, lives at 12, Safi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

Robot  # 1 | 20.12.2008 05:50

Among the recently appointed ministers, one whose appointment has attracted perhaps the greatest comments from commentators and pundits is Professor Mrs. Dora Akunyili, former Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drugs Control (NAFDAC) and now minister of Information and Communications. While her selection as minister has been nationally and internationally hailed because of her track record of performance in NAFDAC, many can not understand the rationale for her posting to head the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications. Some consider it as placing a round technocrat in a square hold. We will critically examine this charge later. Some commentators have also questioned the reason in taking her away from NAFDAC where she was so effective and earned a lot of accolades for battling spiritedly against fake, substandard and adulterated drugs and foods. One online news site ...Read the full article.

Naked Eye  # 2 | 20.12.2008 07:24

This is a face value assessment of Dr. Akunyili's new posting. On this premise, I suppose it's all well and good to shout hellelujah. Perhaps, the good doctor's rapturous acceptance comments on her new appointment is also based on this premise. However, I think this article missed the point underlining the concerns of observers regarding this appointment. In any other ministry, perhaps Dr. Akunyili's success would be relatively assured. But as the institutional mouthpiece of a failing government, it is hard to see a victory dance at the end of her tenure. Of all the dubious ministerial roles to be saddled with, espousing or defending this government's policies (or lack of), actions and inactions, is certainly a recipe made in hell. Unlike other ministries who have a fairly good chance of setting their own policy/developmental agenda, the definitive agenda of the ministry of information is almost totally tied to that of the presidency. There is little room here for independent thought or action. So what gives? It is either the astute Dr. Akunyili swallows her famed independent streak and go with the flow of Yar Adua's governance style or maintains her own style and risk certain conflict with the powers that be. Either way, there are bumpy roads ahead for her. But being the smart lady that she is, I'm certain that she aware of all this. If not, a quick trip down the memory lane of Nigeria's past information ministers and the ignoble roles they played may be well advised. Naked Eye

aguabata  # 3 | 20.12.2008 07:39

I'm disappointed you are not appalled by the choice. First, a minister is an administrator, you dont necessarily have to be a journalist to be the minister of information or a doctor to be a health minister, at our level of development these ministries are expected to provide basic functions, nothing complicated yet. in sophisticated economies folks that read marketing/BA are appointed CEO's of engineering firms and they are successful. You dont need a PHD in Chemistry to run nigeria breweries. As a health minister in Nigeria 98% of the problems you will face will have nothing to do with your skills as a neuro surgeon or whatever specialist skill you have. The minister is a manager, he/she needs leadership/management skills. You affirmed that Akunyili has the ability to leave a mark where ever she's served. Do you think Akunyili's success was because she is a Pharmacist? Her success is her drive (or vice versa), she has the propensity to reach milestones. My question is, would you want her to leave a mark in the ministry of information rather than Works, Health, Power or even education? I know Akunyili is smart, probably smarter than me, now that her job is to defend the indefensible I hope she finds a way to save herself. The demons that are running this country were apparently laughing as they pencilled her name as information minister and Yaradua sitting queitly behind them will be smiling with his bright wonky eyes.:mad::mad::mad: I hope she does the right thing.

Norris  # 4 | 20.12.2008 15:20

Francis, you have a point in that the lady has a right to seek higher positions of authority, but it can never be denied that placing the woman in such a ministry is a failure on the side of the miserable regime. Do you know that putting that woman at the Health Ministry would have redefined health services and delivery in the country. She has goodwill no doubt but her goodwill will never change international or national perceptions about this sham govt, gone are the days when such logic stands to reason. Its like appointing the pope to sell or promote the govt of Mugabe, it will never work. But lets bet on this blog that the woman will be rubbished by this current position of hers as the uphill task of defending a discredited lame duck govt will be retrogressive to her enviable CV.

Danmeka  # 5 | 20.12.2008 15:58

Dora Akunyili should take a cue from Ngozi okonji iweala’s and Obi Ezekwesili, this one position that would destroy your reputation:confused1

greateam  # 6 | 20.12.2008 16:49

Its a set up, our sly president has set her up for failure. Tell me, how would she defend a government with no vision or direction? Maybe the idea is to use her to wage war against perceived enemies (websites)? What has happened to our dear own Segun Adeniyi? Remember, he was very vocal and critical of grand tyrant - obj, but alas he speaks now more. It is difficult to defending a failed government. This government is a JOKE so LOL. Read More: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200812205344767

Ispy  # 7 | 20.12.2008 18:46

The authors perspective on this issue would have been tenable in a country where those in government have consistently shown good judgement in appointing able people into public offices. Making generalized comments that do not deal with the peculiar problems we face in Nigeria will not get us very far. The question here is would Akunyili with the socio-economic status quo in Nigeria better sever the country by being in the information ministry or in the health ministry or even remaining in NAFDAC? I find it unimaginable for Akunyili to be placed in a position where she is expected to defend a government that is obviously directionless. It could only best be imagined to see Akunyili being asked to explain such previous actions that seem to suggest the general policy thrust and orientation of this government; A seriously ill President who in the internet age travels abroad for medical treatment yet tries to hide it from and deceive 150 million people ; An attorney general that so brazenly shielded such a rogue as Ibori from international justice; the shameful treatment meted out to Ribadu etc. The resons for her not being appointed into the health ministry according to the Saturday Tribune says it all " Why Dora Akunyili Lost Health Ministry Yinka Oladoyinbo, Akure -20.12.2008 One of the greatest shocks of the recent cabinet reshuffle was the posting of former NAFDAC (National Food and Drug Administration) Director-General, Prof. Dora Akunyili, to the Ministry of Information and Communications. Investigations by the Saturday Tribune revealed that Akunyili who was expected by many people to get the health portfolio lost to Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, Director-General, National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), due to the influence of the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua. It was gathered that despite the public expectation that Dora would grab the health post, being a pharmacist, the first lady opted for Osotimehin because she had had a close working relationship with the former DG of NACA. The first lady got close to Osotimehin because of her pet projects which had to do with HIV/AIDS and when it came to choosing between the health professionals, Turai ignored gender sentiments and the expectations of Nigerians and went for the former NACA chief. She was said to have opted for the person she had worked with rather than Akunyili to whom she was not quite close. Turai’s reasoning was said to be based on the fact that her HIV/AIDS campaign was very strategic to her and that she needed a minister of health she knew very well to ensure that her projects do not suffer. As NACA boss, Osotimehin was said to have demonstrated strong loyalty to the first lady including being physically present in many of Turai’s programmes since she began her campaign against HIV/AIDS. It was also gathered that sponsors of Akunyili put up strong campaign for posting her to the health ministry but could not match the influence of the first lady" The current situation of the erstwhile respected journalist Mr Segun Adeniyi the presidential spokesperson should serve as a lesson to Akunyili. She is being placed in the most perfect position to be ridiculed and her good works rubbished by a group of uninspiring, directionless and obviously corrupt individuals that make this government

Dewdrops  # 8 | 20.12.2008 22:07

Now I am finally convinced that Yaradozer is truly maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. See the kind of president OBJ decided to foist on Nigerians? Purpose: To make himself look gooooooooooood compared to what this dunce of a so-called president does with Nigeria. Lord have mercy. A pharmacist as the minister of information?...:confused1 Dora darling,......time to join ya sisters in the U.N. biko. My prayer is that you do so before the year runs out. Nne.......your days are numbered. Investigations by the Saturday Tribune revealed that Akunyili who was expected by many people to get the health portfolio lost to Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, Director-General, National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), due to the influence of the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua. Women are their own worst enemies....especially in Nigerian politics. Why they never support each other defies all reason.......just for one reason......MAN! The first lady got close to Osotimehin because of her pet projects which had to do with HIV/AIDS and when it came to choosing between the health professionals, Turai ignored gender sentiments and the expectations of Nigerians and went for the former NACA chief Hmmmmmmmmmmmm! The current situation of the erstwhile respected journalist Mr Segun Adeniyi the presidential spokesperson should serve as a lesson to Akunyili. She is being placed in the most perfect position to be ridiculed and her good works rubbished by a group of uninspiring, directionless and obviously corrupt individuals that make this government. What is new? The fate of the Nigerian female politician and government worker.......when a man really wants your seat.....you get rubbished, even by your fellow women!!! What a sexist society!

Iyke  # 9 | 21.12.2008 19:55

At the long run, dora willf ind herself in a corner, which means either she abdicates or rubbish her reputation. she will be attempting to present the unpresentable, an image maker trying to show case a battered image. this will either mean thriving in mendacity or living upto what she has been know for which definetly will not sit well will the goverment. So at the long run she will clash with the goverment and will be forced to quit. In any case we wish her well.

Auspicious  # 10 | 21.12.2008 20:24

-- Ref. Dewdrops' @ Comment #8: Dora Akunyili's re-assignment to the information ministry (as opposed to the health ministry which she's better-suited for) has less (if anything) to do with sexism than it has to do with gross mismanagement and lack of vision on the part of the incumbent government of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua - along with Dora Akunyili's own seeming lack of self-esteem. A lot of men of Akunyili's level of educational background and exposure continue to meet the same fate as Akunyili, MAINLY because merit hardly matters when it comes to government appointment in Nigeria. If Dora was a male with two (2) dicks, she would still have met the same fate as she did at the hands of the idiots who run the show in that country. Auspicious.

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