Immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, is presently in
India on a visit to see former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof.
Dora Akunyili, who is receiving treatment in the country. Mr. Obi left for
India yesterday in company of his media aide, Mr. Valentine Obienyem. The two
men confirmed in a message from India that Prof. Akunyili is responding to
treatment and that her situation is nothing near the scary picture being
painted by rumour mongers.
Prof. Dora Akunyili’s husband, Dr. Chike Akunyili, confirmed to me on
phone this morning that Messrs Obi and Obienyem are with them in the hospital.
“We are very happy to see them. We are even happier that they have volunteered
to spend the entire day with us before returning home to Nigeria,” Dr. Akunyili
said. He also expressed appreciation to Nigerians, saying: “We can never thank
Nigerians enough; their prayers are working.”
According to Obienyem,Dora Akunyili ,her husband, Dr.
Chike Akunyili, Mr. Peter Obi and the team of Doctors treating met to rub minds on her treatment.
“While Doctors at the Indian hospital are explaining what they are doing
and how tremendously she has improved; Dr. Chike Akunyili thanked them for
their commitment to duty. He also expressed gratitude to Nigerians for the
outpouring of love showered on his wife. Mr. Obi emphasised the need for
Indians to come and set up facilities in Nigeria and for Nigerian Doctors to
also show commitment to expanding the health facilities in Nigeria through
strategic investment. Though the Doctors said they come to the country now and
then, they agreed on the need to consider what Obi said seriously. They
promised to keep communications open.
“Obi thanked God for the tremendous improvement of Prof. Akunyili and
said the reality he saw was the direct opposite of the grim picture some people
painted about her condition. He prayed to God to grant her total healing.
“In Nigeria, it is common for Nigerians to express secret and sometimes
open excitement whenever any highly placed Nigerian suffer. They see it as
delayed punishment for the iniquities they foisted on the nation. Prof. Dora
Akunyili is different. Since the news of her sickness was broken, the
entire nation has been crying and praying for her to be healed. Even on social
networks, you see people’s writings dripping with tears for a woman who showed
the nation what service in the truest sense of the word means.
“Nigerians as a people suffer from forgetfulness that is inexplicable.
We forget people’s deeds so easily. Again, Dora is different. The pervasiveness
of her good work ensured that it is etched permanently in the psyches of our
people. Who in Nigeria today has forgotten the trauma – attacks upon attacks –
that Dora was faced with simply for doing what was best for Nigeria and
humanity?
“I understand that since being in the hospital, Nigerians in India have
turned the hospital into a Mecca of sort. Daily they visit to pray for her
recovery. I understand that the Nigerian Ambassador to India came calling
yesterday.
“Meanwhile, Mr. Obi and the team of Doctors are discussing many subjects.
Having finished with health, the secret of the development of the health
institution and the part the Government is playing, he is busy asking them the
secret of the development of Karnataka, the State in India, where Bangalore
city/town is located. He wants to know the secret behind the development in
infrastructure, education, social services, among others as to compare note
with what are witnessed in Nigeria.”
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