There goes a true Nigerian, in whom is no guile!

The Book of St John has an account of an encounter between Jesus Christ and one Nathaniel. When Christ saw Nathaniel coming to him, he said: “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!”

By Thursday, August 28, the remains of Dora Akunyili who died in a hospital in India On Saturday, June 7, will be committed to the mother earth. The late Dora was indeed a Nigerian public servant in whom was no guile.

On few occasions I encountered the guileless Nigerian; first was in 2004 and the second was in 2009.

When she clocked 50 in 2004, my then editor at SUNDAY TIMES, a workaholic, Tunde Ipinmisho, who is currently the spokesman and chief relationship officer at Federal Housing Authority, Abuja,  had suggested I do a tribute for Akunyili. It was done. A few days later, a souvenir- a branded giant umbrella- was brought to my office at Ajangbadi, Ikeja, Lagos, from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC) office.

Not long after, the agency, in collaboration with UNICEF, was holding an elaborate event to address a very pressing and emerging public health problem of micronutrient deficiency. Yours sincerely was among those invited at the event that took place at the Congress Hall of the Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja. Thousands of other Nigerians and stakeholders from far and wide were also invited.

Upon our return to Lagos, Akunyili had written a letter to every journalist that attended the event, expressing her gratitude for the honour done to her by the huge turnout, and had apologised that some of her aides were not transparent enough in their transactions with the guests as they had slashed the honorarium given to journalists. She had enclosed a cheque to augment what was given in Abuja, and profusely apologised. That deed of hers was very unusual in our clime!

Adorable Dora again won my respect in 2009 when she paid a visit to a prominent leader of a leading Pentecostal church who lost his wife. Yours sincerely was helping out with some errands as a member of the media committee of the church when the minister arrived.

She was ushered in to meet with the cleric. Akunyili had attempted to convey the then President Yar’Adua’s message extempore, but along the line felt by so doing she would not be employing the exact words her principal had wanted her to pass across. She halted, excused herself and told a horde of journalists in the room that she was not above mistakes and as a   result was going to read from her prepared speech.

She thereafter, delivered the message perfectly. There and then my respect for her grew. Not many Nigerians would want to come down from their high horses, or would have reverted when they discovered they were not flowing. They would have continued until they did a wishy-washy job that would demean their exalted office, but not Dora. She was human and made no pretence about it. She did not want to cast herself in the mould of a super human. No faking; no hypocrisy; no guile!

Again, Akunyili’s level of patriotism was matchless. Not many Nigerians would have accepted to be at the National Conference in the midst of the deadly illness that claimed her life. But she did! She did because she knew she had served her country and the people well; she had nothing to hide. The sight of her frame evoked empathy and serious concern in the hearts of many Nigerians. She was a woman without guile.

Although tears are in the eyes of many well-meaning Nigerians for her departure at this time, the consolation is that the cerebral amazon, the lioness of a no-mean institution of the University of Nigeria Nsukka stature, has done her bit, and fantastically too. It is not how long we live here on earth, but how well. Rather than weep for Dora, the tears should be shed for Nigeria, a blessed nation that has refused to fully explore the abundant human and material endowments at its disposal, and has decided to totter 100 years after amalgamation and 54 years after independence.

While family members, friends, colleagues, admirers, and of course, foes, congregate round her grave on Thursday, August 28, to bid her farewell, it is not all about shedding of tears, but about emulating the values and virtues of the daughter of Nanka, who took the country by storm and walked the paths where the strongest of men fear to tread. Sleep well Dora and have your deserved rest, for now.

Zebulon Agomuo