Prof Nkem Dora Akunyili Buried

The remains of Late Prof. Dora Akunyili at Madonna Catholic Church Agulu in Anambra state on Thursday

The late former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, was buried on Thursday in Agulu, Aniocha local government area of Anambra State.

Akunyili, who died on June 7, was interred at exactly 2.15pm in the family compound.

The Madonna’s Catholic Church venue of the service was filled to the brim with people outside the church outnumbering those inside the premises.

The church which wore a new look for the event had not witness event of this magnitude in the last six years, according to one of the church priests.


At least 27 Catholic Bishops and over 150 other priests attended the burial of the former director general of the National Agency for Food, Drug administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Cardinals Francis Cardinal Arinze from Rome and John Cardinal Onaikan from Abuja and three Archbishops also graced the burial.

But for the meeting of the People’s Democratic Party in Abuja, the community would not have contained the crowd that came to pay their last respects to the late former minister.

However, that did not stop parties’ chieftains and other prominent Nigerians from honouring the deceased.

Among them were – the former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), his wife Victoria, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and wife Beatrice and the wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola.

Others were – Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo) and Isah Yuguda (Bauchi), wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Josephine Elechi, her Abia counterpart, Odochi Orji and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.

Also in attendance were former Governors Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Peter Obi, Senator Chris Ngige, Virgy Etiaba, Minister of Information and Communications Labaran Maku, and Sen. Joy Emodi.


The entire arena of the magnificent Madonna Catholic Church, Agulu was filled to capacity and traffic along the Awka –Ekwulobia road was brought to a standstill for the over four hours the ceremony lasted.

At a stage, the road had to be closed completely such that people travelling to other states from Anambra had to find alternative routes.

The funeral Mass for Dora at the Church was the first ceremony there since six years when its renovation began, with the priest in charge of the church saying that Professor Akunyili donated N40 million to ensure its completion.

United States of America-based priest, Rev Fr. Damian Akpunonu, who delivered the homily at the church service, said though the late Dora would have served Nigeria more if she lived longer, God knew why she had to bow out at the age of 60.

He said that the good thing was that Professor Akunyili lived a life worthy of emulation…, adding that because she died in the Lord, she would remain blessed.

The clergy man said: “Dora’s husband, Chike, may still not believe that his wife is no more having spent so much spiritually and materially to save her life, but the will of God must be done.

“At the speed Dora was moving, many people had predicted a very bright political future for her, but men propose, but Goddisposes.

“For years, Dora’s name reverberated in Nigeria and in all the places she served her country and our prayer is that God should provide us with another Dora to comfort us. In addition to serving humanity well, she also served God well and we believe that God will reward her immensely.”

According to him, what matters in life is not how long one lived, but how well, adding that the ceremony was not necessarily to bury Professor Akunyili since Jesus Christ had conquered death, but to give testimony to the legacies she left behind. Rev Akpunonu said the task before Nigerians was to keep Dora’s legacies alive.

May his soul RIP and hope to bring the pictures from the burial later