Date Published: 08/26/09
Akunyili and her evil destractors
By Okoro Joseph Junior
Political master Machiavelli once said "politics is about tricks, perseverance, guile, chicanery and brains, infact about everything one can employ to have his or her way". That is true, even in Nigeria, where blackmail, lies, treachery and brinksmanship have been added to the game to bring down the image and hard earned reputation of the few public officers who despite all odds have kept themselves clean from corruption, favoritism, nepotism, gross misconduct and abuse of office.
It is the bizarre article published on Daily Independent newspaper (August 23, 2009 pgB11) captioned "Akunyili: time to go gracefully?" written by one Bridget Molokwu, that got me in this state of mind. Mrs. Molokwu stated that the erstwhile NAFDAC boss and current Minister of Information and Communication, Prof Dora Akunyili is becoming the most controversial cabinet member of President Yar’adua, because of her series of controversies her goodwill has declined as evidenced in her second daughter’s wedding in Abuja, which was only attended by the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, and two other serving ministers.
Mrs. Molokwu for whatever reasons have only chose to run Prof. Dora Akunyili down on the basis of ill perceived and non-existent facts. I had thought it was a mere joke when this first started. And so, I decided not to respond to such spurious tales, especially when they lack any iota of truth. But as it is now, Mrs. Molokwu has reached the peak of insanity and absurdities, with her cheap lies and blackmail orchestrated to defame the character of Prof. Dora Akunyili.
I would not allow the antics of detractors affect the image of my mentor – Prof. Akunyili. She has served this nation meritoriously and she has not cease to offer her service to this country in any capacity.
Contrary to Molokwu’s claim, the wedding was attended by 31 Governors and their First Ladies, 28 ministers, Senators, members of House of Representatives and House of Assembly, captains of industries, over 100 traditional rulers across the country and other bigwigs across the country. If I should use the attendance of the wedding by who is who in the society as a yardstick to determine the rise or decline of Akunyili’s goodwill? Authoritatively, the goodwill of Prof. Dora Akunyili has increased tremendously. So I wonder where Mrs. Molokwu with her vault full of lies got all those untrue stories. She ought to have read the various congratulatory messages placed on the pages of newspaper by Nigerians, congratulating Prof. Dora Akunyili, on the successful wedding ceremony of her second daughter.
Molokwu didn’t stop at that, she went further in her usual way of telling lies, by saying that Akunyili soiled her fingers in the purported NTA N8.2 billion contract which she got the federal Executive Council (FEC) to approve for upgrading the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) facilities, so that the NTA could successfully play its role as the host broadcaster of the under-17 world Cup matches to be played in Nigeria.
Disregarding Molokwu’s lies, Prof. Akunyili became a Minister of Information and Communication nine months ago, and the purported NTA N8.2 billion contracts had been on for 2years now, even before Prof. Akunyili was appointed. When you juxtapose the years the NTA contract had started and the time Prof. Akunyili was appointed as Minister, your guess is as good as mine. However, it is the duty of Prof. Akunyili as the head of the ministry and the only person eligible to attend FEC meetings, to present the contract proposals of various agencies under her care to the federal Executive Council. Even if Prof. Akunyili as the Minister of Information and Communication didn’t attend the FEC meeting, the Minister of State for Information and Communication, Alhaji Biitus, would all the same present the NTA contract to the Federal Executive Council.
Why must the NTA contract generate a lot of heat? Was the NTA contract the only document Prof. Akunyili sent to FEC meeting for approval? Prof. Akunyili has come out openly about the NTA contract; she has observed that due process was followed in the NTA contract. Representatives of Due Process are always present in FEC meeting to ensure that every contract brought forward to the FEC meeting actually pass through their approval. So the NTA contract after it has passed through the office of Due Process was presented to FEC for approval. Comparing the sum of the NTA contract to that of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is treacherous. Why we do all see every contract awarded in Nigeria as shoddy? Molokwu and her sponsors didn’t take there time to investigate the projects that make up the N8.2 billion before they started raising dust with their lies and blackmail. I advise Molokwu to always investigate any allegation before she vilifies an innocent person.
Contrary to Molokwu’s claim that the NTA contract was approved, to fastrack the hijacking of the broadcasting right, which had earlier been awarded to African Independent Television (AIT) by FIFA to NTA. Akunyili objectively, had drum her support for a Nigerian TV station (whether AIT or NTA) to win the broadcasting right when this feud started. She was also of the opinion that if one should win, the other should support it for effective broadcasting.
Molokwu’s view that Yar’adua was tricked into supporting an expensive jamboree – FIFA U17 World Cup is pure blackmail. These accusations can only come out from the mind of someone who is anti-progress. My genuine take on this is that, it is a rare privilege for Nigeria to host the FIFA U17 World Cup, and we ought to host it well. There is a saying that goes thus: "good soup, na money kill am". We must play good host to the world, so that the world will know that we are hospitable people. How can we prove to the world that we "good people, great nation" when we cannot play good host? The FIFA U17 World Cup would boost the tourism, image and reputation of this country. It will increase foreign investment in the country, which will however improve the growth of this great nation. Nigerians is adjudged a sport loving nation, so President Yar’adua after listening to the yearnings of Nigerians to host the world, have to give his consent because he knows that sport unifies all Nigerians together.
The use of blackmail, lies and other vices to defame the character of our leaders should be discouraged. Accusing our leaders wrongly will lead this country no were. Nigerians know Akunyili as much as I do. This is a woman with so much integrity, she have made a mark in public service in Nigeria. Remember her exploit in NAFDAC; she gave her all for this country. If the best ways to reward exemplary leaders like Prof. Akunyili is with sponsored blackmail on the pages of newspapers, I am of the opinion that good leaders would be scared away from serving the country. Prof. Akunyili would not mortgage her hard earned reputation which she has built over the years.
The problem is that women constitute problems to their fellow women. They always tend to trivialize and undermine hard work put in by fellow women for great achievement. If Prof Akunyili were to be a man with this portfolio of recognized hard work, wouldn’t she be ascribed with praises? I wonder!......................Joseph Junior
