TRIBUTE TO A GREAT AMAZON – DORA NKEM AKUYILI: 14TH JULY 1954 – 7TH JUNE 2014

Dr. (Mrs.) Dora Nkem Akunyili, who assumed office on the 12th of April 2001, as the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), is a Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, Erudite Scholar, Seasoned Administrator, and a visionary leader. She was a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Pharmacologist in the College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (U.N.N.), Enugu Campus, before she became the NAFDAC boss.

She was born in Makurdi, Benue State (Nigeria) on the 14th of July 1954, hails from Nanka and married in Agulu, both in Anambra State of Nigeria. Dr. Akunyili’s educational career started with her passing the First School Leaving Certificate with Distinction at St. Patrick’s Primary School, Isuofia, Anambra State in 1966, and the West African School Certificate (W.A.S.C.) with Grade I Distinction in 1973 from Queen of the Rosary Secondary School, Nsukka, both in Nigeria.

These exceptional results in the First School Leaving Certificate, and W.A.S.C. earned her the Eastern Nigerian Government Post Primary Scholarship and the Federal Government of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship. She got her First Degree in Pharmacy B.Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and her PhD in 1985 from U.N.N. Dr. Akunyili was a Post Doctorate Fellow of University of London and a Fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists. To prepare her for Managerial positions, she was trained on Senior Management skills Course in RIPA, London and Computer Education Programme by WHO/UNDP/World Bank Sponsored, Enugu in 1998 and 1994 respectively. Dr. Akunyili has enjoyed many academic awards and recognitions.

Dr. Akunyili started her working career as a Hospital Pharmacist from 1978–1981, in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (U.N.T.H) Enugu, after which she ventured into academics as a Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, U.N.N. from 1982-1986. In the University system, she made a steady progress from Lecturer I in 1986 until she was made Senior Lecturer in 1990. She transferred to College of Medicine, U.N.N. in 1992, where she was made a Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996, a position she held until 12 April 2001. Due to her love for teaching and nurturing young ones, she was also a part-time lecturer of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists Lagos, Nigeria from 1992-1995.

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