Recently updated on September 7th, 2019 at 12:02 pm
The Anambra State Government has renamed the Women Development Centre in the state capital, Awka, after the late Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili, OFR, who was at various times Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Minister of Information and Communications.
The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. (Mrs) Uju Nwogu, said in a public service announcement that the formal renaming ceremony holds on 5th of September 2015, as part of the memorial programmes in honor of the late Amazon, who hailed from the state.
According to Dr. (Mrs) Uju Nwogu:
“As part of the memorial ceremony, the State Government will name Professor Akunyili in recognition of her sterling contributions and outstanding service to Anambra State and Nigeria in general.
The ceremony will also feature a concelebrated Holy Mass, a documentary on the life and times of the late Professor Dora Akunyili, tributes by the academia, representatives of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and some top government functionaries.
His Excellency the Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, will also use the occasion to unveil the plaque symbolising the renaming of the State Women Development Centre after the late erudite Professor.
Ndi Anambra both at home and in Diaspora are by this announcement invited to the ceremony which will kick off at the Women Development Centre, Awka by 10am.”
The ceremonies started with the first Dora Akunyili Memorial Lecture in neighbouring Enugu State, where the Akunyili family is based.
Awards of Late Professor Dora Akunyili
Professor Dora Akunyili is a Nigeria woman with over 900 awards. Some of the awards Professor Dora Akunyili received in her lifetime were:
- Time Magazine Award 2006 (“One of the eighteen heroes of our time”), Time Magazine Inc.
- Person of the Year 2005 Award – Silverbird Communications Ltd, Lagos, 5 January. 2006
- Award of Excellence – Integrated World Services (IWS), December 2005
- Award of Excellence – Advocacy for Democracy Dividends International, Lagos, 17 December, 2005
- Meritorious Award 2005 – St. Michael’s Military Catholic Church, Apapa, Lagos, 4 December, 2005
- African Virtuous and Entrepreneurial Women Merit Award 2005 – African Biographical Network, December, 2005.
- Award for the Best Government Parastatal – National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), December, 2005.
- An Icon of Excellence Award – The African Cultural Institute and Zenith Bank Plc, 8 December 2005.
- 2005 Grassroots Human Rights Campaigner Award London-based Human Rights Defense Organization, 8 December 2005.
- Most Innovative Director Award Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, October, 2005.
- Integrity Award 2003 – Transparency International.
