Nigerians defy downpour to honour late Akunyili in Enugu

Many Nigerians from different walks of life on
Friday
defied the downpour in Enugu State to attend
the
wake-keep of a former Minister of Information,
the
late Prof. Dora Akunyili.
Among these were Gov. Sullivan Chime of
Enugu
State, represented by the state's Commissioner
for
Information, Mr Chuks Ugwoke, and the Chief
of
Staff to the governor, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo.
Others are the State Chairman of the
Association of
Local Government of Nigeria, and members of
the
state's Executive Council.
Also in attendance were a renowned actor, Mr
Pete
Edochie, and captains of industry in Enugu
State and
Anambra.
In a sermon, Rev. Fr. Godswill Ibekwe of the
Holy
Ghost Cathedral in Enugu called on Christians
to
reflect on their lives to be able to make heaven
in
the event of death.
He said, "Today, we have come to honour our
sister,
Prof. Dora Akunyili. She lived a humble,
courageous
and God-fearing life.
"We pray God to accept her soul in His bosom.
We as
Christians should reflect on our lives, repent
and
accept Christ as our Lord and saviour.
"Dora was a woman to reckon with. A good
Nigerian
to the core."
Speaking at the wake-keep, the husband of the
deceased, Dr Chike Akunyili, commended
President
Goodluck Jonathan and other Nigerians for
their
solidarity throughout the demise of the former
Information Minister.
He described his late wife as a courageous,
worthy
and kind-hearted woman who fought for the
interest
of the country.
He said, "If every Nigerian can possess Dora's
character in every of their endeavour, this
country
will be good. She touched many lives in this
country
and beyond.
"We lived together for 36 years and I enjoyed
every
bit of it because she was straightforward and
humble."
Akunyili disclosed that the body of the
deceased
would arrive at the Akanu Ibiam International
Airport, Enugu on August 26. He urged the
citizens of
the state and religious leaders to attend in
order to
honour the late Prof. Dora.
A mass would be conducted on August 27 by
the
Catholic Bishop of Enugu, Rev. Callistus
Onaga, to
honour her.

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