The death of Professor Dora Akunyili has been described as not only shocking and painful, but a personal loss to the government and people of Bayelsa State on account of her major contribution to the establishment of the Drug Mart in the state capital, Yenagoa.

In his tribute to  Akunyili, Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, said the edifice housing the mart is a telling story of the essential Akunyili as a caring and visionary leader that was always poised to eradicate the prevalence of fake drugs in the state and the country as a whole.
According to Dickson, Dora’s activist leadership in public sphere caught both national and international recognition and imbued the confidence and hope in our country, clearing the negative perception that public servants are generally self-serving.

He described the deceased as an enigma that will continue to be remembered, because of her uncommon legacy, adding that she came, saw and conquered by her exemplary conduct, which has thought us how we can overcome the malaise of integrity at whatever level of leadership we find ourselves.
“She was a rare public officer who was dedicated to duty and made indelible contributions to national development, pointing out that she stood out in the crowd, etching her name in gold”, he stated.

The governor stated that Dora was a role model as well as an important legacy as a national figure, who craved transparency, commitment to duty and all the essentials of decency in private and public life.
Dickson noted that, besides her family values which helped to shape her character,  Akunyili’s attainment of western education saw her become a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Pharmacologist in the College of Medicine at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.

While praying for the peaceful repose of her soul, the governor  urged members of her family to take solace in the fact that  Dora personified all that was good and positive in a mortal and will remain a reference point to present and future generations of Nigerians.