Written by:
Augustine C. Ohanwe

Dora Akunyili: The need to reconsider her new appointment.

 No work is mean provided such a job is an honest toil. But when we say that a certain job is not befitting to someone, it could mean that such post is not commensurate with that person’s qualification, or that it would not give the person assigned to it, a favourable opportunity to unleash his or her potentials. However, it must be added that there exist exceptions to the rule.

Is Dora well suited for her new job? She may have accepted her present position with a grin, and had settled down to the nitty-gritty of her new post. But before she sits firmly on her seat, it’s important to highlight some of her innate qualities that could create an administrative log-jam. Dora is straightforward and down-to-earth blunt in her expressions. She has the innate tendency to call a spade by its real name instead of designating it as a farming implement. She has no taste for a tailor-made political jargon. Dora is very opinionated lady who can not be used to make a proxy statement that runs contrary to the reality on the ground, be it political, economic or social. For this single reason, her new post will bring her into conflict with the nation’s policy makers.

Let us cite two examples that are likely to confront her along the way as time goes on. During the Liberian Civil Conflict, President Samuel Doe was a protege of the United States. In the aftermath of his demise, the US, under the Ronald Reagan lost its influential ally in the West African sub-region. In its further effort to pacify the conflict-torn Liberia, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), initiated the Banjul Conference. In that conference, Amos Sawyer, a political scientist, and one time top officer in Samuel Doe’s regime was elected as the Interim Leader of Liberia. The US perception of the new Leader was that of a man who could not protect the US interest in Liberia. On this basis, the US declined to recognize the Interim Government. However, it continued to offer humanitarian relief to the victims of war.

In spite of the US position towards the Government of Amos Sawyer, its ambassador to Liberia, who understood the conflict dynamics in that country was sympathetic to the new Government. After several pronouncements and overt sympathetic gestures towards Amos Sawyer’s Interim Government, the US had to recall Ambassador Peter de Vos in late July of 1992. William Twaddell, who had the title of Charge d’ Affaires replaced him. A State Department source at that time said, “The move was made because the US does not recognize the Interim Government in Liberia.” In this scenario we have seen how an opinionated diplomat toed a different path totally at odd with that of his government, and had to pay the prize. There are indications that Dora might find herself in a situation where her pronouncements will run contrary and unpalatable to the policy makers, just because she thinks and acts for herself.

Another example pertains to the Ogoni situation under President Abacha. Moved by the plight of his people who were suffering in the midst of plenty plus the burden of ecological degradation associated with multinational oil companies, Ken Saro-wiwa championed the cause of the Ogonis by highlighting their plight. His modus operandi was distasteful to the Abacha Government. His arrest, detention, and eventual execution, along with his colleagues attracted global reaction. In order to repair or reclaim the nation’s tarnished image, the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nation, Ibrahim Gambari had to tell the international community the “truth” by linking Ken Saro-wiwa and his companions to criminal activities. He said what a diplomat was supposed to say and President Abacha was glad that his diplomat delivered “the true situation” to the world. Had he followed his own thought, by showing overt sympathy to the Ogoni cause, he could have been recalled home and perha
ps, corrected out of existence based on the political climate at that time. Last year his appointment to head the Niger Delta Commission was rejected. The people of that region have a vivid recollection of Gambari’s statements on the Ogoni issue, and had to beam a red light at him to stand still.

Dora has already accepted her new portfolio and assured Nigerians that her “vision is to work assiduously to shore up the good image of Nigeria through responsible communication which entails proper information management.” She added, “Responsible information management does not means telling lies …” But some figures uphold that certain lies are good and necessary for the image of a country. For instance, on many occasions when the Greek youth at the sea harbour to travel to other parts of the region, Socrates visited the harbour and addressed those who wanted to travel. He said to them. “When asked to name the best country in the world, tell them it’s Greece, even though it might not be the best.” Furthermore, certain truths, when said in the heat of tension, could ignite unimaginable conflagration. In such a situation one has to use the appropriate, deodorised expression that could dam the current of the mounting tension and allow the truth, which is the daughter time to c
ome up later.

Her new position makes her the information mouthpiece of the nation. She is a good communicator. There is no doubt about that. The way she administered NAFDAC has endeared her to many Nigerians at home and abroad. Should the government decide to tap more of her talents, her present portfolio though, interesting, and elevated rank should be withdrawn and given to a seasoned yarn spinner. There are many other positions that stand at her beck and call.