THE INCORRUPTIBLE MOTHER OF TRUTH: DORA AKUNYILI

PHOTO: PROFESSOR DORA AKUNYILI.

Abuja March 23, (THEWILL) - The Catholic Women Organization (CWO), of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Abuja on March 21, 2010 honoured the former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili as "The Incorruptible Mother of Truth".

The award which was in appreciation of her outstanding contributions to the up-liftment of womanhood came just a few days after MEA magazine in the United States and the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria crowned her one of the "World’s Most Powerful Women", and "Mother of The Decade", respectively.

The award ceremony was part of the programme of events lined up by the Catholic Church to celebrate this year’s Mothers Day.

According to the president of CWO, Mrs. Ijeoma Osuonu, the hounour was conferred on Prof. Akunyili because she has always been a woman of truth, right from her time at government agency, NAFDAC.

The mothers identified her as such and encouraged her to continue in her service to the nation and that was why she took the bull by the horn in her memo to the executive council asking that the Vice President be empowered as Acting President.

"In spite of all the challenges and death threats she faced on the job, she continued to serve in the best way possible, ... when she was made Information and Communications Minister her belief in Nigeria propelled her to initiate the re-branding Nigeria project",

The officiating priest, Rev. Fr. Thomas Afem, enjoined members of the congregation to pray for the unity of Nigeria and ask God to appoint the right people into leadership positions.

The occasion was witnessed by citizens, who have done exceptionally well in their various roles as mothers. The Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and other top government functionaries were guests at the event.

Prof. Akunyili thanked the CWO for the honour done to her and urged mothers to stay focused in nurturing their off springs. She also encouraged mothers to always strive to live by the truth because it is expected that truth is what they will pass on to their children.