Igbos in Lagos will tomorrow shut down their businesses for four hours in honour of the late former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who would be buried in Agulu, in Anambra State same day.

Rising from a dinner/interactive session for market leaders and stakeholders, Igbos, on the platform of Ndigboamaka, a non-governmental organisation of South East Ndigbo Lagos, unanimously agreed that they would close down their businesses from 8am to 12 noon tomorrow, as a mark of honour for Akunyili.

Revealing this in Lagos, Nze Basil Osuokwu, national coordinator of South East Ndigbo Lagos, stated that the market leaders resolved not to do business for four hours to show that they and Igbos, in general, recognised the invaluable achievements of Akunyili.

He stated that the market leaders were happy with what Akunyili did as director general of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and minister of information.

The group’s coordinator said the fact that Akunyili staked her life in the service of Nigeria showed the Igbo spirit of putting everything in what they believe in.

He stated that Ndigbo were immensely proud of Akunyili, while urging other Nigerians in public service to emulate her honesty, dedication, hard work and integrity.

Akunyili’s week-long funeral started last Friday, August 22, with a Christian Wake-Keep at her Enugu residence, No. 2A Bishop Onyeabor St., G.R.A. Enugu.

It continued on Monday with a spectacular Night of Tributes in her honour at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan led a galaxy of dignitaries to Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Garki, Abuja, for a Requiem Mass in Dora’s honour officiated by the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan.

After the church service, Dora’s body was taken to Enugu, where there was a Mass for her at KSJ Temple at 4:00 p.m. A High Requiem Mass for Prof. Akunyili is on-going at Holy Ghost Cathedral Enugu, after which her body would be taken to UNCOMA Hall, College of Medicine, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu, for Final College Assembly to start from 11:30 a.m.

From there, the body would be taken to Awka for Anambra State Government activities, then to Dora’s father’s house in Nanka, before being returned to her husband’s house at Agulu for a Vigil Mass/Wake-Keep.

Dora’s body would lie in state at John Chike Akunyili’s Compound tomorrow from 6-9am before leaving for Agulu Town Hall, then Madonna Catholic Church Agulu for a Requiem Mass to hold by 10:00 a.m. Interment at John Chike Akunyili’s Compound follows at 1:30 p.m.

A renowned Pharmacist, Pharmacologist and Administrator, Prof. (Mrs.) Akunyili was a delegate to the National Conference as at the time of her death on Saturday, June 7, 2014, after a two-year battle with cancer. The woman of substance, who would have turned 60 on July 14, is survived by her husband, Dr. Chike Akunyili, six children, three grandchildren, siblings and several relatives.

•Partly based on a Daily Sun. Photo shows President Goodluck Jonathan arriving for the Requiem Mass in Dora’s honour . . . yesterday at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Garki, Abuja.

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