Dora Akunyili buried

 27 Bishops, over 150 priests in attendance
 Gowon, Ekwueme, Obasanjo, Okorocha, Yuguda grace burial

The late former Minister of Information, Prof. Dora Akunyili, was buried on Thursday in Agulu, Aniocha local government area of Anambra State.

Akunyili, who died on June 7, was interred at exactly 2.15pm in the family compound.


The Madonna’s Catholic Church venue of the service was filled to the brim with people outside the church outnumbering those inside the premises.

The church which wore a new look for the event had not witness event of this magnitude in the last six years, according to one of the church priests.

At least 27 Catholic Bishops and over 150 other priests attended the burial of the former director general of the National Agency for Food, Drug administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Cardinals Francis Cardinal Arinze from Rome and John Cardinal Onaikan from Abuja and three Archbishops also graced the burial.

But for the meeting of the People’s Democratic Party in Abuja, the community would not have contained the crowd that came to pay their last respects to the late former minister.

However, that did not stop parties’ chieftains and other prominent Nigerians from honouring the deceased.
Among them were – the former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), his wife Victoria, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and wife Beatrice and the wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola.

Others were – Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo) and Isah Yuguda (Bauchi), wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Josephine Elechi, her Abia counterpart, Odochi Orji and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.

Also in attendance were former Governors Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Peter Obi, Senator Chris Ngige, Virgy Etiaba, Minister of Information and Communications Labaran Maku, and Sen. Joy Emodi.

In his homily, Rev. Damain Akpunonu said Akunyili’s death was tragedy that wanted to reap the family and the country apart.

“We have come here today not to bury Dora, to bury her is to concede victory to death. But Jesus Christ has conquered death,” Rev. Akpunonu said.