ALTHOUGH, the anti-fake drug crusade waged by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) under the leadership of Professor Dora Akunyili as Director-General is largely supported by the media, no one in the industry considers Akunyili's new appointment as the Minister of Information and National Orientation as appropriate.

Since last week Wednesday when the announcement of the cabinet reshuffle was made, different shades of opinions have trailed her new portfolio especially, as stakeholders challenged the rationale for her choice as Information Minister against health ministry which is considered as her field of competence with reference to giant strides recorded at NAFDAC.

But all hailed her pedigree as good public servant who has not only discharged her responsibility as NAFDAC boss diligently, but has also won public sympathy and support. Their fear is that such impeccable record of performance might be rubbished with the new appointment.

Largely, two interpretations have emerged in the attempt to peep into what could have informed her choice.

There are those who believe that Yar' Adua government perceives her as a media-friendly woman, and would love to tap into her goodwill.

But the overwhelming concern is that some fifth columnists want to rubbish her integrity by asking her to sell a difficult product.

"Through her performance in her existing job, she became very popular. Perhaps, the President wants to tap on that popularity. And since the post of minister of health was resolved in favour of a doctor, it means she would have have to get one of the remaining ministries. For her, she probably will see it as an exciting new phase of her life, which will broaden her experience. Will she enjoy the job? After the first year or so, I am not sure." Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, President, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria said.

However, not only a few consider her ministerial portfolio as a slap on the Nigerian Institute of Public Relation (NIPR); Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), and indeed, the entire media industry with the question of whether the government is saying there is no one with PR or media background to appoint to man the post.

"It is a misnomer. Whether she is a professor or not, what qualifies a pharmacist to be minister of Information and Communication? She is a square peg in a round hole. Nothing has changed," commented Mr. Dele Agekameh, publisher of The Capitol, a tourism oriented-publication.

Agekameh warned that the government should start treating Information ministry as specialized ministry, "because it is the life-wire of any establishment including government and corporate entity."

He insisted that there were pool of media and PR practitioners from where a good choice of Information and Communication minister could be made.

This sentiment was also shared by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council describing her appointment as "administrative blunder."

The council, in a statement by its chairman, Wahaab Alabi Oba, also tagged her choice as "provocatively contemptuous and an arrogant denigration of the media as non-professional."

According to Oba, Akunyuli had, at NAFDAC, demonstrated sufficient understanding of the constraints in the health sector and committed herself to rescuing the nation from its health tragedy, wondering if her redeployment to the Ministry of Information and Communications was not aimed at rubbishing her hitherto unprecedented records.

"Akunyuli's appointment as Information and Communications Minister is nothing but putting a round peg in a square hole", he asserted.

"It is high time government realized that the Information Ministry is a sensitive ministry that requires a professional. We need a professional. We need some one who has gone through the crucibles of journalism as Minister. Akunyuli is a health professional and she has left no one in doubt about her ability to deliver in the health sector", Oba further stated.

To another PR expert, the appointment is strange, wondering when does goodwill transform to professionalism and experience.

While the Chairperson of Lagos NIPR, Mrs Nkechi Alli-Balogun underscored Akunyili's invaluable role in the war against fake drug, she could not fathom what qualify her for the new job. "In Information! To do what?" She said wondering why should president bring somebody who was rejected by the doctors as health Minister to Information Ministry.

In the words of the Executive Director of Media Right Agenda, Mr. Edetean Ojo, "Her appointment as Information Minister continues an inexplicable policy of removing people from area where they are effective and putting them where they are not qualified. This is a reflection of not regarding information and Communication as serious business."

To Mike Uzeagwu, Chief Executive Officer, Metro Media Communication, "with her appointment, the President has shown that he has nothing to offer Nigeria. It is quite unfortunate. It is not certain whether Mr. President is prepared for this job, after all he was forced on Nigerians."

Interestingly, diverse and varied were reactions to the same issue on Internet discussion. Detailed below are samples of those comments:

"With the loss of Dora Akunyili to the forces of retrogression, we need new leader to project to the speculative Akunyili/Ribadu ticket. I nominate say Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Dora reminds me of the fall of Obasanjo, who after eight years of robust (my opinion) service enjoys no accolades - on account of the disgraceful elections of 2007." - Obi Kenobi.

"I obviously wish Prof. Akunyili well in her new post but the odds are clearly stacked against her simply because of the corrupt and deceitful nature of the government she is working for.

"Let's look at the big picture. We borrowed our Presidential System from the US, and we all know how they do cabinet appointments. For example, Obama has tapped individuals for specific posts. The public has been given the opportunity to debate the suitability of each appointee to the post he or she has been selected for.

"Hence the fact that Bill Clinton's charity had accepted donations from foreign sources has been extensively debated in the court of public opinion in relation to Hillary's suitability as Secretary of State for example. In due course, the Senate that has the constitutional power to approve each appointment will exercise that power whilst having access to all these facts. That is transparency and accountability in action.

"In Nigeria, and I suspect this must be one of Obasanjo's innovations: ministerial appointees are named only as ministers. Neither the public nor the Senate (that are supposed to assess their suitability for their respective jobs before approving them) know which post each nominee will fill" - Osita Mba

"The worrying aspect of Prof. Akunyili's new job is not that she accepted it but her comment that it is the will of God. It is depressing when you hear "well educated" individuals ascribe their action or inaction, no matter how mundane, to some divine power.

"Akunyili has the right to accept any job from a government that she is already serving. She also has the power to say no to her new job just as Gani did with the national award and the heavens won't fall. Dragging God into this is just a puerile attempt to justify an action she obviously is uncomfortable with. The Ministry of Information (and Communication) is the graveyard of many "reputable" public servants. I guess in the case of Akunyili we have to wait and see how she performs and then judge her accordingly!" - Chido Onumah.

"So sad to see a well-heeled professional and accomplished public servant like Prof Dora Akunyili accept to serve in a Ministry that will create serious credibility issues for her as she struggles to be the megaphone of government, without the requisite background training or experience. Someday, Nigeria's rulers will endeavour to shun age, and put the right professionals in key positions. Why are some of our best journalists only fit for Special Adviser/Chief Press Secretary positions? The balance of success tilts against Prof Akunyili in her present portfolio. But as they say, time will tell. I wish her well." - Nduka Otiono.

"My only question is: Why does it appear as if the Information portfolio is reserved for Ndigbo?_ Recall Mokelu, Frank Nweke, Emeka Chikelu, Walter Ofonagoro, Uche Chukwumerije. _Is that Ndigbo are very good town-criers that the best job for them is Information? - Emeka Madunagu.

"Now Dora has completely gone round the road with this. How, for goodness sake, will a serious government decide to under utilise such a person? Or was she just a media made success? But why can't she just turn down this offer and go home or back to NAFDAC? But this is Nigeria where nobody resigns from government appointment because it's a honey pot where you do and contribute little and yet reap bountifully. This is really the demystification of Akunyili." - Olayinka Oyegbile.

"How somebody can see this as a fall is what I do not understand. If you were holding a different portfolio elsewhere as a DG and you are called upon to serve in another capacity as a minister, it is a different thing altogether. She was not minister of health redeployed to information ministry and besides ministerial appointments are not strictly for people with related professions, else all presidents must read political science." - Paul Ohia

"Dora a minister of information? Informing what? Must Dora be a minister at all cost? Of what relevance would she be in that Ministry of Misinformation? Why can't we place people where they are competent enough to excel as other climes do? But do I blame her? What do I say of the man who made the sickening appointment? Please is Nigeria doomed? - Joel Nwokeoma.

"Dora is a unique gift to Nigeria and Yar' Adua is about to waste her for all of us. I have no problems if Dora was appointment the Health or Education Minister, but I have a lot of reservations if she becomes the person to do the dirty job for the government especially when they come out with unpopular policies or decisions at the expense of Nigerians. I think Dora no doubt has made a grave mistake by accepting this appointment. The fact that the media and civil society had supported her campaign against fake and expired drugs while in NAFDAC does not translate to them supporting her in her new role when the policies, practices and ideas of the administration is quite at variance with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians. I watched her yesterday (Thursday) on the news and she appears to be struggling to convince Nigerians on the need for a new corporate image as the information and communications Minister. We all need to pray for her." - David Allu.

_{* Source: The Guardian Newspapers}