TheCable

The body of former minister of information and communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, will arrive Abuja Wednesday evening from India.

Akunyili died on Saturday, June 7, after a battle with cancer, having been initially misdiagnosed over a long period of check-ups and treatments.

A family member told TheCable that the body will be deposited at the mortuary of the National Hospital while the family finalises burial plans.

No date has been agreed upon yet, but there are strong indications that she will be buried in August to accommodate the schedule of high-profile personalities who have indicated interest in attending the event.

Akunyili, who came to the limelight as director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was a delegate to the National Conference currently holding in Abuja.

She took seriously ill last year and flew to the United States for treatment.

After spending months in the hospital, she was discharged on the account that she had recovered, but her condition worsened in May.

On May 11, she was flown out in an air ambulance to India, where doctors at a specialist cancer hospital battled to save her life.

Her death has elicited nationwide mourning and condolence messages.