Akhimien’s biography sparks debate on Nigeria’s leadership crisis

By : Divine Yusuf

Date: 4 December 2025 2:11am WAT

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Sir Anthony Unuabona Akhimien

Sir Anthony Unuabona Akhimien

Akhimien’ newly launched biography has sparked debate over Nigeria’s leadership crisis, as pharmacists, academics, and community leaders gathered in Lagos to reflect on the country’s eroding moral foundations and the urgent need to restore integrity in public and professional life.

The event, held to mark the 70th birthday and biography launch of former President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Sir Anthony Unuabona Akhimien, drew industry leaders who described his seven-decade journey as evidence of how discipline, service, and ethical commitment can shape national development when institutions nurture such values.

Chairman of the occasion, Adams Okoiene, said Akhimien’s life represents a standard of excellence Nigeria must urgently emulate across sectors. “There is a spirit in him, a spirit of excellence,” he said, adding that their long professional relationship reflects shared dedication to cultural grounding and disciplined leadership.

His remarks echoed a wider national concern: Nigeria’s struggle to produce leaders who act with consistency, integrity, and conviction.

For the celebrant, the occasion marked more than a personal milestone. Known in pharmaceutical circles for his calm, discipline and firm but quiet leadership style, he said the event allowed him to reflect on a career built on service rather than self-promotion.

Addressing the gathering of colleagues, former students, and community figures, Akhimien described integrity as “the only inheritance that outlives a man,” urging younger professionals to shun shortcuts and invest in building strong and enduring institutions.

The biography, “Anthony Akhimien: Life of Service Driven by Integrity,” authored by journalist and researcher Enyeribe Ejiogu, was reviewed by management scholar, Prof. Lere Baale, who described the book as “a leadership manual at a time Nigeria is searching for examples that prove character still matters.”

Baale highlighted how Akhimien’s life journey—from studying by bush lantern in Ewu to representing Africa on global pharmaceutical platforms — demonstrates the transformative power of education, faith, and community-driven leadership.

“His journey validates the thesis that service is the highest form of leadership, and integrity is the currency that never loses value,” he said.

The 12-chapter biography chronicles Akhimien’s early years under the Western Region’s free education policy, his training at the University of Benin, and his rise within Nigeria’s pharmacy profession, where he became a prominent advocate for the B.Pharm-to-PharmD transition, a reform still shaping pharmaceutical practice across West Africa.

Speakers used the occasion to stress the responsibility of professionals in nation-building at a time of declining public trust.

Akhimien’s personal setbacks — including a seized WAEC result, financial struggles in Lagos, long commutes, and professional obstacles —were cited as reminders of the structural barriers Nigerians still face despite their talents and determination.

The event reinforced a generational concern: that Nigeria’s civic and professional institutions must do more to document and promote integrity-led leadership to inspire younger citizens, especially as corruption and shortcuts continue to overshadow service and sacrifice in public perception.

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