Thisday Newspaper Governor of the Year: I nominate Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State
By ETIM ETIM
Thisday Newspaper and Arise News are asking Nigerians to nominate the men, women and the institutions ‘’rebuilding democratic Nigeria’’ for the 2025 Thisday Awards. The media group is inviting nominations for 16 different categories, one of which is Governor of the Year. To qualify for this award, the governor should ‘’combine vision, passion, dedication and courage to make the lives of the people of his state better’’, according to official announcement of the newspaper. Nominations close on December 25 and winners would be announced on December 31. You are to submit your nominations, stating the contributions of your nominees, to: awards2025@thisdaylive.com; awards@arise.tv.
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State
I wish to nominate Gov. Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State as Governor of the Year 2025 for his impactful leadership. Although a first-term governor, who has been in office for less than two years, Pastor Umo Eno has made significant contributions in the following areas:
1. VISION: His Vision is to create a diverse economic base for the state; ramp up IGR to N200 billion by 2027, more than double the N62.5 billion expected at end of 2024. To achieve this, his administration is investing in commercial real estate development in Lagos, Abuja and Uyo. Ten decrepit and abandoned state-owned properties, which are currently non-earning assets (NEA), are being renovated into residential and commercial estates, for sale or lease. Total income expected from these ventures in the next five years is over N300 billion, according to projections. The government is also banking on the aviation sector to diversify the economy. Under the Umo Eno administration, Ibom Air, the state-owned airline, has broken even and recorded profits. The first dividend payout of at least N10 billion is expected in 2025. Additional two aircraft would be added to its fleet in 2025 to make a total of 11 airplanes. New African routes would be opened and the MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facility would also become fully operational.
Governor Umo Eno during inspection of project with some cabinet members
2. PASSION: Gov. Eno has a deep passion for the underprivileged members of the society. When the cost-of-living crisis reached unprecedented levels last year, he created a welfare scheme in which over 400,000 citizens have so far received free food items from the state. He also introduced a scheme in which elderly citizens receive N50, 000 monthly stipends and new homes are built and donated to poor widows across the state. The governor has turned to agriculture to create jobs for the youths by adopting the Songhai farming system in which farmers live in self-sustaining Kibbutz-like settlements. One Songhia farm is being built in each of the 31 LGAs.
3. DEDICATION: The governor has shown a rare dedication to duty, even in the face of immense personal crisis. Between when his wife died on September 26, 2024 and when she was buried on November 29, 2024, Eno did not take a day off work. He continued to perform his official duties, combining them with mourning and grieving and preparation for her funeral. The governor presented his 2025 budget to the House of Assembly on November 26, just three days to his wife’s burial. Such commitment to duty is rare. He explained that he ‘’didn’t want his personal grieve to interfere with his official duties’’.
4. COURAGE: Gov. Umo Eno has shown tremendous courage in taking decisions, especially those that enhance peace and harmony. Breaking with the past, the governor relates with everybody, irrespective of party differences. Unlike in the past, he invites politicians in different parties to state functions, honours their invitations, meets and relates with everybody irrespective of political leanings. A PDP member, Umo Eno has ignored partisan affiliations to build a cordial relationship with Senator Godswill Akpabio, an APC leader, and this has greatly helped in lowering political tensions and embers in the state. In September, Gov. Umo Eno attended the birthday celebration of Chief Don Etiebet, an APC chieftain, in Lagos. It has never happened before in the history of the state. His courage to break from past political traditions which were replete with enmity, violence and divisions has created a very conducive investment climate in the state. Eno has deliberately brought everybody in the state under one big canopy of love and harmony.
