Umo Eno: A Benevolent Governor’s January of Benevolence

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Umo Eno: A Benevolent Governor’s January of Benevolence

N. T. A. EFO

Nothing , aside the sun which shoned brilliantly with a golden glow across the skyline of the once rustic village of Ikot Ekpene Udo in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, on Sunday, January 19, 2025, could tell the surprises that awaited the day.

To members of the Akwa Ibom State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, it was another in a series of an annual Thanksiging service ritual started 12 years earlier. The only difference this time was in the venue which happened to be the Apostolic Church in Governor Umo Eno’s village.

In their different but uniformed attires , Amos Etuk, State Chairman of the NUJ, led members of the union on thanksgiving, dancing, singing songs of praise to God for a graceful year and also presenting a momento to the Governor who was the Special Guest at the event, and a gift to the church.

Time for the Special Guest to address the congregation, and the surprises rolled in, changing the tide of events and setting the entire church on unparalleled celebration.

In his speech, Governor Eno gave out a SUV car to the NUJ Chairman and 10 salon cars to other members of the State Working Committee of the union, thanking them for cooperating with his administration in the pursuit of the Arise Agenda by maintaining professionalism and patriotism in their reportage.

He didn’t stop with the union. He extended the spread of joy to cover the church by asking Engr Uwem Okoko, Managing Director of Hensek Integrated Services Ltd, a construction firm, to renovate the church, and convert the Pastor’s bungalow residence to a storey building.

The biggest gainers of the surprises of the day were the state’s civil servants, as the Governor announced the commencement of payment of the new minimum.wage of N80,000, with arrears from the effective implementation date of November, 2024, in January.

Governor Eno: We have a pact with Akwa Ibom workers and we are on course. We will work with you and ensure that your welfare is paramount and continues to be paramount.

To a benevolent Governor Eno, it was just another day in a long haul of his characteristic benevolent act in what could be called a “January of Benevolence.”

The “January of Benevolence” started on January 9, with the handing over of an Arise Compassionate home to a widow and mother of five, Madam Cecilia Dominic Ekerete, in Ika Local Government Area,

She had lived in dire and terrible conditions with her children in a dilapidated tatch house until the Governor’s benevolence located her.

Soon after, 45 Permanent Secretaries were beneficiaries of the Governor’s benevolence when, on January 10, 2025, they were presented with official cars, in a rare record setting, as some of them, including the Head of Service, Elder Effiong Essien, had been in the position, since 2017, manning their duty posts without official vehicles.

Same day, the Governor, yet again, out of benevolence, hosted members of the dissolved State Executive Council, EXCO, to a valedictory session and dinner, another record breaking and unprecedented act. Never had a dinner been prepared for members of EXCO after their exits in the state. Infact, in previous circumstances, most of them always get to learn of the dissolution of the council on radio.

Other car beneficiaries from Governor Eno’s deep reserves of benevolence include four of his personal aides, Special Assistant on Student Affairs, Wisdom Emmanuel, Special Assistant on Protocol, Uduak Jack, Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation, Anita Eno and Personal Assistant on Entertainment, Mary Affia.

On January 15, 2025, it was the turn of widows of service men who died defending the sovereignty of Nigeria to taste the Governor’s benevolence.

At the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Uyo, the Governor donated N250 million to them, saying “the widows of our fallen soldiers and those who served the nation diligently will not walk alone. We will stand by you, pray with you and give you our support. May the souls of the gallant officers, men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces rest in peace”

“Today I direct the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Permanent Secretary of Humanitarian Affairs, not only to disburse money to these women but to ensure that each and everyone of them have something they’re doing. They will look at your trade, improve their trade and where possible, send them to be trained in Ibom LED, to make sure they run their businesses well.

“It is on this occasion therefore that I am announcing the sum of one hundred and fifty million naira to be given to these women and to be disbursed promptly and accordingly to ensure that they carry on their trade.

“Let me specially also announce another one hundred million naira to the Police and other security agencies because they too have fallen heroes and I stand here as a proud son of a Police officer who gave his life in the line of duty. So therefore, we will continue to live our lives in a way that will honour those that have gone before us.”

The Governor who equally continued his benevolent interventions in health related matters, paid medical bills for citizens undergoing treatment in hospitals, including that of a young
boy, son of a former Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Ward 6 Secretary in Uyo Local Government Area, Ekomabasi Aniefiok John who had a life threatening accident on January 15, 2025.

To the applause of all, the Governor also intervened to save the life of foremost broadcaster, Itoro Lawrence. The Governor donated N25million for her treatment. She was subject of a recent social media campaign to raise funds for a lumber spine decompression surgery which had left her weak, shaky, numb and in severe pains.

To elderly citizens of the state, a brand new one stop centre to cater for their needs is in the offing. Same Benevolent January saw the Governor lay the foundation to flag off the construction of the Arise Senior Citizens Centre at Itak in Ikono Local Government Area on the 25th. Situated along the administration’s Medical corridor between the Ibom Specialist Hospital and the Four Point by Sheraton, the Governor said elderly citizens deserved a better life, having used all their productive years to cater for society.

Expectedly, the gesture gladdened the hearts of beneficiaries who poured encomium on the Governor.

One of the Permanent Secretaries, Akparawa James Edet, captured the emotion of all beneficiaries of the January of Benevolence succinctly, when he wrote, in an article titled From Sadness to Joy as Gov Umo Eno Empowers Permanent Secretaries:Governor Eno is worthy of celebration not only because of the impactful policies but the lasting legacy of kindness and understanding he embodies. By championing the needs of workers and nurturing an environment based on the well being of the people, Pastor Umo Eno stands as a testament to the true essence of leadership.

He concluded with a prayer for the benevolent Governor: May his tenure continue to inspire, uplift and illuminate the way towards a brighter, more equitable tomorrow for all.

Those who know Governor Eno very well know that he is already living within the sentiments expressed by Edet in the prayer.

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