By Adesina Soyooye
Akwa Ibom State has a new First Lady. She is Helen Eno-Obareki. Helen is the first daughter of the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
The Governor lost his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Patience Umo-Eno a few days ago to cancer. She was 19 when she married her 22 year-old childhood Sweetheart who, much later, became the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.
The Governor, who said he was not about to marry anytime soon, therefore, appointed his daughter, Helen, the Acting First Lady of the State. In that capacity, Helen will see to it that all the projects her late mother started will continue to run seamlessly, especially, the Golden Initiative For All which was very close to the heart of the late First Lady.
Governor Uno announced his daughter’s appointment as the State’s Acting First Lady when Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and her entourage paid him a condolence visit at the Government House, Uyo.
The governor made the announcement on Friday during a condolence visit by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and other dignitaries in Uyo.
He said: “To maintain the Office of the First Lady and carry forward my late wife’s work, I present our daughter, Helen, to continue the duties of the office. She will work closely with the Deputy Governor and the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare”.
He said he has implicit confidence in his daughter to stick to the values and vision of the late First Lady, who was her mother. He assured that he is commited to sustaining all the projects initiated by the former the First Lady.
The heartbroken Governor described his late wife as his “greatest supporter and toughest critic with whom I had a lifelong bond”, and added, “she is irreplaceable”.
“I married her when she was 19 and I was 22. I called her Oluwa-Kemi because she was truly a gift from God. We went through many challenges together, and her passing is an irreplaceable loss for me.”
During the visit, Mrs Tinubu praised the governor’s decision and expressed confidence in Obareki’s ability to excel, calling it a thoughtful way to preserve the late Eno’s legacy.
Mrs Tinubu welcomed Helen’s appointment as the Acting First Lady, and described it as thoughtful.
Mrs Tinubu: “Your mom didn’t bring you to me for nothing, and it’s a blessing that your mom’s colleagues and the Vice President’s wife are here to support you. I know you well, and I believe God will guide you. You will accomplish even more than your mother, and He will grant you good health.”
Governor Eno had during a condolence visit by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio dismissed as rubbish the rumours about taking a second wife.
The Governor: “I’m not considering remarrying anytime soon. I don’t have the money to pay another bride price.”
Mrs Umo-Eno died on 26th September, 2024, at the age of 57 years.
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