•Mrs Ijeoma Itoro and Governor Umo Eno
Remember her? The young, emotional and pitiable woman, whose video went viral last week for breaking protocol and compelling Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, like the Biblical Blind Bartimaeus, to stand still and “have mercy” on her.
On her knees, March 11, 2025, inside the Uyo Township Stadium, where Governor Eno was distributing 2,000 SMEs start-up machines and tools to verified small and medium-sized enterprises, the young woman cried out for help, across a wire gauze.
“Your Excellency, please have mercy on me” she pleaded. It took a bit of effort and pleading also by the governor for her to be calmed down.
”Calm down! Calm down!! Calm down, now-u!!! OK, stand up. What do you do?”, the governor asked her. She said in tears that she was into food production… cassava flour, among others. “Where is the business (located)”, the governor asked the nervous woman. “For now, I don’t even have a shop. I produce from my house”, the woman said in tears. “Show me a sample”, the governor probed further.
It was a case when preparation meets opportunity. Instantly, the woman did not just present two well-packaged samples of her products, she backed it up instantly with her company name registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. “Calm down now-u! Why are you crying?…So, how much (money) are you looking for?, the governor asked her. It was an open cheque that the woman could not fill immediately. The governor had to ask her the questions one more time: “How much money are you looking for”?
With fear and apprehension written on her face, she managed to say: “Two million Naira, Sir”. Instantly, the Governor ordered his Commissioner of Trade and Investment, Dr. Ubong Inyang, to purchase the necessary equipment for her with N3million and give her additional N2million grant for her running cost. Back to her knees where her journey began, and with her two hands lifted high in thanksgiving, she cried aloud the more, this time, the tears of joy. “His Excellency, thank youuuuuuu…”.
It was exceedingly, abundantly above what the importunate woman had asked for or imagined.
“Where the word of the king is, there is power”, so the Holy Book says. Yesterday, March 25, 2025, exactly 14 days after her famous encounter with Governor Eno, the beautiful woman that we now know her name to be Mrs Ijeoma Itoro, was presented with both equipment worth N3million and a cheque of N2million by the Commissioner of Trade and Investment, in the company of the Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs, Rt. Hon Emem Ibanga.
Like the picture painted in Psalm 124, Ijeoma’s mouth was now filled with laughter and lips with singing. She danced and rejoiced, dressed in a beautifully made, overflowing native gown. She looked gorgeous!
Report from Humanitarian Affairs Ministry officials who witnessed the presentation simply said Mrs Ijeoma Itoro was “all joyous and prayed that God bless His Excellency for coming through for the less privileged”.
But, I guess, we have not heard the last yet of this sweet story that gladdens the hearts. We need to hear how she planned, prepared and executed the encounter with the governor, which has resulted in a turning point and breakthrough for her business. I suspect she prayed and maybe fasted… We need to hear and learn from her, and trust me, the follow up story will be music to your ears, people of goodwill and godly heart.
For now, it’s: Promise made! Promise fulfilled!! Kudos to Governor Eno, the legend of empathy and compassion.
