•Governor Umo Eno
Friday, February 20, unfolded in Uyo with a quiet weight of meaning. It was a day suspended between memory and mandate. By noon, Ibom Hall had been transformed into a regal canvas of purple — the signature colour of the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), founded by Pastor Patience Umo Eno.
Drapes flowed elegantly, branded insignia gleamed under soft lights, and floral arrangements mirrored the rich hue of compassion that defines the initiative.
From political leaders and business moguls to traditional rulers, women’s groups, youth organisations, clergy, technocrats, civil servants, and development partners — citizens from all spheres of life filled the hall. They gathered not merely for an anniversary, but for the reaffirmation of a legacy.
Amid the coordinated purple, Governor Umo Eno stood out, dressed in the funeral and memorial attire of his wife, Pastor Patience Umo Eno — the only one so clothed. It was deliberate. It was deeply personal. It was a visible declaration that love does not expire.
Indeed, the governor is known to resist the word “late” when it is used in reference to his wife. To him, she is not “late.” She lives on — in the lives she touched, in the policies she inspired, and in the compassion now institutionalised through GIFA.
The occasion marked GIFA’s second anniversary and what would have been her 59th birthday.
“She would have been 59 today,” the Governor said reflectively, describing her as “a mother hen who protected the vulnerable and ensured they enjoyed life’s basic necessities, with their dignity preserved and honoured.”
He acknowledged the personal cost of loss:
“It has not been easy… the emptiness, the absence of the calm and reassuring voice.”
Yet, with conviction, he declared: “We will never let her down.”
Declaring that “a job well done means more work to be done,” he directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and AKRUWATSAN to immediately work with GIFA to ensure that, within one year, each of the state’s 369 wards will have a functional GIFA Water Project.
“To immortalise the desire of my dear wife… we will partner with GIFA to ensure adequate water supply in all 369 wards of the state,” he assured — turning tribute into tangible infrastructure.
The governor also used the moment to highlight key accomplishments of his administration, particularly the 85 priority projects currently being executed across the State. From critical road infrastructure and healthcare facilities to social investment programmes and rural development initiatives, he reaffirmed that compassionate governance remains central to his philosophy of leadership.
Beyond infrastructure, he addressed the oil wells issue with clarity and firmness:
“Let me say this loud and clear: there is no cause for alarm concerning our God-given resources. We have two Supreme Court judgments affirming our State’s ownership of the 76 oil wells… Akwa Ibom State will not cede any inch or one oil well belonging to the State to anyone.”
He reaffirmed confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a firm believer in the rule of law, while urging citizens to sustain peace and unity as the bedrock of development.
At the heart of GIFA’s continuity stands Lady Helen Eno Obareki. In her moving address, she recalled a childhood home “filled with people seeking help — no television cameramen, no reporters, no protocols.”
“That mother was my mother,” she said.
“Her care became hope, and that hope became life.”
Under her stewardship, GIFA has touched 53,987 lives in two years across maternal health, literacy, environmental health, women’s empowerment, disease prevention, elderly care, disability support, and Gender-Based Violence response.
The governor’s pride in his daughter was unmistakable.
“I am happy to note that this Initiative is living up to the foundational ideals and objectives of its founding,” he said. “You have kept faith. Please permit me to deeply and most profoundly commend my daughter for the great work she and her team have done in keeping this dream alive. I am proud of you.”
He further acknowledged her leadership within the family, commending her for stepping up courageously, providing direction for her siblings, and embodying strength in a season that demanded both grace and grit. The quiet nods from her siblings spoke volumes.
The keynote lecture was delivered by Mfon Ekpo, who underscored the conversion of stereotypes into social assets and highlighted the multiplier effect of community-driven development and sustainable social investment. Testimonies stirred emotion. Cultural performances animated the hall. Awards were presented. It was remembrance, yes, but it was also renewal.
At two years, GIFA stands as structured compassion with measurable impact and statewide reach. From empowerment hubs to classrooms, from elderly support to water projects in every ward, the vision continues to expand.
As the governor stood in memorial attire, alone in that symbolic dress, yet surrounded by a grateful people, it was evident that this was more than commemoration.
In every ward where clean water will soon flow; in women, youth, and the elderly empowered; in every child restored to dignity, Pastor Patience Umo Eno truly lives on, smiling from the balcony of heaven.
Congratulations, GIFA at Two. More grease to your elbows.
*Hon Aniekan Umana is Commissioner for Information, Akwa Ibom State
