•Lady Helen Eno-Obareki
…Being text of the address by Her Excellency, Lady Helen Eno-Obareki, Coordinator, Office of The First Lady and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Golden Initiative For All, GIFA, during the second anniversary of GIFA , on February 20, 2026
Memories that have never left me are flooding into my mind today.
Long before my father became the Governor and my mother took her place as the First Lady of our dear state, I remember our homes, both in Eket and in the village, filled with people seeking for help.
I remember when there were no television cameramen and reporters to make news, and there were no protocols to be observed, our home was a beehive of needy women and children, some very sick, weak and helpless.
I remember a mother who believed that compassion meant love in action. I remember a mother who prayed for, comforted, and lifted up those women and children. That mother was my mother: Pastor Mrs Patience Umo Eno.
In those crucial moments, her care became hope, and that hope became life for those women and children. Those moments of modest care-giving back in our home, became the seed that gave birth to the Golden Initiative For All, GIFA and continue to shape today and certainly the years to come.
Today, as I do every other day, I remember my dearly beloved mother. Though I feel her absence deeply, yet I feel her presence everywhere — in the lives of every woman and child she touched, in the lives of those we continue to help, and in every critical intervention we make for the sake of humanity.
As the American novelist, Judy Blume, once said, “Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch.”
In honour of this remarkable woman whose fingerprints remain indelible on the lives she touched — a woman of substance, a mother like no other, a virtuous wife, a true handmaid of humanity; a dedicated servant of God, and in honour of the First Lady Emeritus of Akwa Ibom State, may I, at this point, with all humility, request that we rise together, on this her posthumous birthday, to give a standing ovation and applause for Her Excellency, Pastor Mrs Patience Umo Eno.
May her beautiful, amazing, loving and caring soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
As today also marks her birthday, we celebrate her posthumously with gratitude to God for a life that was well lived in the service of God and humanity.
Across the world, First Ladies have continued to use their platforms as co-bearers of their spouses’ mandate, championing causes that uplift humanity.
The Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), birthed from the noble vision of Her Excellency, Pastor Patience Umo Eno, was established to touch lives and make a positive difference in lives of underprivileged families in our dear State.
Two years on, that vision remains our mission and commission. We are fully commissioned and fully committed to improve and uplift the lives of vulnerable women and children in Akwa Ibom State.
Through collective effort and purposeful leadership, GIFA has continued to improve the wellbeing of countless individuals while inspiring a renewed sense of communal responsibility and social consciousness across the State.
From the lush green vegetation of Ini Local Government Area, to the elevated rugged terrain of Itu LGA, down to the riverine communities of Mbo LGA and the sandy beaches of Ibeno, our life-touching projects dot the entire landscape of our state, bearing undeniable testimonies of impact.
I will not bore you in this speech with the detailed scorecard of our achievements, which are already published in our Souvenir publication for this anniversary.
However, I can confidently state that we have made remarkable strides in all the eight thematic areas of the programme, including maternal and child health care, enhancement of literacy and learning, environmental health improvement, women empowerment, disease prevention, elderly care, disability support and gender-based violence prevention and response.
To put it briefly, a total of 53,987 lives have been touched and impacted by GIFA across Akwa Ibom State in the last two years. The breakdown is as follows:
1. Maternal and Child Healthcare –
9,776 mothers and children reached;
2. Enhancing Literacy and Learning – 19,587 adults and pupils of public schools impacted;
3. Improving Environmental Health – 13 Water of Life Projects borehole projects completed in 13 LGAs for the benefit of 2,680 rural people;
4. Women Empowerment – 5,064 women empowered;
5. Fight Against Diseases – 4,900 rural women and children benefited from our Wheels of Hope Medical Outreach;
6. Care for the Elderly – 10,800 senior citizens were supported by GIF;
7. Care for Persons with Disabilities – dedicated and sustainable support was provided to 160 People With Disabilities (PWDs);
8. Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response – 1,020 survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) were reached and rehabilitated by GIFA, during the period under review.
In a nutshell, the impact of GIFA has been tremendous and while we are proud of how far we have come, we are fully aware that there is still much work to be done.
As the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of GIFA, my responsibility has been to build upon and sustain the legacy of our dear mother, Pastor Patience Umo Eno. I bear this responsibility with resolve and determination, because I am inspired by the grace of God and the tenacity not to let down my parents and the good people of Akwa Ibom State.
I want to use this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to my beloved father, the gender-friendly Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, upon whose shoulders, counsel, support, and fatherly guidance we, in GIFA, have continually leaned on.
Particularly, I want to thank His Excellency immensely for the headquarters of GIFA, which is currently undergoing construction here in Uyo. Your Excellency, Sir, our Big Daddy, you are indeed a rare father and pillar of GIFA. We trust that you will continue to do more for GIFA. May God continue to bless and strengthen you.
My sincere appreciation also goes to the Deputy Governor, Her Excellency, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, PhD, for her steadfast support and constant prayers.
To my darling husband and wonderful siblings, I thank you for always standing firmly by me.
I also extend my deep appreciation to all our GIFA partners at home and abroad for the cordial and mutually beneficial relationships we have enjoyed over the years.
May I especially thank the Mother of the Nation, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her inspiring motherly support and encouragement. Your Excellency, we love and appreciate you dearly.
I equally commend our team members — all women across the state: women members of the State Executive Council, wives of State Executive Council members; wives of National and State Assembly members; wives of Local Government Chairmen; women who are Local Government Chairmen, Vice Chairmen, Secretaries, Councillors, Supervisors; women in other top government positions; and the dedicated staff of the Office of the First Lady. You are the engine room of this vision.
As the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA) enters its third landmark year, we are moving towards a future defined by two strategic imperatives: Institutionalisation and Global-Standard Expansion.
In line with our belief that to empower a woman is to future-proof a nation, GIFA is launching an intensive, year-round Tech-Empowerment Accelerator where every year, 500 Akwa Ibom women will be equipped with market-ready, hands-on expertise in Software Development, Data Analytics, and Digital Innovation. We will provide high-level mentorship, and employment-ready internships, grooming women who will become the primary architects of Akwa Ibom’s burgeoning digital economy.
Our “Water of Life” project remains a cornerstone of our mission. To fulfill the vision of our founder, we are extending our reach to the remaining 18 Local Government Areas, ensuring that all 31 LGAs have access to clean, potable water.
Under our Enhancing Literacy and Learning thematic area, we are expanding the Adult Education Initiative to all 31 LGAs. We will replicate the success of our pioneers; turning uneducated adults into skilled earners, while continuing with our “Back to School” programmes, by providing school supplies to indigent pupils in public schools, ensuring no child is left behind, on account of the circumstances of their families.
Our crusade against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) will be intensified as I will be convening a high-level Stakeholders Summit of Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, and Community Heads in a collective stand against harmful practices. Beyond advocacy, we remain committed to the restoration of dignity, embarking on comprehensive training and rehabilitation for a new batch of GBV Survivors.
We invite you to be a part of this Golden Era. Together, we are not just providing aid; we are building a sustainable ecosystem of hope, skills and justice.
Let’s keep changing the narrative – one life, one community, and one Local Government Area, at a time.
As we move forward, we will continue to support families with multiple births, equip zero-income earners with relevant skills, and empower more women through sustainable, multifaceted empowerment programmes.We will keep innovating, expanding our reach, and deepening our impact, while exploring new collaborations in with the ARISE Agenda of His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno’s administration.
Our firm commitment is to keep ensuring that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) become meaningful and impactful for the most vulnerable families in our State.
As a non-governmental organisation, GIFA thrives on goodwill, partnerships, and support. We therefore invite you to continue to join hands with us in strengthening families and empowering women and children. We cannot achieve these noble goals without your sustained partnership.
Once again, I welcome you to the concluding phase of this year’s anniversary celebrations, which have spanned weeks of essay competitions, football tournaments, women mobilisation tours, medical outreaches, and other impactful programmes.
May God continue to bless us all with good health and prosperity, and may He grant us journey mercies back to our various destinations.
Golden Initiative For All… Enhancing Family Lives!!!
Long live GIFA!
Long live our beloved Akwa Ibom State!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
God bless Nigeria.
