Governor Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all who stood by him and his family during the burial of his late wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Patience Umo Eno.
In a broadcast speech on December 2, 2024, Governor Umo Eno thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and other top government officials for their condolences and support.
The governor also appreciated the support of former presidents, governors, and other prominent Nigerians who attended the funeral or sent condolences.
Governor Umo Eno specifically thanked the people of Akwa Ibom State for their love and solidarity, saying that their support had made the difficult period easier for him and his family.
He also announced that the state government would pay the 13th-month salary to all public service workers as a sign of appreciation for their support during the period of bereavement.
The governor concluded by urging the people of Akwa Ibom State to continue showing love and kindness to one another, especially during the Christmas season.
Pastor (Mrs.) Patience Umo Eno was laid to rest on November 29, 2024, in Ikot Ekpene Udo, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The speech reads in full
THE HOME GOING Of THE LATE FIRST LADY OF AKWA IBOM STATE, PASTOR (MRS.) PATIENCE UMO ENO: A NOTE OF APPRECIATION
(BEING A BROADCAST SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PASTOR UMO ENO PhD, GOVERNOR,AKWA IBOM STATE ON DECEMBER 2, 2024.)
My Dear Akwaibomites
1. Let me start by wishing us a Happy New Month and Merry Christmas in advance!
2. Last Friday, November 29, 2024, the mortal remains of my dear wife and First Lady of our State, Her Excellency, Pastor (Mrs.) Patience Umo Eno were laid to rest in my village, Ikot Ekpene Udo, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area.
3. On behalf of the members of my family, I wish to thank everyone who stood by us during the difficult time of our bereavement.
4. This incident has been a sad and heart-rending experience, but the support and encouragement we have received has made it easier for us to go through this phase of our lives.
5. I am particularly grateful to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR; and his beloved wife and the First Lady of the Nation, Distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON for their visit, phone calls, and support all through the period of this tragic loss.
6. We have been immensely comforted by this great display of love and encouragement. We will always remember their kind gestures towards us.
7. We thank the Vice President, Distinguished Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON; The President of the Senate, our own son, Distinguished Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass. GCON, and their wives, for the visits and consolation to us. We thank the Chief Justice of Nigeria, His Lordship, Justice Kudirat Kekere – Ekun, GCON, other Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, and indeed, all our friends and well-wishers across the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary Arms of the Federal Government for the solidarity and prayers shown us during the period of our bereavement.
8. We appreciate the support of former Presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR and his dear wife, our Mummy, Her Excellency, Mummy Patience, who had honoured us with their esteemed presence at the funeral, former Vice Presidents, former Senate Presidents and Speakers of The House of Representatives serving and former National Assembly members, for standing by us during the trying moments occasioned by our loss.
9. I am eternally grateful to my brother Governors, both serving and former and their wives, across party lines who also, stood by and encouraged us profoundly during this trying period. We have been deeply touched by their bond of friendship and this has further strengthened us in no small measure. Let me specially appreciate the Forum of Governors’ wives for their support and prayers during these trying times in our lives.
10. I appreciate the kind words and encouragement we have received from the leadership and members of the PeoplesDemocratic Party across National, Zonal, State, Chapter and Ward levels. Let me also appreciate the support other political parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress, APC, other political parties in the Inter- Party Advisory Committee(IPAC), members of the Diplomatic Corps, the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the entire Staff of the High Commission, the Service Chiefs and indeed the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police and other security agencies that rallied round us at this time; Religious Leaders,Traditional Rulers, Captains of Industry, Professional bodies, Arewa group, Yoruba group, Igbo and Niger Delta communities resident in our dear State, the Organized Labour, other Nigerians who came from all over the world to commiserate with us. We appreciate the Akwa Ibom State Association of Nigeria, USA Incorporated (AKISAN), Mayor Ukeme Awakessien- Jeter of the City of Upper Arlington, Ohio, USA, who flew in to be with us and had caused the flag at the City Hall, to be flown at half- mast in honour of my departed wife, the old students of my Secondary School, Victory High School, Ikeja.
11. I also acknowledge and appreciate very specially, the unflinching support of my Deputy, Distinguished Senator Akon Eyakenyi, PhD. and other members of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Council, The Speaker and members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, The Chief Judge and the judges of the Akwa Ibom State judiciary, officials of the government across all strata, the women of our dear State, the youths, market women, our students, the pupils, all the support and socio-political groups and others too numerous to mention here, my in-laws, the Presiding Pastor and members of the All Nations Christian Ministry International. Let me also appreciate the Akwa Ibom State Christian Leadership Advisory Council, the President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, ( PFN) Bishop Wale Oke, Pastor Simeon Afolabi of the First Love Assembly, the Christian Association of Nigeria, ( CAN) Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Fathers in Faith, Akwa Ibom State, members of the host and surrounding communities of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, and indeed, the entirety of the good people of Akwa Ibom State for standing by us at this time of pain and grief.
12. I am indebted to the Chairman and members of the Central Planning Committee, all workers and volunteers, security operatives, the media community and all who have contributed in one way or the other to the Homegoing Ceremonies of my dear wife. Let me place on record the work done by the Venue Committee in making sure we had a good arena for the ceremony.
13. We deeply appreciate all your efforts and inputs, and we pray the Almighty God to bless and reward all of you.
14. Finally, we are grateful to the Almighty God, the one who knows the end from the beginning, the one who blessed us with the gift of my dear wife, Patience, and who has now called her home to eternal glory. It has pleased the Lord to make the events leading up to her funeral come to pass successfully, and we return all the glory to Him.
15. May this season of love which Christmas exemplifies,usher in a deeper sense of unity, brotherhood, tolerance and deepening of our kindred spirit across our State and the Nation.
16. I urge us to continue to show love to the poor, the vulnerable and the infirm. Let the outpouring of love and solidarity you have shown us be reflected in how you engage others during and beyond this season.
17. Let me again thank the Organized Labour for the robust relationship we have forged since my inauguration. We remain dedicated to working together to continually improve the welfare of our workers and indeed all other Akwaibomites.
18. We have announced our intention to pay the 80 Thousand Naira minimum wage and we remain dedicated to doing exactly that!
19. But I appeal to our Labour leaders to work with us to expeditiously complete the verification exercise currently ongoing. We will thereafter, begin the payment of the new minimum wage. As a sign of good gesture on our part, I have authorized the release of the 13th Month salary otherwise known as ” Eno-Mber” to be paid to all public service workers, aimed at bringing further joy during this Yuletide period. There is nothing to be gained by threatening strike action, we are working as a family and that should always be the prevailing spirit.
20. Throughout the period of our loss and bereavement, the engine of governance was humming at full speed. We remain dedicated to serving you, my dear people to the best of our abilities, fully conscious of our onerous responsibilities to you for sending us to work for you.
21. The Christmas Unplugged was declared open yesterday. I urge us all to go there and rekindle the flame of love, of unity, of being each other’s anchor and support system.
22. Let us celebrate our rich cultural heritage and thank God for His love and abiding grace for us as a State and as a people. Akwa Ibom is indeed Rising and we must all be invested in her growth and development.
23. Thank you so much and God bless us all. Merry Christmas in advance!
God bless Akwa Ibom State!
And God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!
