Gov Eno designates daughter as acting First Lady of Akwa Ibom after wife's death

Governor Eno said the machinery of the state will continue to function seamlessly despite his wife’s demise.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has designated his daughter, Helen Eno-Obareki, to serve as the acting First Lady of the state following the passing of his wife, Patience Eno.

The bereaved Governor disclosed this when Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, alongside other esteemed guests, paid him a condolence visit in Uyo, the state capital on Friday, October 4, 2024.

Patience breathed her last ''in the presence of her family'' at a hospital on Thursday, September 26, 2024, after an illness.

To ensure the continuation of the initiatives launched by his late wife, especially the Golden Initiative For All, Eno asked Helen to step into her mother's shoes.

“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 assured the Akwa Ibom people that the initiatives launched by the deceased would continue, with his daughter leading the way in preserving her mother's vision.

“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,” he added.

Eno says wife's death won't disrupt governance in Akwa Ibom

Pulse reported that the Governor announced on Friday that the machinery of the state will continue to function seamlessly despite his wife’s demise.

He made this known in a state broadcast in Uyo, expressing his resolve to sustain the legacies left behind by the deceased.

The Governor also used the opportunity to thank President Bola Tinubu for standing by him and the family during the trial moment.

“Let me assure Akwa Ibom people that I shall pursue everything she held dear while she was with us.

“The Golden Initiative for All, and other initiatives she had started, will be sustained and expanded on.

“The machinery of state will continue to function seamlessly, government will continue to be alive to her responsibilities.

“Our focus will not be shifted from rendering services to our people, we shall serve with renewed strength, this is what my wife has always prayed for,” he said.

---