The governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno has designated the office of the First Lady to his daughter, Mrs Helen Eno Obareki.
Governor Eno made this known when the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu paid him a condolence visit on Friday, following the demise of his wife Pastor Patience Umo Eno.
Obareki, stating, “It is not an easy task ahead. But 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.”
Nigeria First Lady supported the motion stating that it’s a good way of ensuring the sustenance of the late wife’s pet project the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), affirming it’s a common practices in developed countries.
The governor expressed his full confidence in his daughter’s ability to preserve the values and vision of her late mother, pledging to sustain the projects initiated through the First Lady’s Office.
Senator Tinubu equally acknowledged the deceased support for her own national pet project as well as her dedication to her husband’s ARISE governance agenda.
Encouraging the incoming first lady of Akwa Ibom, Senator Tinubu offered words of encouragement: “Helen, your mom didn’t bring you to me for nothing, and it’s a blessing that your mom’s colleagues and the Vice President’s wife are here to support you. I know you well, and I believe God will guide you. You will accomplish even more than your mother, and He will grant you good health.”
She went further to assure the family of her of her loyalty and love to them: “I want to thank God for Patience’s life, though short, she completed her race. May God comfort you, your family, and your children? I will always be here for you.”
Governor Eno upon deed thoughts reflected on the bond he shared with his late wife. “I married her when she was 19, and I was 22. I called her Oluwa-Kemi because she was truly a gift from God, a source of comfort and succor.
“We went through many challenges together, and we shared in both victories and losses. Her passing is an irreplaceable loss for me. She was my embodiment of the biblical virtuous woman, my greatest supporter, and also my toughest critic. Her absence will be felt for the rest of my life.”
Senator Tinubu was accompanied on the condolence visit by Hajia Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice President, as well as wives of state governors and presiding officers of the National Assembly.
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