Governor Umo Eno
By Etim Etim
It’s not unusual for people to celebrate birthdays at orphanages, but, to the best of my recollection, Friday was the first time a governor in Akwa Ibom State would spend his birthday that way. Late afternoon, Pastor Umo Eno drove into the premises of Divine Children’s Home in Uyo were he sang, danced and gave out gifts to the children and cuddled the tiny ones among them. There were also presentations from children from other homes, in addition to musical performances. In previous years, he kept the day low key, asking people not to bring gifts and buy newspaper ads to congratulate him. Rather, he advised well wishers to celebrate with the underprivileged and send him pictures. But this year, the governor did not only visit a children’s home, he also, as in the past, asked his friends, political associates and support groups to visit an orphanage of their choice and celebrate with the children. Friday was a day of celebrations and parties in many parts of the state, but the government did not spend a penny. There were no state banquets; no expensive drinks and sumptuous meals at Government House. Just foodstuffs delivered to various homes for the children.
I joined others to celebrate the day with the governor. I visited Mother Charles walker Children’s Home at Anua, in Uyo, with 15 other members of Arise With Renewed Hope Initiative (AWRHI), the governor’s main support group. Other members also visited orphanages in their senatorial districts. Those from Akwa Ibom South senatorial district visited Band of Hope Orphanage, Eket; while those from Akwa Ibom North West visited Good News Humanitarian Community Foundation in Abak. It was a well-planned event by the leadership of AWRHI.
Founded by Rev. Sister Matilda Inyang in 2014, Mother Charles Walker’s Home has 74 children of various ages. Some are in primary and secondary schools as well as universities. We were received by Sister Matilda and Joseph Effiong, an 18-year-old university student who had been in the home since he was seven months old. It was an emotional and joyous moment for us. Our delegation was led by Mr. Eric Effiong Akpan, a member of the State House of Assembly who doubles as the coordinator of AWRHI in Uyo senatorial district. He conveyed the governor’s message to the children and explained the rationale for the August visit. It was the governor’s 62nd birthday and the governor had asked us to come and celebrate with the children, he said. They applauded.
He said Gov. Eno’s compassionate leadership will continue to cater for all Akwa Ibom people, irrespective of their stations in life. Midway through his speech, Akpan reached out and collected the youngest resident in the home from the arms of Sister Matilda, a cute baby aged seven months. He donated N100, 000 to the home, ‘’as a mark of honour to our compassionate governor who loves children and is fond of giving them money’’. Sister Matilda said the home has a lot of needs and appealed for more help. The visit ended with the cutting of the governor’s birthday cake with the children. We left behind huge quantities of foodstuffs and gifts we brought along.
The significance of Pastor Eno celebrating his birthday with these children Eno is clear to many people. He was born into a modest family and grew up in very difficult circumstances. ‘’I helped my mother hawk soft drinks in the streets of Lagos’’, he often said. By electing to celebrate his 62nd birthday with the less unfortunate children, the governor is essentially remembering the past with gratitude and compassion.
