Governor Umo Eno Unscripted

By Osondu Ahirika

It was the eve of the 60th birthday of Governor Umo Eno.

The unusual happened.

A terse statement, signed by Ekerette Udoh, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, struck shockwaves in the system.

Sam Osung’s appointment as a Media Aide to the Governor has been terminated with immediate effect.

Nobody saw this coming. At least not from a Governor whose easy mien and endearing simplicity have since captivated our imagination.

This is like a baptism of fire for pundits who have kept a keen watch on the leadership style of Pastor Umo Eno.

He never seemed like one who could hurt a fly. Such a soft heart will be more known for leniency and not wielding the big stick.

Rewind to March 7th, 2024, Eno hosted his 2023 media team for a Thank You Dinner.

Disappointed that his instructions on the buffet plan were not implemented, he made a pregnant comment.

If this food does not go around all here seated, heads will roll. I am the Governor and I prefer being amiable and friendly.  Don’t push me to assert my powers as a Governor, because, if I do, there will be consequences.

Not direct quotes. I’m paraphrasing his warning.

Alas, Sam Osung has become the first casualty that has jolted all to the flipside of reality.

One aide fired out of hundred hired reverberated in its effect as though all  suffered a thud.

Don’t stir the still water. You never can tell what you get.

Hopefully, a reprieve may come the way of Brother Sam. Whatever his offence was must have distended the limits of the  Governor’s free-spirited temperament.

Before this issue, the whole of Akwa Ibom is enchanted by the meek mien of Eno.

He speaks the language of kindness with the natural fluency of a mother tongue whether he is dealing with kids,  school children, petty traders, grieving families or rewarding the steadfastness of the Government House gardener.

We have listened to his teaching on unity and accepted his treatise on politics without bitterness.

We’ve admired his nimble and sagacious non-partisanship in consensus-building for the common good.

His appetite for reconciliation has infected us and we are inclined to it as we do for a potent vaccine.

The less fortunate, vulnerable and destitute have received the help of his charming compassion.

With his quiet spirit, he has silenced our rebellion and disarmed our resistance.

Eno is now celebrated more for the firmness of his character seasoned by humility and humanism.

At 60, we understandably rolled out the drums for the man who has conquered us with his contagious ticking of the right boxes of populism.

By his ordinariness and common-touch approach to leadership, Eno became a leader both extraordinary and uncommon.

He has created a sensation and modern note of what we love to call, servant leadership.

Eno has humanised the Office of Governor which, I wager, has given him a lifetime opportunity to put his principles into practice.

His time thus far as Governor has been about doing good. Here’s a list of some which have touched my heart:

*The release so far of N16.1 billion in 10 months of his administration to pay the backlog of gratuities for retired state civil servants and retired primary school teachers.

*He instituted a 1.5 billion Naira interest-free loan for traders

*The ARISE Initiative For the Elderly has a register of 600 aged persons receiving 50,000 Naira monthly from the State Government.

*Paid the 13th-month salary code-named Enomber and set aside an additional billion as a salary bonus to civil servants.

*Reinstated the student’s bursary scheme
and doled out 200 million Naira educational grant to students living with disabilities

*Kick-starting the Arise Compassionate Homes initiative with a projected building of 400 two-bedroom bungalows across the 31 Local government areas in the State for the poorest of the poor.

*The launch of the food voucher and provision for the thousands of very poor families captured on the social register to feed.

*Sponsored free medical outreaches across the three senatorial districts from which thousands have benefitted with the treatment of diverse medical conditions and major surgeries.

I am therefore unsurprised Eno is feted with a bandwagon of public adulation and thanksgiving for an impactful nearly one year in office.

My essay didn’t come too late or early.  I just wanted to share my whisper of goodwill to the Peoples Governor, who is a moral force and paragon of virtues.

Sixty Hearty Cheers Your Excellency!