Umo Eno stirred controversy over appropriate nomenclature after
introducing his daughter, Mrs Helen Obareki, to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as his choice to take over the role of deceased First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Patience Umo Eno.
Announcing on September 26 the passing away of his wife and First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Patience Eno, Governor Umo Eno had, through Ini Ememobong, Commissioner for Information, asked the public to respect his family’s privacy as they mourned.
Ironically, the governor would, 10 days later, stir the same public to meddle in his family affair.
He had chosen the condolence visit by the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to announce the engagement of his first daughter, Mrs Helen Eno Obareki, to take over the Office of the First Lady of Akwa Ibom following his wife’s passing.
The consequence was the debate over how to designate the circumstantial appointment. Some interpreted Eno to have made the daughter the First Lady, some saw it as Acting First Lady, just as others named her Coordinator of Akwa Ibom First Lady’s Office.
Sensitive Presentation
Remi Tinubu was on condolence to the Enos in Uyo with the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, some state governors’ wives and those of presiding officers of the National Assembly.
On how best to sustain the late wife’s legacies, encapsulated in her pet project, Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), the governor told his guests, “It is not an easy task ahead. But to sustain the Office of the First Lady, I wish to introduce our daughter, Mrs. Helen Eno Obareki, and hand her over to you all.
“She will continue to coordinate the activities of Her Excellency’s office, working closely with our mothers, the Deputy Governor, and the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare.”
During a separate condolence visit same day, Eno had conveyed same decision of the daughter’s appointment to Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and colleagues, with a touch of humour on that occasion.
Against the speculation of an existing second wife, the governor had told his comforters from the Senate, “I’m not about to marry a new wife now”, joking he didn’t have the money to pay for bride price.
“No one will be able to fill that vacuum (of her deceased wife). Her legacy will live in our hearts. She had started projects and I had to introduce our daughter, Helen, to the First Lady.
“So she would step in to coordinate that office so that the office would still be active in doing the programmes that she had started”.
Eno expressed his confidence in his daughter’s ability to uphold the values and vision of her late mother, vowing to maintain the projects and programs initiated through the Office of the First Lady.