Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has opened up on the pain of losing his wife, Pastor Mrs. Patience Eno, describing how her absence has changed his life and led him to now work tirelessly.
Eno made the revelation during the one-year memorial service of his late wife in Uyo on Friday, where he paid an emotional tribute to her enduring legacy as a wife, mother, and partner.
“She Was the Pillar of Our Family”
Governor Eno praised his late wife as the strength of their household, recounting their 40 years together without conflict that required outside mediation.
“I couldn’t have married a better woman. She was the pillar of our family. She knew how to manage the home, always making excuses for me before the children. For 40 years, no one ever had to mediate between us,” he said.
He revealed that since her passing, work has become a way of coping with loneliness.
“When I stay in the office until midnight, it’s not because I love work too much. It’s because there’s no one to call me anymore to say, ‘UB, this work won’t finish today, come home, I’m waiting.’ I miss that. Now, it feels like she just travelled, and I’m still waiting for her return.”
Tributes from Leaders and Family
The memorial service drew dignitaries from across Nigeria.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, representing President Bola Tinubu, described Mrs. Eno as a supportive wife who helped the governor unite Akwa Ibom across political divides.
Frank Archibong, Dean of the Akwa Ibom College of Commissioners and Special Advisers, praised Eno’s resilience:
“Leading with a heavy heart is a burden few can bear, yet you have continued to steer the ship of state with clarity, purpose, and dedication.”
Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, speaking for First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and other governors’ wives, called Mrs. Eno “a woman full of humility, humour, and humanity… a mentor, a fighter, and a gift to mankind.”
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State hailed her as “a woman of peace, charity, and enterprise, eligible for sainthood for her works and virtues.”
In his sermon, Rev. Simeon Afolabi described her as “a woman of virtue who was kind to all,” urging the family and the state to uphold her legacy.