Akwa Ibom State governor Umo Eno has revealed that the death of his wife, Patience Umo Eno, remains his deepest regret since he assumed office in 2023.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV on Friday, governor Eno said no achievement in office could outweigh the pain of losing his wife while serving as governor.
He said, “It’s painful. I wish she was here with me right now. Sometimes it’s tough,” reflecting on the impact of her absence on his life and work.
Despite the loss, the governor highlighted some of his administration’s projects.
He said one of the most important for him is the Arise Compassionate Homes initiative for indigent people.
“Two projects stand clearly for me. We have the Arise Compassionate Homes for indigent people. You need to see where these people used to live before now. And then now they can have a place they call home. We’re doing 500 of such homes across the state, one in each ward, and we’ve done 267 so far,” he said.
He also pointed to programmes aimed at empowering young people through entrepreneurship.
“This is how to stimulate the economy, training entrepreneurs and giving a helping hand to these young men and women. Those two projects strike me seriously,” Eno added.
Patience Eno died on September 26, 2024, after an illness.
Until her death, she served as the state’s first lady, supporting charitable causes and programmes focused on women and children.
