Eno Celebrates A’Ibom at 39, Honours Past Leaders, Awards N190m Scholarships
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has commended past leaders of the state for their sacrifices and contributions to the development of the state since its creation 39 years ago.
Governor Eno made the remarks at a special variety night held at the ARISE Palm Resort, Uyo, as part of activities marking the 39th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State.
Describing the event as a night of gratitude, the Governor said Akwa Ibom had every reason to celebrate its achievements at 39, while acknowledging the contributions of successive administrations to the state’s development.
He specifically appreciated former Governor Obong Victor Attah and former Governor, now Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, alongside their spouses, as well as former Military Administrator, Group Captain John Ebiye (rtd.), and Col. Yakubu Bako (rtd.), for attending the celebration.
“Tonight is a night of gratitude, and I want to extend my gratitude to all Akwa Ibomites, friends of Akwa Ibom, lovers of Akwa Ibom, and all the people that have been with Akwa Ibom for the past 39 years.
“We thank our past leaders, most of whom are here tonight for the foundation they laid, from the military era to the civilian era. Honestly, we have been building on the foundation you laid. Each of you contributed your quota to move the State further, and I hope that by the time we leave office, it would be said that we also contributed to move the State further,” he said.
Governor Eno also commended Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his cooperation, saying it had contributed to peace and unity in the state.
The Governor used the occasion to honour excellence, presenting a leadership award to the Vice Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University, Prof. Otoabasi Akpan, for what he described as his successful interpretation of the administration’s vision for the institution.
He noted that under the Vice Chancellor’s leadership, the university had secured accreditation for 49 courses, alongside other achievements recorded within a relatively short period.
Governor Eno also presented a N160 million full scholarship cheque to Dr. Joseph Akpan for postgraduate studies in Surgical and Interventional Science at McGill University, Canada.
Another N30 million full scholarship was presented to Uwakmfon Umana Joseph to study Software Engineering at Nile University, Abuja.
According to the Governor, the scholarship to Uwakmfon fulfilled a commitment made by the immediate past administration to sponsor the brilliant student, while the scholarship to Dr. Joseph Akpan was based on a promise he made to the best graduating student in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Uyo in the 2024/2025 academic session.
He urged Akwa Ibom people to continue contributing to the peace, unity and development of the state, while appreciating residents and guests for participating in the anniversary activities.
Akpabio Commends Eno
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended Governor Eno for his development initiatives, particularly the transformation of a former life-threatening gully erosion site into a tourism facility.
Akpabio said he was “marveled” by the transformation, while also acknowledging the contributions of previous administrations to the development of Akwa Ibom.
He commended Governor Eno for bringing stakeholders across political divides together and promoting a sense of unity in the state.
The Senate President described Governor Eno as the “Most Uncommon Transformer” and thanked him for projects he said had touched the lives of Akwa Ibom people.
Udoma Hails Unity
Also speaking, former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, commended Governor Eno for commissioning 39 projects to commemorate the state’s 39th anniversary.
While proposing a toast, Udoma described the ARISE Agenda as inspirational and identified unity among stakeholders as one of the most important requirements for sustainable development.
He called for continued support for the Governor’s administration.
SSG Highlights Government Projects
In his tone-setting remarks, the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, described the state as an emerging reference point for infrastructure, human capital development and tourism.
Uwah commended past leaders for laying the foundation upon which successive administrations had continued to build.
He said the Eno administration was advancing the state’s development through the commissioning of 39 projects to mark the 39th anniversary, while highlighting some of the projects undertaken by the administration.
The SSG also thanked Governor Eno for what he described as an intentional approach to governance and efforts to improve the lives of residents.
The anniversary event featured various forms of entertainment and the presentation of a book titled, Umo Eno: Humanizing Politics and Governance.
