At the one-year memorial of his late wife, Pastor Mrs. Patience Eno, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno revealed he now works late into the night to cope with her loss, saying, “There’s no one to call me home anymore.” He praised her as the pillar of their family,
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has opened up about the emotional toll of losing his wife, Pastor Mrs. Patience Eno, saying her absence has driven him to spend long hours at work, often staying at the office until midnight.
Speaking during her one-year memorial service in Uyo on Friday, Eno said, “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.
“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.”
He also recalled sensing her presence while choosing his suit for his PhD graduation last November, saying her guidance remains with him.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who represented President Tinubu, praised the late Mrs. Eno for supporting her husband’s unifying leadership: “She will be remembered not just as your wife, but as the woman who encouraged you to bring Akwa Ibom together across political divides.”
Frank Archibong, Dean of the Akwa Ibom College of Commissioners and Special Advisers, also paid tribute: “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, described Mrs. Eno as “a woman full of humility, humour, and humanity. She was a mentor, a fighter, and indeed, 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 called her “a woman of virtue who was kind to all,” and urged both the family and the state to uphold her legacy.
