GIFA First Anniversary: Gov Eno Honours Wife, Extols Helen Obareki for Sustaining Vision

 …lays foundation for ultramodern secretariat for wife’s pet project

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has lauded the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, his daughter, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, for furthering the vision and aspirations of his late wife, Pastor Patience Eno, through the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA).

Governor Eno made the commendation while speaking at the first anniversary celebration of GIFA at Ibom Hall, Uyo, where he expressed delight at the ingenuity of Lady Obareki in driving her mother’s dream of enhancing family life and bringing succor to the less privileged to reality, despite the demise of its founder and progenitor.

According to the Governor, the event also created an opportunity to honor her memory and celebrate the first posthumous birthday of the late First Lady, whose 57th birthday marked the launch of GIFA.

*“Let me congratulate my dear daughter, the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Noble Lady Helen Obareki, for stepping up and taking charge of this great initiative.

“As you have so eloquently reeled out the achievements recorded in the last one year, it is evident that you have ticked the boxes in all the thematic areas, and the impact has been deeply felt. Noble Lady, you have done well, and your mother and indeed all of us here are manifestly proud of you,”* he said.

Recalling his wife’s humane disposition as a mother hen who cared for others even at the expense of her own comfort, the Governor assured that his administration would continue to uphold her values by including women in all facets of governance and supporting programs such as the ARISE Elderly Care Initiative, ARISE Compassionate Homes, and interventions in maternal care and gender-based violence.

He also recalled her persistent advocacy for 40 percent female inclusion in government affairs, adding that many of the women appointed to public office today are a testament to her influence.

Governor Eno thanked the management of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital for naming their latest antenatal building after the late First Lady in recognition of her deep commitment to maternal care.

He also appreciated the immediate past Chairman of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, Arc. Iniobong Orok, for naming an ICT center in her honor, adding that his administration is building a Mother and Child Hospital along the medical corridor to cater to the healthcare needs of pregnant women and children.

The event, which featured the cutting of the anniversary cake, climaxed with the foundation-laying ceremony for the construction of an ultramodern GIFA Secretariat in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo.

In her address, the Chairman of GIFA’s Board of Trustees and Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Helen Eno Obareki, appreciated the Governor’s support for the initiative and conferred on him the title of “Pillar of GIFA,” which she said embodies her late mother’s vision and passion for uplifting women, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups in society.

She enumerated GIFA’s achievements in the past year, including the provision of school supplies for over 15,000 pupils, free healthcare for women in rural communities, and the economic empowerment of over 5,000 women. She affirmed that the initiative has had a significant impact across the state.

She pledged her commitment, as the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, to building on the late First Lady’s legacy by continuously improving the lives of vulnerable individuals and families, supporting multiple-birth children, engaging zero earners with skills, and empowering more women through the Eka Iberedem Hub. She also solicited support from individuals, organizations, and governments to advance GIFA’s cause.

*“In retrospect, GIFA has recorded significant strides in just one year. One of our many projects is in Mbiabong Ikot Udo, a rural community in Ini Local Government Area, where we built and handed over a cassava and oil processing factory to a middle-aged father of six, Mr. Benjamin Asuquo Umoren. Months later, we identified a cluster of women who patronize the mill, as well as women from other senatorial districts involved in palm oil production and related businesses. They have since been connected to the Eka Iberedem Hub—a full-cycle program that helps women identify their productive skills and market them.

“Going forward, GIFA aims to make the global development framework, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), more meaningful to the most vulnerable families in our state. It is on this note that I seek your partnership and support to help us achieve our targets.”*

The United Nations Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs. Beatrice Eyong, in her keynote address, paid tribute to the late Pastor Patience Eno, the founder of GIFA, and commended Mrs. Helen Obareki for upholding her mother’s vision.

Drawing a connection between GIFA and the UN Women Office, Mrs. Eyong noted that GIFA’s eight thematic focus areas, which ensure inclusivity, align with the UN Women’s mission to mitigate gender-based discrimination and expand opportunities for women.

She assured UN support for GIFA, emphasizing its potential to enhance market accessibility for women.

Commending Governor Eno for his strong commitment to women’s inclusion in governance, Mrs. Eyong conferred upon him one of the UN Women’s highest honors—the United Nations “He-for-She Ambassador”—in recognition of his efforts in championing pro-women policies.

In their goodwill messages, the Director-General of the Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme, Dr. Andy Eyo; the immediate past Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor; the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Justice Ekaette Fabian Obot; the Member representing Ukanafun-Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Hon. Unyime Idem; and the President-General of the Akwa Ibom Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, Ntenyin Solomon Etuk, all expressed their admiration for GIFA’s achievements and pledged their continued support for its sustainability.