Wife of Nigeria’s President, Oluremi Tinubu, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, state governors and other dignitaries on Friday graced the funeral of Akwa Ibom’s First Lady, late Mrs Patience Umo Eno.
Speaking during the funeral in Ikot Ekpeneudo, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, Oluremi Tinubu referred to the deceased as a woman of faith who was courageous, and charged her children to sustain her legacy.
Tinubu, who was represented at the event by Nana Kashim Shettima, wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, said Patience deserved to be celebrated.
“The first time I met her, I can testify the kind of person late Pastor Patience Umo Eno was. She was a woman of courage and faith, a caring woman. Your Excellency, for sure, not only you, we are all going to miss her. Who are we to question God? There is time for everything.
“Our hope and prayers are with you, the family and our dear excellencies, who are the state coordinators for the Renewed Hope Initiative. Truly, she deserves to be celebrated and it gladdens my heart at the colourful way she was celebrated. May God comfort you and the family,” she said.
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr Umo Uno, said the funeral was an opportunity to thank God for the life of his late wife and applauded the support and show of love from all over the nation.
“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, starting from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love by the mother of the nation, distinguished Senator Remi Tinubu who led all the governors’ wives, all of the ministers’ wives to pay us the first condolence visit. Mummy, we thank you, and all the women of this country.
“I want to say that you have shown us love and that love strengthens us. If we stand here today strong, it is because the nation has risen as one to condole us and to give us a shoulder. I thank you,” he stated.
The governor called on all Nigerians to rise in one accord and stop fault finding, but support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu so he could lead the nation to prosperity.
Eno, who said his wife became larger in death than in life, said he would miss her, and promised to continue to live for the legacies she stood for.
“We will work extra hard not to disappoint Akwa Ibomites, and not to disappoint Nigerians. We want to say by the grace of God, we will continue to double our efforts, to push the frontiers of development of our state forward. We will continue to double our efforts in being humble, in maintaining relationships, in living up to the legacies that my wife stood for,” he said.
