LEADING AT A TIME LIKE THIS: UMO ENO AND THE BURDEN OF LEADERSHIP
By Ubon Marcus
Leadership is not just a huge responsibility; it is also a burden—the burden of leading regardless of what is going on with you personally, the burden of having to make the right choices at all times, your state of mind not being an impediment—a burden others may be unable to comprehend unless they take a walk in your shoes.
As Sir Morris Cerullo puts it, “leadership transcends the mere possession of prestigious titles or enjoying the privileges that accompany them. It encompasses the shouldering of responsibilities, the making of difficult decisions, being unwaveringly accountable for the outcomes, and setting an unwavering example, even in the face of adversity.”
This aptly describes the situation Gov. Umo Eno has found himself in since he lost his dear wife, Patience, to the cold hands of death.
Grieving and running a state at the same time could be such a herculean task, but it is comforting to note that Gov. Umo Eno has not allowed the business of governance to suffer, even at a time like this.
As a matter of fact, he is soldiering on, just as the Commissioner of Information, Ini Ememobong, said he will do in the press statement announcing Her Excellency’s demise:
“His Excellency, the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, appreciates all who have stood by the first family in this period and assures all the citizens that despite this huge personal loss, his commitment to the service of the state is unwavering,” he said.
It was therefore very pleasing to the ears when on October 3, few days after Her Excellency’s demise, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, announced the release of an additional sum of N2.1 billion for payment of gratuities to retirees, making it a total of N35 billion so far paid by Gov. Umo Eno, out of the N70 billion backlog he met on ground when he assumed office.
Doing that at the peak period of his grief brings to the fore the State Chief Executive’s unwavering commitment to the people, just as he, in his Oath of Office, swore not to allow his personal interests to influence his official conduct or official decisions.
The truth is, Gov. Umo Eno is a leader who prioritises the people over himself. His servant-leader model of leadership makes him serve others first, then eat last, if at all it remains.
His unostentatious lifestyle and devotion to the underprivileged and the most vulnerable, while also seeking to promote the progress of other social strata, are worth being applauded.
So far, 36 Arise Compassionate Homes, all fully furnished with steady electricity and water supply, have been built and donated free of charge to needy families, while construction of another 164 units for more beneficiaries is ongoing, with a target of 400 units expected to be given out during the first term of the Umo Eno administration.
That notwithstanding, just last month, 150 units of two bedroom apartments each, located in Grace Estate, were allotted to civil servants between grade levels 1-8 free of charge, in commemoration of the state’s 37th anniversary, in addition to the launching of the State Health Insurance Scheme and the enrollment of 9,150 junior level staff in the civil service from level 1-6, children under age 5, elderly citizens, pregnant women, and physically challenged for free Medicare bankrolled by the state government with the payment of over N100 million counterpart funding to draw down the basic healthcare fund.
These he did while his beloved wife of 38 years, lay in the throes of illness.
Leaders are also humans; they feel the pain we feel and also have their own share of life’s vicissitudes, but a leader that is able to manage his/her frailties without allowing them to impede his/her ability to govern is an outstanding leader and deserving of commendation.
Our dear Governor’s ability to forge ahead in the midst of grief stands him out as a remarkable leader, one best suited to lead at a time like this.
Akwa Ibom people and the world at large should not relent in giving him the support he needs so as to continue to stir the ship of state to its preferred destination.
I thank you for reading.
• October 10, 2024.
