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Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno has vowed to always respect his predecessors, especially Deacon Udom Emmanuel, as well as past leaders in the state.
It was gathered that the rumour of Pastor Umo Eno betraying ex-governor Udom Emmanuel has been trending on social media, causing Akwa Ibom residents to have the impression that incumbent Governor Umo Eno has fallen out with his political godfather, Mr Udom Emmanuel, in the state.
Eno, speaking during the second memorial service in honour of his departed wife and First Lady of the state, Pastor (Mrs) Patience Eno, at All Nations Christian Ministry International, Eket, said his upbringing and orientation of respect will eternally live in him.
Eno explained that his response to the request by the Paramount Ruler of Onna Local Government Area (where Udom comes from) to intervene in some industries in the area which have folded up, during the commissioning of 14km road, had nothing to do with his predecessor, but their owners.
He explained that the word “Unadot”, which is trending now in the state, used in his response, is a simple Ibibio word meaning “people”, not a euphemism to disparage his successor.
He said it was not a derogatory remark as misunderstood by some persons and warned mischief-makers to desist from attempting to cause a rift between him, his administration and any past leader in the state.
“I want to make a clarification. We went to Onna the other day to commission a project, and we went to do that project in honour of my boss.”
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“For me, I believed it was something to be thankful for, to inherit a project started by my boss and finishing it.”
“The Paramount Ruler asked me to partner and work on the syringe factory and the flour mill. Since he spoke in Ibibio, I responded in Ibibio and said, ‘Unadod Iyemme, Iboho fien ke mkpo ado, afo aben idem mfo akesin,’ meaning if they have a problem, let them tell us through the Commissioner for Special Duties, who is an indigene there.”
“Two things: before I made that statement, I had already said government had no hand in those factories, so you cannot just be jumping into people’s businesses when they have not invited you.”
“I never ever, standing on this altar of God where I have preached for over 20 years, mentioned or had Udom Emmanuel in mind. It didn’t even connect to him because he is not a shareholder in that business.”
“In Efik Hymn Book, Hymn No. 246, the last stanza of that hymn has ‘unadod’, and if this was derogatory, I don’t know how it would have found itself into the songbook. It is an Ibibio word that means ‘the people.’ I was simply referring to the people who own the businesses.”
“Let me say this for the last time: I will never have a problem with my predecessor. I have shown, both privately and publicly, the respect I have for Deacon Udom Emmanuel,” he said.
