By Chioma Onuegbu

IKOT OBIO NDOHO— WHEN the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio,  breached protocol while on a state function, September 14, last year, by making a spur-of-the-moment stopover at the rural Ikot Obio Ndoho community, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of the state, his security aides and other members of his entourage were taken aback.

Governor Akpabio

They were further stunned when the governor headed straight to a crumbling mud house. He was attracted by the ramshackle nature of the house, he did not believe a human being should be residing in such a place in the 21st century, but behold, it is the dwelling of  a 41-year-old widow, Mrs. Rose Udofot Victor and her six children.

The governor was stirred by what he saw. He took up the matter with his wife, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, whose similar passion made her to establish the Unoma Akpabio Shelter for Widows Programme and last Wednesday, barely six   months after, the keys of a brand new furnished two-bedroom bungalow were handed over to the dazed widow, as her new home.

‘I never knew God’ll remember me this way’

Mrs. Victor, bursting with joy after the apartment was commissioned, said: “I never expected that God will remember us in this way. “I am thankful to the governor’s wife for bringing joy to this family. We are very happy and grateful to God for using the governor’s wife to touch us. We did not have a house and today God has wiped away my tears and suffering.

“She is the angel sent by God to wipe my tears and restore hope to my children.  This whole thing to me is like waking up from a dream. “God has remembered me and my children through the governor and his wife and I pray to God to continue to bless the governor’s wife for helping and supporting the poor hopeless widows like me. “I cannot thank the wife of the governor enough because of this wonderful thing she has done for me and my children.

“That day that the governor stopped here to see our house that was already falling was the day of our miracle. I am very happy today, and I and my children are grateful to Akwa Ibom state government.”

Protect rights of widows—Mrs. Akpabio

Commissioning the house, Mrs Akpabio declared that widows were among the most vulnerable members of the society that needed to be provided for and shown love, just as she urged the society to work to promote laws that protect the right of widows.

She added, “I want to specially thank the chairman of the council,  Ephraim Akpan and his wife for supporting us in this Shelter for Widows Programme,  which is a special aspect of my pet project, Family Life Enhancement Initiative, FLEI, by furnishing this two-bedroom apartment built for a poor widow in your community.”