Wife of Akwa Ibom Governor Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio has reiterated the need for widows to be taken proper care of by their in-laws, communities and the society saying widowhood is a very lonely and miserable life without help from the society .
The governor’s wife disclosed this recently during the 10th anniversary programme of the Gospel Foundation Mission International Etinan, tagged
’’ Healing for women convention 2014’’. While speaking Mrs. Akpabio said government was not relenting in its effort in seeing that the rights and privileges of widows in the state as enshrined in the widow’s right law of 2012 were implemented.
This law Mrs. Akpabio emphasized criminalizes abuse and other forms of injustice usually meted to widows as a result of the death of their husbands. The governor’s wife noted with dismay why widows should be subjected to appalling and obnoxious conditions such as forceful cutting of hair as well as drinking from the dead body’s bath water and other traumatic experiences usually faced by widows, saying such barbaric acts were not appropriate. She also called on husbands to be proactive by writing their WILLS/testaments while alive in order to secure and protect the future of their wives and children when death beckons.
Also, Mrs. Akpabio called on widows to report any case of abuse or injustice to relevant authorities for action. As part of the visit, the wife of the immediate past Secretary to government, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel spoke on current social vices such as child kidnapping, child theft and baby factories going on in the state while calling on mothers to wake up to their responsibilities. Mrs. Udom Emmanuel said child theft and kidnapping were on the increase and as such needed to be arrested.
She called on parents, caregivers not to be enticed with material gifts from perpetrators of these crimes but see to it that their wards are well catered for so as to secure their future.
Mrs. Emmanuel called on parents to take advantage of the free and compulsory education of the present administration by sending their children to school.
Five hundred thousand naira and wrappers were presented to fifty widows present in the church as well as a donation of the sum of two million naira to the church by the wife of Governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio.
Responding the Bishop of the church, Bishop Enobong Essien thanked the wife of governor for the visit describing her as a caring and loving mother whose compassion for the widows were ever increasing. Bishop Essien said her good works can neither be undervalued nor destroyed praying for God’s grace to be multiplied in her.
In her brief exhortation titled “Opportunity”, Bishop Essien enumerated on the need for the congregation to take advantage of opportunity they have in life as it comes, saying that God is the rewarder of labour. She informed the congregation on how she met with the first lady, saying it was an opportunity given to her and that she took advantage of it.
Prayers were offered for the first family, the state and Nigeria and also for a peaceful transition come 2015.
Accompanying the governor’s wife were, wife of speaker, AKHA, Mrs. Mary Ikon, Wife of deputy speaker, Mrs. Ime Udo Kierien Akpan, wife of former deputy governor, Mrs. Atim Okpoyo, the Hon. Commissioners for education and women affairs, Prof. Atim Antai and Dr. Glory Edet, wives of commissioners and special advisers, Minister Asuama Sydney, coordinator, Family Life Enhancement Initiative and Barrister Comfort Etuk, chairman technical schools board, chairmen of LGAs, Princess Felicia Bassey, Okobo, Princess Mfon Ekong, Nsit Ibom, Princess Kenim Onofiok, Udung Uko as well as Princess Gloria Useh, Ikot Ekpene. Also on the entourage were Mrs. Magdalene Udom state president market women association, Miss Eno Akpabio and Mrs Lawrencia Etuk, Uyai Iban coordinator for Etinan local Government .
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