By Enobong Ituen
There were tears of joy yesterday, November 13, 2020 at Ini and Ukanafun local government areas, respectively, when Mrs. Ekaette-Unoma Akpabio, wife of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State commissioned and donated two bungalows built and furnished by the Godswill Akpabio Foundation, under its Shelter Intervention Program.
Mrs. Akpabio while commissioning the apartments amid jubilation both by the recipients and their respective communities, charged the widows and their children to make good use of the houses, as well as guard their houses against predators under any guise.
Responding, the overly elated beneficiaries of the Shelter Intervention Program, namely, Mrs. Happiness Emmanuel James, a 29-year old widow with four children from Ananamong village in Itu Mbonuso, Ini LGA, and Mrs. Mandu Effiong, a 40-year old widow also with four children from Nkek-Idak Ekpang village in Ukanafun LGA, expressed their profound gratitude to God Almighty and Mrs. Akpabio for providing them with permanent roofs over their heads, thus making the world that “laughed at them to now laugh with them”.
Beyond that, they were short of words to also observe that even gift items such as wrappers and cash were given to many women in their communities and prayed God to continue to bless and keep her and the family.
In retrospect, as First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Akpabio not only was the precursor of the Shelter-for-the-needy programme under the Family Life Enhancement Initiative (FLEI), but that her evergreen gesture has blazoned, even as it has stood the test of time.
Present to grace the events were Obonganwan Ekaette Isong (APC Women Leader, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District), Mrs. Glory Afangide, Mrs. Nsikan Kennedy and Obonganwan Obon Odo, among other dignitaries.