Barely 72 hours after, an aide to the Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Protocol, Mr. Uduak Udo, who “congratulated” the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, on the death of his wife; Oluwakemi Eno, has apologised for his gaffe, describing it as an unintentional slip, which a professional interviewer ought to have expunged before airing.
The Daily Crucible reports that Governor Eno’s wife of 38 years, Her Excellency, Pastor (Mrs.) Patience (Oluwakemi) Umo Eno, passed on to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
The Governor who addressed the citizens of Akwa Ibom State at the time in a broadcast to announce the death, said Kemi was everything a man could ever wished for in a virtuous woman, describing her glowingly as “My prayer partner, counsellor, cheer-leader, best critic, home maker and permanently smiling.”
But The Daily Crucible further reports that the Senate President’s aide had while granting an interview during the Essien Udim local government Day at the ongoing yuletide celebrations on the Udoudoma Avenue in Christmas Village in Uyo, mistakenly used the expression: “congratulate Governor Eno on the successful demise of his wife Patience.”
The slip of tongue drew widespread condemnations as people deemed such disposition as inappropriate, insensitive and a mockery of the Akwa Ibom’s First Family.
However, remorseful Udo ssid that the viral video clip of the interview was regrettable and asked for forgiveness from the governor, the First Family, the Senate President and those painfully and emotionally hurt by such unintentional rhetorical slip.
He said: “The recent viral video in which I said “I congratulate the governor on the demise of his wife…” has caused me great pain and consternation, and I would want to set the records straight.
“I regret the incident and offer my profound apologies to all those affected remotely and otherwise by this faux pax.
“The interview was a long one and the main focus was the showcasing of Essien Udim LGA’s heritage at the Akwa Ibom State Christmas Village. The said clip was simply a bit of the entire interview.
“I had wanted to say, ‘I congratulate the governor on the successful and befitting burial of his wife’, and that was what I had in mind. This was a clear case of a verbal slip. This occurs when there is a disconnect between the thoughts in your mind and your utterance.
“This is a common and natural occurrence which happens from time to time to people – even with celebrities. Even the celebrated American President John F. Kennedy said in 1963, “Ich bin ein berliner”, which translated to mean, “I am a jelly doughnut,” whereas what was in his mind and what he intended to say was, “I am a citizen of Berlin”.
“I apologise to the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, over this inadvertent error. I offer my sincere apologies to my principal, the President of the Senate, whose office has been erroneously linked to this mistake.
“To my family and friends who may also have been embarrassed by this faux pax, I call for their understanding. It has been a very troubling time for me, and I pray that God will give me the grace to navigate out of this painful labyrinth.”
