Vice President Kashim Shettima has paid a glowing tribute to the late Deaconess Eno Nnana Usoro, mother of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) deputy governor, Ms Emem Nnana Usoro, describing her as a woman whose life exemplified grace, faith and service to humanity.
He noted that the late Deaconess’ enduring legacy is evident in the lives of her children, particularly her daughter, the CBN deputy governor, whom he described as a mother’s dream fulfilled.
At the funeral reception held yesterday in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, the vice president, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said the late Deaconess Usoro’s life was a profound testimony of the power of prayer and the transformative influence of motherhood anchored in faith.
“The exemplary Ms. Emem Nnana Usoro is a daughter she couldn’t have been prouder of. She stands today as a symbol of a mother’s dream fulfilled – a story defined by sacrifice, prayer, and perseverance,” VP Shettima said.
The vice president described Ms. Emem Usoro’s rise to the CBN Deputy Governor’s position as a testament to her mother’s refusal to settle for mediocrity and her belief in excellence anchored in faith.
“The height that Ms. Usoro has attained in public service, as a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, tells the story of a mother who refused to settle for mediocrity, who believed that her child could compete with the best of the world’s minds and still remain anchored in faith,” he said.
VP Shettima emphasised that Deaconess Usoro was more than a mother to her family, serving as a pillar of her church, a mentor to women, and support for the less privileged.
He noted that she exemplified humility and compassion while raising her family to understand that excellence without empathy is emptiness.
“When we celebrate the Late Deaconess Eno Nnana Usoro’s achievements, what readily comes to us are the stations of those she left behind. When we celebrate them, we are in truth celebrating the woman who shaped their character – the mother who toiled in silence, whose sacrifices were the scaffolds upon which their destiny was built,” the Vice President noted.
He added, “Those who live in the service of others never truly die. They are resurrected in every act of goodness that continues in their name.”
On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government, VP Shettima extended condolences to the Usoro family, describing the deceased’s life as “a sermon, her kindness a ministry, her legacy an inheritance that will outlive her.”
The vice president urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from the late matriarch’s example, noting that success in life stems from being nurtured by love, discipline, and prayer.
“Let us not say that Mama is gone. Let us say that she has returned home to rest from her labours,” VP Shettima said, while praying for divine strength for the bereaved family.
Earlier, the Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Eno, paid glowing tribute to the deceased and expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family, praying for the repose of the soul of late Mama Eno Nnana Usoro.
“When we came to the world, a few of us came very quietly, but when you leave and the ovation is high, it shows the lives you have touched. So, I know that you must be happy that God has helped you give your mother this honour. You have brought Nigerians, standing to send her home in glowing bliss.”
The governor thanked God for her life and, on behalf of the Government and people of Akwa Ibom State, welcomed all guests, and commended Vice President Shettima for honouring the invitation to visit Akwa Ibom State, saying “it shows the love he has for the Akwa Ibom people and for the family.”
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said the deceased lived a life worthy of emulation, noting that “today heaven is happy to receive an angel in the late Eno Nnana Usoro.”
“My dear sister, the deputy governor of CBN, Emem Usoro, let me thank you for doing Akwa Ibom proud, let me thank you for the resounding applause and ovation with which you have sent your beloved mother to heaven,” Senator Akpabio said.
“I thank you and your brothers and sisters for this wonderful tribute. I thank God Almighty for your life and the lives of your family and, like I said in the Church, may the peace of the Lord which surpasses all understanding, console you and take care of you now and forever.”
The senate president, who appreciated the vice president for his presence at the event, noted that the people of Akwa Ibom State hold the Vice President in high esteem.
Other dignitaries at the event included the chief of staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila; deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; Rep. Abdulmumini Ari; members of the Akwa Ibom State Executive Council; captains of industry, staff members of the Central Bank of Nigeria, members of the State and National Assemblies, chief executives of banks and other top government functionaries.
