In a country often weighed down by grim statistics about abandoned children, street life and broken dreams, moments arise that remind us why leadership still matters. One such moment unfolded quietly but powerfully at Christmas Unplugged 2025 in Akwa Ibom State, when Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno granted automatic employment to Miss Abigail Okon Edet, a young woman once abandoned at birth, rescued by the state, raised in a government home, and today standing as a graduate and a civil servant-in-waiting.
It was more than a ceremonial announcement. It was a statement of values. It was governance with a human face.
By exercising his prerogative powers to employ Abigail without bureaucratic delay, Governor Eno did not merely offer a job; he restored dignity, affirmed purpose, and closed a painful chapter of uncertainty. In a system where many young graduates roam for years without opportunity, this single act sends a profound message: the state does not abandon those it once rescued.
This gesture underscores an important truth, government intervention, when guided by empathy and consistency, can alter the course of a human life forever. Abigail’s journey from abandonment to employment is proof that social welfare is not charity; it is nation-building.
Abigail’s story also forces us to confront a darker reality: the devastating cost of leaving the girl child on the streets. Across Nigeria, thousands of girls face abandonment, exploitation, trafficking, sexual violence, early pregnancy, substance abuse and psychological trauma simply because no system stepped in early enough.
The street does not raise a child; it erodes her. It strips her of safety, education, self-worth and, often, her future. Many never escape. That Abigail did is not accidental, it is the result of timely state intervention through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare and the existence of functional government homes.
Her own words are haunting and instructive: without government intervention, she believes she would have been “long gone and forgotten.” That is the stark difference between neglect and leadership.
Governor Umo Eno’s action reflects a deeper philosophy of leadership, one that measures success not only by roads built or structures commissioned, but by lives rebuilt. Deploying Abigail to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service for mentorship further demonstrates foresight: employment alone is not enough; guidance, structure and growth matter.
Good leadership creates ladders, not ceilings. It recognises potential beyond background and refuses to let the circumstances of birth define the limits of destiny. In encouraging young people not to be constrained by their origins, Governor Eno spoke to millions who silently struggle with shame, rejection and fear.
Employing Abigail is also a smart social investment. It validates the resources spent on child welfare, education and rehabilitation. It proves that when the state nurtures vulnerable children to adulthood, society gains productive citizens, role models and advocates for hope.
Her life now stands as a living curriculum for other children in government homes, and for those still on the streets. Her story says: survival is possible, education is meaningful, and the future can be bright.
There is much for other states to learn from this moment. First, social welfare must move beyond rhetoric to continuity, rescue, educate, mentor and integrate. Second, leadership must be accessible and compassionate, willing to act decisively when a life hangs in the balance. Third, child protection policies must be backed by visible outcomes that restore confidence in governance.
Eno’s leadership reminds the nation that compassion is not a weakness in power; it is its highest expression.
Abigail Edet’s journey is no longer just her story, it is a lesson to governments, a warning to society, and a beacon to vulnerable children everywhere. It tells us what happens when leadership chooses humanity over indifference.
In Akwa Ibom, a girl once abandoned has been found, formed and finally affirmed by the state. And in that simple but profound act, governance reclaimed its noblest purpose: restoring life, renewing hope, and proving that no child is beyond redemption when leadership truly cares.
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