Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has recounted how the death of his father forced him to hawk soft drinks on the streets of Lagos to help his mother make ends meet.

Eno made the revelation while delivering the Convocation Lecture at the 7th Convocation of Mountain Top University, Ibafo, Ogun State, on Thursday.

He said his father, a police officer, died in the line of duty and life became difficult for him.

The governor said, “Life became very difficult after my father’s death. I had to help my mother augment the family’s income by hawking soft drinks on the streets of Lagos, even as a Senior Prefect of Victory High School.”

He described those early struggles as the foundation of his entrepreneurial spirit, which later saw him run one of the largest hospitality conglomerates in Akwa Ibom State.

Eno urged graduates to dream big, embrace creativity, and work hard, warning against entitlement and the desire for quick success.

Eno, in a statement issued by the Press Unit of the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo, on Friday, urged Nigerian youths to discard the entitlement mentality and quest for an easy path to success.

He stated that contemporary society, reshaped by technological advancement and the breach of known boundaries, required a creative mindset that dared to challenge long-held norms.

The statement read partly, “Let me state here that we are living in a world shaped by new realities, a world where known boundaries have been breached and expanded by advancements in technology, where values once considered sacrosanct are no longer the defining ethos, and where groupthink is rapidly dissolving and being replaced by the need to do something daring, something different, and something that challenges long-held norms.

“The majority of the graduands here belong to the now-famous Generation X. Quite a number of people in this generation believe in the concept of immediate gratification and, to some extent, an entitlement mentality.

“They want to achieve success without putting in the corresponding hard work, and most times, they crash and burn.”

He stated that the growth of his business was made possible by his “implicit faith in the Invisible Hands of God to bring destiny helpers who would propel me to the heights God had destined for me.”

Maintaining that the road to success is not all rosy, he said: “You will achieve success only if you are upright in your dealings and guided by ethics and morality, and with faith in God. Whenever I remember my small beginnings and how God stepped in to arrange my path and the people who led me to the point He had destined for me, I am in awe of His mercies and grace.

“God can and will do the same for you, but you must learn to start something, grow something, dream of something, and put in the hard work.”

Eno said that despite his current roles as a minister of the Gospel, an entrepreneur, and a politician, he had not forgotten the grounding he received from his parents, the humility he wears as a badge of honour, and a deep sense of compassion for the poor and downtrodden.

The Chancellor and General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Professor Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, lauded Governor Eno for inspiring the graduands.

He said: “We specially honour and thank our Convocation Lecturer, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, for accepting to be part of this historic celebration. Your presence dignifies this occasion; your words inspire this generation; and your example reminds us that leadership can be both competent and values-driven.”

The Vice-Chancellor of Mountain Top University, Professor Elijah Adebowale Ayolabi, commended the Governor for honouring the occasion and delivering a stimulating and inspiring lecture. (Saturday PUNCH, excluding headline)

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