Umo Eno - The People’s Choice!

By Uwemedimoh Umanah, PhD, ANIPR and Tony Johnson

It is pertinent to begin this story, ‘Umo Eno - The People’s Choice’ with a brief, but concise explanatory note on leadership. This will enable our readers appreciate this article’s description of Umo Bassey Eno, the Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial standard bearer for the 2023 election, as the people’s choice of Governor in 2023. 

Leadership is the process of influencing human behavior in the areas of creativity and productivity. Any time a group of people are focused on accomplishing something significant, there is often a need for one or more people, to be the voice and mind that keep the group working together, toward their goal. 

Who is a people-centered leader and why is Umo Bassey Eno referred to as a people-centered leader or the people’s choice of Governor in 2023? What differentiates him from manipulative leaders? 

First, a people-centered leader is one who has capacity to show up as human: with vulnerability, integrity  and the ability to move people and systems, based on deep care  for people, and all that translate into behaviors that reflect that mindset. It is argued here that, because, a people-centered leader garners  enormous goodwill from the people (or the led), owing to the emotional connect between them, he could as well be described as the people’s choice. 

Secondly, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno fits into this description because he cares about the welfare of the people of Akwa Ibom State. For instance, his Economic Blueprint, ‘The Arise Agenda’ is people-centric, that is, it is geared towards advancing the welfare and livelihood of the people of Akwa Ibom State. 

PUE’s investment in human and intellectual capital development, for about thirty (30) years shows in bolder relief that he knows and connects with the people; and is empathetic to their aspirations and cause.  It is instructive to note that, as a leader, knowing your people is the most important aspect of the job; know their likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses, because it builds a rapport  and shows them that you care. In this regard, Eno has exceeded the threshold and is poised to do more, for Akwa Ibom people, as Governor, from May 29, 2023. 

Umo Eno’s people-centered disposition and proclivity was given greater elucidation by Sherry Dew, an American author, that, “true leaders understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve. It is not about exalting themselves but about lifting others up.” 

Reinforcing Dew’s opinion, Simon Sinek puts  it eloquently: “leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” 

Thirdly, Umo Bassey Eno, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, for the 2023 gubernatorial election, is the people’s biggest cheerleader. PUE cheers the people at every opportunity he has. He applauds their work efforts, project completions, successes, and their little achievements along the way – and he never forgets how long they’ve stuck by his side. What is more profound here is that he sees their celebrations are also his celebrations. 

It suffices to note, in this regard, that PUE remembers his last conversation with his team members and their birthdays. In the evolving and dynamic world, people perform better when they feel valued and appreciated. It’s not about financial inducements for most people, but more about loyalty; people who feel that they matter will stick around.

Fourthly, Pastor Eno communicates effectively with the people of Akwa Ibom State, bearing in mind that they are the locus of political power. Why this is a biggie is that knowing how comfortable people communicate is pertinent. In this regard, PUE is more open and receptive to ideas and feedbacks. 

He is empathetic during communication - paying attention to the passiveness and assertiveness of his interlocutors. What is more interesting is that he has a good responsive  feedbacks. Again, the fact that he  is proficient in the use of communication gadgets and the social media, underscores the fact that he’s also an innovative leader. This takes us to another subject entirely, which we will deal with exhaustively, in the subsequent piece. 

Fifthly, Umo Eno is good at what he does and is goal-driven. According to Simon Sinek, an author and speaker, “people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” As a corollary, PUE has shown consistency, resilience and integrity in private and public life - enabling the people of Akwa Ibom State to trust him and in his goals. In leadership literature, it is believed that people are more apt to jump on board, if they know how their actions contribute to your success.  

PUE has demonstrated that his raison d'être for 

being Governor of Akwa Ibom State is the people. This is in sync with 'The Arise Agenda’ which reinforces the Sustainable Development Goals. With this, the people of Akwa Ibom  have great respect for him, and are more motivated to be part of the history. His style of leadership helps build trust, loyalty, productivity, and longevity - and these constitute the needs of people and organizations. 

To this end, it must be resoundingly posited that PUE is a departure from manipulative leaders who use their position, power, and coercion to attain their goals. Manipulative leaders confuse people for widgets or cogs in a machine and believe that these manipulative features  and behaviors will yield them success. For instance, animalizing the people of Akwa Ibom State, by referring to them as ‘dogs’ smacks of manipulation. 

In conclusion, those aspiring to be leaders, have a reservoir in Pastor Eno to learn from: his leadership style is an invaluable currency for today’s workplace and organizations. 

- Uwemedimoh Umanah and Tony Johnson are development scholars. They wrote in this piece from Uyo.