15/09/2025
Faith, Governance, and the Common Good: Lessons from Gov. Umo Eno’s Call to the Church.
Lucy Daniel
When Governor Umo Eno stood before the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Ikot Ekpene, his words carried more weight than a ceremonial welcome. They echoed a deeper truth: that the progress of any society rests not merely on laws and policies, but on unity of purpose and moral responsibility.
In praising the Catholic Church as the single largest non-governmental investor in education, healthcare, and social support, Gov. Eno reminded us of something Socrates once said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
For centuries, the Catholic Church has examined what it means to live a life of faith in action, and its footprint across schools, hospitals, and communities proves that faith is best measured by its fruits.
But Gov. Eno did not merely applaud; he aligned. His government’s interventions, the ARISE Compassionate Homes, reaching 206 widows and vulnerable families out of a target 500, and the Free Food Programme which has touched nearly half a million households reflect the same Socratic call to justice. Socrates taught:“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavour to be what you desire to appear.”
By establishing a Ministry of Humanitarian Services and initiating programs for the elderly and less privileged, the Governor is showing that compassion is not rhetoric but policy in motion.
Most striking, however, was his call for unity within the Church and, by extension, across society. In a country as divided as ours, the Governor’s appeal feels urgent. Socrates warned: “The greatest way to live with honour in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” If the Church claims to be the conscience of society, then it must also embody unity, integrity, and selflessness because a fractured Church cannot heal a fractured nation.
The symbolism of that plenary was powerful. The presence of the President’s representative, the Senate President, the Apostolic Nuncio, and bishops from across the country underscored the timeless lesson that when moral authority and political authority engage, society becomes the beneficiary.
Governor Eno’s vision is simple yet profound: that government and faith-based institutions are not rivals but partners in advancing the common good. This echoes Socrates’ conviction that “An unexamined society is not worth sustaining.” In examining our values, actions, and priorities, both Church and State can hold up the mirror that shows us who we are and who we must become.
As citizens, we too are part of this dialogue. We must ask ourselves: Are we living only for private gain, or are we, as Socrates would urge, contributing to the greater harmony of the city-state? In Gov. Eno’s words and works, we see an invitation to choose the latter.
If Church and State continue to walk this shared path of service, Nigeria may yet prove that governance guided by conscience, and faith expressed through service, is not an ideal but a living reality.
Lucy Daniel, SA to the Governor on Media. [email protected].
