Mfon Ekpo Delivers Defining Keynote at GIFA 2nd Anniversary, Inspires Immediate Community Investment in Clean Water Initiatives

Global leadership strategist and CEO of The Discovery Centre, Mfon Ekpo, delivered a keynote address that catalysed measurable civic action at the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA) 2nd Anniversary Celebration in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The event concluded with a standing ovation and public commitments to fund community boreholes, advancing the late First Lady's enduring vision to expand access to clean water.

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The gathering brought together state officials, development partners, traditional leaders, and citizens to commemorate both the initiative's progress and the legacy of its founder, Pastor Mrs Patience Umo Eno. Established in December 2022, GIFA was created as a people-centred social intervention platform focused on strengthening families and uplifting communities. Its programs address environmental health, women's economic empowerment, literacy development, sanitation, maternal and child health, and elder care.

The initiative is currently coordinated by First Lady Designate, Her Excellency Lady Helen Eno Obareki, who continues to guide its mission of compassionate and community-driven development.

Reframing History and Restoring Dignity

In one of the event's most impactful moments, Ekpo addressed stereotypes historically directed at Akwa Ibom communities. Rather than dismissing them, she offered a reframed narrative rooted in trust, service, and social infrastructure.

Figures once casually referenced through reductive labels were described as trusted guardians of households, stewards of family welfare, and builders of relational capital long before hospitality became institutionalised.

"History does not preserve labels," Ekpo said. "It preserves legacy."

Her remarks repositioned dignity as inherent and long demonstrated through service and stewardship.

Collective Advancement Over Individualism

Ekpo challenged narratives of internal rivalry and instead highlighted a culture of mentorship and shared advancement. Drawing from personal experience, she described educators, civil servants, and leaders who invested in younger generations through scholarships, recommendations, and access to opportunity.

She framed progress as collective rather than isolated.

"I am not an exception," she stated. "I am the outcome of a community that believes in lifting its own."

From Vision to Action

Honouring the late First Lady's commitment to water accessibility, Ekpo emphasised the direct connection between clean water, public health, education, and economic stability. She called for the completion and expansion of borehole projects across underserved communities.

Leading by example, she pledged to personally fund a borehole installation. Her commitment prompted immediate responses from attendees, who made their own pledges to support additional projects. The moment shifted the gathering from ceremonial reflection to active civic engagement.

A Symbol of Shared Responsibility

In closing, Ekpo shared a childhood memory of offering five naira to her father after their home was robbed. The gesture symbolised solidarity rather than restitution and illustrated the principle that participation strengthens recovery and progress.

She described development as strongest when citizens contribute not only resources but also ownership.

"We are not observers of progress," she said. "We are participants in its construction."

A Milestone for GIFA

The anniversary celebration marked a significant point in GIFA's continued expansion and reinforced a shared vision of development grounded in unity, dignity, and disciplined execution.

As the initiative moves into its next chapter, the message from Uyo is clear. Leadership sets direction. Citizens provide momentum. Together, they shape sustainable progress.
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