By Solomon OKPO
UYO, The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, has fired back at Nollywood actor and lawyer, Kenneth Okonkwo, describing him as a “failure” who is still “living in bondage.”
Governor Eno made the remarks while reacting to Okonkwo’s scathing criticism of his recent political defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). During a televised interview, Okonkwo, a member of the Labour Party, had referred to the governor as a “transgenderic politician,” a term widely seen as both controversial and derogatory.
In a sharp rebuttal, Eno dismissed Okonkwo’s opinion as irrelevant, stating that the actor had failed in multiple careers and had no moral standing to comment on political developments in Akwa Ibom.
“So people that are talking, even those that are not from Akwa Ibom… they’ve tried everything—they’ve tried to become actors, they’ve failed; they are still living in bondage. Trying to put their mouth into what does not concern them,” the governor said.
The phrase “living in bondage” is a pointed reference to the iconic 1992 Nollywood movie Living in Bondage, in which Kenneth Okonkwo played the lead role—his breakout performance. Governor Eno appeared to use the title as a metaphor to question the actor’s achievements and credibility.
Further criticizing Okonkwo’s forays into politics and law, Eno stated:
“He should go to his state and fight. He’s an attempted politician, he tried the Labour Party, he ran away. He tried acting, he was living in bondage. He’s an attempted lawyer, he has never moved one motion before.”
The governor asserted that his decision to switch political allegiance was within his constitutional rights and should not be a concern for outsiders.
“This is within my right and he’s not from Akwa Ibom state. We don’t welcome him in Akwa Ibom state,” he declared.
Concluding his response in Pidgin English, Eno said, “As the person in the driver’s seat today, I am the one holding the steering and I know where go-slow no go dey.”
Governor Eno’s response underscores the rising tensions between politicians and public commentators amid Nigeria’s shifting political alliances, with personalities from the entertainment industry increasingly stepping into partisan discourse.
