KEEPING FAITH ALIVE- HON. GEORGE O’BEN-ETCHI IMMORTALISES HIS LATE WIFE’S LEGACY THROUGH HUMANITY AND HOPE

By Christiana Ushang.

 

 

Grief is often a weight that breaks many; yet for Ntufam Rt. Hon. (Dr) Deacon George O’ben-Etchi, it became the flame that forged a lasting legacy of compassion and service.

 

Inside the historic Prof. Eyo Ita House in Calabar, the air was heavy with emotion as widows, orphans, and dignitaries gathered to witness the unveiling of the Faith O’ben-Etchi Foundation, a humanitarian movement born from love, loss, and unyielding purpose.

 

It was more than an event. It was the triumph of faith over despair, a moment where memory became mission.

 

 

 

A DREAM REBORN IN LOVE AND SERVICE

 

Faith Nkoyo O’ben-Etchi, in whose honour the foundation was established, was not just a wife but a quiet force of kindness whose life touched countless souls.

 

During the bleak days of the COVID-19 lockdown, when isolation and hunger tested humanity, Faith became a source of light, feeding widows, comforting orphans, and sustaining families from her own kitchen.

 

“Faith believed that service to humanity was not an option, but a calling,” her husband reflected. “This foundation is simply an extension of that calling. I’m only helping her dream live on.”

 

Through the Faith O’ben-Etchi Foundation, that dream has indeed found new wings.

 

 

 

STRUCTURED COMPASSION — A MODEL OF HOPE

 

Built upon five core pillars, the foundation mirrors Faith’s deepest passions:

✓ Empowerment of widows

✓ Support for street children

✓ Educational sponsorships

✓ Care for the aged

✓ Community development initiatives.

 

Unlike many donor-driven NGOs, this foundation is sustained through personal sacrifice and voluntary support from family and close associates. Over ₦30 million has already been disbursed to empower more than 300 widows across Cross River State — not as charity, but as seed capital to rebuild livelihoods and dignity.

 

 

 

“SHE MADE OTHER WOMEN SMILE”

 

At the unveiling, Mr Great Ogban Usetu, Director-General of the Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA), described the late Faith as “a woman of enterprise and compassion who found joy in making other women smile.”

 

He urged beneficiaries to honour her memory through productivity, not dependency, reminding them that true empowerment sustains itself.

 

 

Hon. Johnson Ebokpo, Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, called the foundation “a sustainable act of love that turns mourning into meaning.”

 

 

In solidarity, Mr Francis Ekpo, DG of the State Electrification Agency, donated ₦1 million to support the cause, describing Hon. O’ben-Etchi as “a strong man who has chosen faith over despair.”

 

 

 

VOICES THAT ECHOED GRACE AND GRATITUDE

 

The event drew an array of dignitaries and friends of the O’ben-Etchi family, from political figures to community leaders, all united by respect for the late Faith’s legacy and admiration for her husband’s resolve.

 

They included Hon. Eric Anderson, Dr Gloria Effiong, Prince Edwin Okon, Ph.D, Hon. Charles Atu, Ewo Abasi Okon, Dr Maurice Nkong, Hon. Sylvester Nsa, Mrs Bassey Onoyom, Ms Magdalene Ekpe, and representatives of the Timber Dealers Association, among others.

 

Each voice echoed the same sentiment, that Faith Nkoyo O’ben-Etchi’s life was not extinguished by death, but rekindled through every act of kindness her name inspires.

 

 

 

THE HUMAN ANGLE — WIDOWS FIND THEIR FEET AGAIN

 

For Mrs Ekaette Effiom, a mother of four and beneficiary, the empowerment was life-restoring:

 

“I lost everything when my husband died. Today, I’m leaving here not just with money, but with confidence to start again. Mama Faith is gone, but she still blesses us.”

 

Her testimony reflected the shared emotion of the day, tears of loss mingled with songs of gratitude.

 

The widows sang, not in mourning, but in renewed faith.

 

 

 

LOVE THAT OUTLIVES LOSS

 

In founding the Faith O’ben-Etchi Foundation, Hon. George O’ben-Etchi has turned personal pain into public purpose. His story embodies the grace of resilience, choosing to serve rather than succumb, to give rather than grieve.

 

For every widow restored, every child supported, and every dream rekindled, the late Faith Nkoyo O’ben-Etchi continues to live, not on marble or memorials, but in the hearts she once touched and the hands now lifted through her name.

 

 

As we reflects, this is not a story about loss; it is a testament that when grief meets gratitude, hope is reborn.