Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River and his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Umo Enoh, on Friday honoured former youth corps member, Miss Arit Abam, who trended in a viral video on social media.
Abam, from Ugep in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River, returned to her father’s thatch house in the village and filmed herself marching towards him in military fashion and saluted him.
While thanking her father in the video, she handed over both her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) jacket and face-cap to him with a note of gratitude and a charge to youths not to be ashamed of their humble backgrounds.
The video caught the attention of both governors as earlier in April, Enoh sent a delegation to Ugep for confirmation.
Upon verification of the story, the Akwa Ibom governor pledged to build a three-bedroom flat for Mr Abam and family, in recognition of his sacrifices for sending his girl-child to school instead of building himself a house.
On his part, Otu on Friday invited the ex-youth corps member to his office in Calabar and offered her automatic employment into any ministry of her choice “for honouring her father’s sacrifices.”
He urged youths to emulate such acts of gratitude, adding that the gesture confirmed the bond between the two states.
He said “I commend Miss Arit Abam for her show of gratitude, and I immensely appreciate the governor of our sister state, Akwa Ibom for his kind gesture.
“This shows the bond between both states which is quite exemplary and worthy of commendation.”
Expressing her gratitude to both governors, Abam, a graduate of Mass Communication from Temple Gate Polytechnic, Aba in Abia, said the reward would encourage more youths to uphold cultural values.
She also thanked God for blessing her with goodwill through her simple act of gratitude.
