Parentage

Mrs Eno Ita Idaresit was born on 7th February, 1954, to late Chief Jimmy Ekanem Ekpu and Madam Mmayen Jimmy Ekanem Ekpu of the Royal Family of Nung Esuh of Ekpene in Afaha Eket Group of villages, Eket Local Government area of Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria.

She was the seventh child in a family of 13 children, three sons and 10 daughters, of which there were three sets of consecutive non-identical twins. She was the junior in the first set of the dizygotic twins.

Parentage

Mrs Eno Ita Idaresit was born on 7th February, 1954, to late Chief Jimmy Ekanem Ekpu and Madam Mmayen Jimmy Ekanem Ekpu of the Royal Family of Nung Esuh of Ekpene in Afaha Eket Group of villages, Eket Local Government area of Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria.

She was the seventh child in a family of 13 children, three sons and 10 daughters, of which there were three sets of consecutive non-identical twins. She was the junior in the first set of the dizygotic twins.

Education

Eno grew up at a time in which interest in girl-child education was enjoying a growing interest in Eket District.

Her interest and desire to read and write from an early age was phenomenal. Her father, noticing her zeal, got her registered in the Main Primary School Afagha Eket at an early age, from where she completed her primary school education at the age of 11.

Her arrival in Government Secondary School Eket, (formerly Edoho Memorial Grammar School) in 1966 at 11 years of age, was sensational because at that period, her age was the ‘normal’ age to start primary school education. But here she was, equipped with a First School Living Certificate and a high score in the entrance examination of the Grammar School to start a secondary school education.

This was remarkable and immediately earned her the nickname ‘Etuk Eno’ (Little Eno) by which she was called by her classmates and those of the upper classes. Her brilliance in class and age easily earned her the “Most Favourite” student status in Government Secondary School of Eket, where she graduated at 17 – the Nigerian Civil War having added one extra year to her school tenure.

Career

Her loving and caring attributes led her into a life career in Nursing, where she was snugly fitted. An outstanding Nurse of her generation, she started off at the School of Nursing Ituk Mbang then in Uyo; where she led her Set to break the monopoly of Anua Student Nurses who always took the top positions in their Nursing Examinations. In her Set, the record was broken and Ituk Mbang student nurses, for the first time, busted the nursing examination result record with her at the top of the list, leaving the School of Nursing Authorities at Anua in wonderment.

Mrs Eno took up an appointment with the Cross River State Ministry of Health, from where she was posted to Cross River Estates Limited, Akamkpa in 1979. She later transferred her service to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar in 1982.

At the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Matron Eno brought out the very best of her resourceful character and talents in the nursing profession to the benefits of all – patients, doctors, colleagues, and upcoming nurses undergoing training. At UCTH, she rose to the top of her career as a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), and retired from service after serving for the mandatory 35 years.

Marriage & Christian Life

Mrs Eno from a strict Christian family got married early in life to Mr. Ita Idaresit in 1976. The marriage is blessed with five children, three sons, two daughters, who under her resourceful and disciplined Christian disposition she raised to maturity.

Mrs Eno Idaresit was an undisputed, practicing Christian, whose devotion to Christianity resounded in all the denominations. From a pioneering role in Jesus Action Ministries International, Calabar (now Wonder City, Atimbo, Akpabuyo) where she was ordained a Deaconess, to the Redeemed Christian Church of God, House of David and later to Glory Plus International Ministry, Lagos. She played a leading role as a Deaconess, Marriage and Health counsellor to the Body of Christ.

Her commitment to peaceful co-existence in family life for all was phenomenal, such that all who came in touch with her would attest to. She enjoyed storytelling, evening walks, cooking and playing with her grand Children. Mrs Idaresit has certainly left a very wide vacuum in many lives and in many aspects of life that she served.

We are grateful to God for our beloved Wife, Mother and Grand Mother. Unto the Most High God be all the glory for her beloved and dear life on earth with us in Jesus’ dear name. Amen.