By: Preye Bagou
Introduction:
Bayelsa is a State in the Southern region of Nigeria, which is majorly dominated by the Ijaws with an estimated population of 0.9 million. The Ijaws were living as minority in most Southern States before the creation of Bayelsa State by Late General Sani Abacha in 1996.
The name ‘Bayelsa’ is an acronym of three Local Government Areas; Brass, Yenagoa and Sagbama which were the three local government areas in the then Rivers State. The four dialects in Bayelsa State are; Izon, Nembe, Ogbia and Epie-Atissa.
Bayelsa state is generally known as the headquarters of the Ijaw nation, as the only indigenous state majorly dominated by the Ijaw speaking people in the southern region of Nigeria, regardless of the differential dialects with common values, norms.
Bayelsans who are publicly known as Ijaws, have always lived together peacefully and unitedly since the creation of the State in 1996, without any form of segregation of people from any local government area or senatorial district respectively.
The state has had an experienced and development-oriented governors, who made deliberate efforts and contributions in different sectors of the state’s economy towards the growth and development, as a virgin state lacking so much development.
Bayelsa state has had Six (6) Executive Governors; Late DSP Alamieyeseigha, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Chief Timipre Sylva, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson and Senator Douye Diri since the creation of the state, with the practice of a democratic system of government.
The respective state governors have made meaningful contributions at different levels and capacities in various sectors towards the growth and development of the state, with the improvement of the welfare of the citizens over the years basically.
Expository: The Untold Truth
Before the creation of Bayelsa state in 1996 from the old Rivers state in the military regime under Late General Sani Abacha, there was so much backwardness in the area in terms of infrastructural development in the three recognized three LGAs (Brass, Yenagoa and Sagbama).
Despite deliberate steps and actions of previous administrations before the restoration government led by Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, the state capital was still far to be recognized as developed, due to lack of basic social amenities sincerely.
Yenagoa local government area which was designated as a state capital after the creation of the state, was a typical forest without any form of infrastructural development as a result of non-government presence in the recognized three LGAs under the then old Rivers state pathetically.
Mr Akene as someone who served under the restoration government while having a phone conversation with Senator Dickson made some erroneous comparison of Bayelsa to other long developed states like Rivers, Delta, Lagos etc, with major advanced commercial cities.
Factually and unarguably, it was out of context and erroneous statement for an advanced man like Mr Akene to have compared long developed and advanced commercial cities in terms of infrastructural development like Port-harcourt, Warri, Lagos to a virgin state capital like Yenagoa.
While setting the record straight by correcting Mr Akene’s erroneous statement of wrong comparison of Yenagoa to Port-harcourt, Warri, Lagos, Senator Dickson pointed out that Yenagoa was a typical forest as a virgin state capital, shouldn’t be compared to such commercial cities.
Senator Dickson’s correction of Mr Akene’s erroneous comparison during the phone call conversation, Mr Akene recorded the discussion unknown to Senator Dickson, and released it to the public for whatever reasons, which was widely misinterpreted and misunderstood.
Senator Dickson statement wasn’t intended to discredit Yenagoa as a forest capital as misunderstood by so many Bayelsans, but to correct the wrong statement of Mr Akene comparing Yenagoa to long advanced and developed commercial cities during the phone conversation.
The aforementioned state capitals cannot be compared to Yenagoa in terms of infrastructural development and basic social amenities till date. It is important that the general public should be informed of the truth, rather than misinterpreting Senator Dickson’s statement uninformedly.
It’s an unarguable established fact that the restoration government made tremendous improvements in most sectors, most especially infrastructural development to basically improve and modernize the state capital in order to attract small and medium-scale businesses.
On the above established facts, Senator Dickson’s statement was misinterpreted and misunderstood by the general public, as a former governor who made deliberate steps and actions in attracting development to the state capital to boost socio-economic activities.
30th August, 2024
