By Timi Zuofa
As our dear state, Bayelsa clocked 26 recently, we look back into history and can give glory to the Almighty God for giving us this beautiful city.
From a pitiably rural and grossly undeveloped area, Bayelsa has grown miraculously to become the pride of our nation, Nigeria, having great potentials for economic, cultural, tourist and agricultural prosperity under a government of prosperity being ably led by Governor Douye Diri.
Of the potentials of Bayelsa for prosperity is chiefly the state’s proximity to the great Atlantic ocean, unique cultural endowment in terms of wrestling, masquerading and also fishing among others.
The prosperity government of the day is deeply tapping into these great potentials to bring uncommon prosperity to the state.
“Dr. Nimibofa, Ayawei, is the Executive Chairman , Bayelsa State Board of Internal Revenue. He was one the fortunate Bayelsans employed into the state’s civil service at its creation in 1996.
While expressing great gratitude for those who fought for and realized the dream Bayelsa State, Ayawei recalled the developmental strides the state has achieved so far, and particularly under the Diri led government of prosperity.
Hear him: “The policy direction of governor Diri is good for Bayelsa. I think l have had the privilege of discussing with the governor and the most important of all these is the Brass roads.
“I have always said for Bayelsa to develop its tourist potentials, the greatest opportunity is having a road linked to the Atlantic, because as a state, we are more deltan than Delta State, we are more riverine than Rivers State.
“We are the only state in this country that has eleven entries open up to the Atlantic Ocean. So meaning our wealth is deep in the Atlantic ocean and to harness it means having a road to Brass, we are in the right direction. And this is being done by the government.”
Speaking also about the economic potentials, and uniqueness of Bayelsan culture, Ayawei disclosed that: ” We are a unique people. Unique in every aspect. That is why we speak a distinct language. A culture comes with language. We speak a distinct language.
Therefore, the way we do things, from our marriages, to masquarades, all is very unique. And I am happy that our cultural troupe has taken us far and wide, exposed us to other parts of the country. Government must continue to encourage them . Bayelsa can only grow from strength to strength.
“The greatest thing we can offer as culture in Bayelsa is the uniqueness of our masquarades, from Agee, to oluasiri, to bisini, we have multiple masquarades that depict either the land or the fishes in the river. If you see an Agee masquarade, you see it coming as a shark.
That is the beauty of Bayelsa. Have we ever assembled our masquarades to dance one day? If you see that happening you will be marvelled. The uniqueness and beauty in them.
I used to dance as masquerade in those days , so l understand that very well. So that is the unique thing that people will go home with, not the kalabari one that people will see with splendour. We have it in quantum here, we need to harness it .
“With the appointment of the present Commissioner for Sports in Bayelsa who is a former Olympic champion, you know that wrestlers are doing well. Well, the swimming itself we are not doing very well internationally, l think the reason is the financing because it involves a lot and our greatest problem is not starting early enough.
Early enough in the sense that swimmers are not going to start swimming at the age of 15, That is why we only do well locally. But if you look at sister countries like South Africa, they start swimming as a programme, from primary school to secondary so you have progression in what you are doing.
We don’t have that yet. But with the necessary backing with what we are doing , we will be able to do something far better. But for wrestling, we are there. I can assure you we are there. The commissioner is doing excellently well in that direction.
The only thing limiting us from making money from culture is in security, but this government is already addressing that.”
Assuring the Bayelsa people about the future, Ayawei said: “Bayelsans do not have any need to be worried. Bayelsa and Bayelsans.
Bayelsa is growing. Look at where we started from in 1999, look at where we are today. The future is very bright. Diri will do his own part and will leave , someone else will come and continue, let us wish our leaders well. If you don’t wish yourself evil, l am sure you can’t wish your leaders evil. Bayelsa can only grow from strength to strength.”
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Moses Teibowei, who is Bayelsa’s
Honourable Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, recounted that the state would not have recorded the huge development and growth it currently has if it was not created out of Rivers State.
Teibowei who is an Estate Surveyor and Valuer and was part of the founding fathers of Bayelsa as personal assistants to some of those who fought for the creation of the state, said: “lf you had been to Yenagoa, when it was created in 1996, and you come back to Yenagoa today , you would know that we have improved significantly. We are not yet where we are supposed to be, but l would say that we are making progress.
l came back to Yenagoa before the creation of Bayelsa State and when Yenagoa was created l moved with my family to Yenagoa in 1997. The road leading to Yenagoa itself was very bad. A narrow road with grasses all over , but Mbiama Yenagoa road is a dual carriage way, when the state was created, there wasn’t even enough houses for people to live in.
When l came to Yenagoa in 1997, where you need to toilet was even bush or the water front. That was how bad it was . Not enough office spaces, l came as a civil servant when l was transferred to the ministry of lands and housing, the entire department of workers were sharing one 12 by 12 room in the local government. But today, look at the Secretariat we have. Even if we are not there yet, l would say that we have made some reasonable progress, he recalled.
” What has happened to Bayelsa now in terms of infrastructural development is a far cry from the picture of Bayelsa painted by elder stateman, Teibowei. He goes further to reveal some of the achievements of the current administration through the Ministry of works Wich he superintends:’ ln the next 10 years , I strongly believe that if we used the resources available to us prudently, as it is being done in this administration.
There would be a massive turnaround. Massive turnaround in the sense that the prosperity administration is about completing the Sagbama-Ekeremor road, the same way the prosperity administration will complete the central senatorial road which leads to Oporoma.
The same way the island flank, the Nembe Brass road will be completed, and when that project is completed, you would have easy access to the Atlantic ocean, quite a lot will happen. Subsequent government that will come on board, will no longer spend huge sums of money in terms of road infrastructure to these local government headquarters.
So, a whole chunk of money would now be ploughed back into Yenagoa and several other things would be done, in terms of creating jobs for the youths .
This administration is working seriously on developing the industrial layout, if that is done, subsequent administration will only come and site industries that would create employment, so l see a better, a brighter future for Bayelsa State in the next 10 years.
Speaking further, he said: “Our intention is to link up to the ocean by getting road to Brass which is by the Atlantic ocean. It is good for the public to know what the prosperity administration is doing in all the three senatorial districts.
Let me start with the West, we inherited the Sagbama-Ekeremor road, we have been able to work on five brigdes and then it is segmented into two sections, section one is 28km, section two is 14km.
Having completed the bridges, we also worked on sandsmen civilization, stonebase and we have also completed the 28 km asphalting, so asphalt has reached Aleibiri , which is a community in Ekeremor local government area .
We are believing that by the end of December, we will be able to complete the 14 km. Apart from that, we are also doing some internal roads in Ayamasa, in Aleibiri, we have also awarded one in Sagbama and Angiama, and we also built a pavilion on Torundoro.
We are also about starting work on the road to Beautiful gate from Ekeremor town. So, we have lot going on there. That is about the west. Coming to the central , because the state capital is in central , l won’t be able to even count all of them.
We have the Glory drive phase two, which is 10.2 km dual carriage way with walkways and median and street lights that would be provided .
We have a 22 km Igbokene-AIT outer ring road. We have completed section one which is 4.2 km commissioned. Section one Igbokene to Okaki already completed and commissioned. Section 4 is from Imiringin to AIT, it is as good as completed. It will be commissioned very soon.
Currently, the contractor is working on section 2 and 3 which is from Okaki to imiringi, It is on going . We have spent about N19 billion on that project. For the Sagbama project we have spent over N21 billion. The same central senatorial road, let me talk about the Yenagoa-Oporoma road.
We just finished launching the bims at Agobiri axis which is accross Silva river, we started from there brigde, we started from Egeibiri and already at Angiama. The bridge to cross to Oporoma is already on going , N4.48 billion has been paid on the bridge.
We have spent over N12 billion from Egeibiri and we are already at Angiama, work is on going. Within the central senatorial district , we have done over 28 internal roads. Initially, we announced 20, we have added additional 9 to it. There are other projects on going that are being supervised in this ministry.
The transport terminal is on going, the Judges’ Quarters is on going , the Isaac Boro road was not completed before the Prosperity and administration came in board , we at the point of completing the bigde to Etegwe-Tombia roundabout. That is about the central. Is almost completed, he said.
Mrs. Timi Zuofa is Technical Assistant to Governor Douye Diri on Culture. She writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.