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Tag: Bayelsa State

  • Bayelsa: Council chairmen, workers clash over unpaid salaries

    Bayelsa: Council chairmen, workers clash over unpaid salaries

    Local government workers in Bayelsa State are at war with their eight council chairmen over arrears of unpaid salaries.

    It was gathered that though the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, was meeting up with the monthly payment of civil servants’ salaries, the executive chairmen were owing their workers.

    Apart from the Brass Local Government Chairman, who was said to have paid May salaries to workers, others were said to be owing their employers for over three months.
    The workers, it was gathered, planned to shut down the councils in protest for their plight but the government intervened and prevailed on them to shelve their industrial action.

    The Secretary, Medical and Health Workers Union (MHWU), Mr. Lartan Bany and the Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) said the governor had no hand in their travails.

    He said the local government chairmen admitted that the governor never interfered in their revenue allocations from the Federal Government.

    He wondered why other chairmen could not toe the path of their Brass counterpart and warned of a looming strike if the matter is not resolved on time.

    Also the Bayelsa Democratic Watch Forum (BDWF) blamed the salary crisis on the inefficient management of finances by the chairmen.

    The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Binaebi Femo and Secretary, Mr. Tari Oki, thanked the MHWU and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) for calling off their strike.

    Femo, however, said the leadership of the groups resisted pressure from Dickson’s detractors to sponsor the industrial action as a campaign weapon against the governor’s second term bid.

    “The governor on many occasions including the monthly transparency briefing has said that he does not deduct any money from the allocations accruing to the local government councils.

    “So, he cannot be blamed by the mess caused by these chairmen. Workers should not allow themselves to be used by the enemies of the deserved second term project of the governor. They should hold the chairmen and officials of the local government areas responsible for their plight,” Femo said.

    The group accused the chairmen of using council funds to embark on personal projects including erecting massive structures in Yenagoa.

    He alleged that the chairmen were collecting loans and overdraft to finance such projects and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe the council bosses.

    Also the State Government absolves itself from the crisis in the local government areas and directed the chairmen to fulfill their obligations to their workers without further delay.

    The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Esueme Kikile, said the government had intervened to ensure that the outstanding salaries of the workers were paid.

    He said: “The present administration in the state has demonstrated its commitment to local government autonomy and has the policy of zero deductions from local government allocations.”

    But the chairmen were said to have blamed their inability to pay salaries on the dwindling allocations from the federal government.

  • Bayelsa can be better if youths lead – Siasia

    Bayelsa can be better if youths lead – Siasia


    • At an interactive session with Journalists, Moses Siasia, 35-year-old governorship aspirant in Baylesa State, revealed his plans to transform the state. He also lamented the interests of the old folks for the younger generations. David Lawal was at the session for The Nation Newspaper.
      Excerpts: Kindly give us an insight into your background Well, you are welcome. I believe that the redemption of this country that we call our own lies with our generation; we the youths. I lived in an environment where we had no food, no toilet, I almost lost my life but God was the one that intervened. They would not give the younger generations the chance, they would continue to come up with strategies that would further undermine us and ensure that the youths do not speak in one voice. In the programmes that we have been able to carry out, none of them have supported us, except very few that believed in us. How were you able to transform yourself despite the challenges you faced in your younger age? I fend for myself 17 years ago. I was in the street of Port Harcourt hawking oranges, selling Ice Blocks but at that time I told myself that I wasn’t going to be subservient to my situation. I am going to work hard because I believe that there is a deposit of potentials in me. That was how I started from that humble background. I washed rugs, plant flowers and today the story is different. Today, I have built a business of a group of companies, Mosilo Groups . We have interest in various sectors. I have employed many persons, mostly youth. We started what is called the Nigeria Young Professional Group and in two years today we are in 15 countries. We are the only young group in Nigeria that is registered in USA and United Kingdom. We are about finalising our registrations with the United Nations. I founded the Young Professionals Group to give voice to the youths. There is no young man in Nigeria today that has been close to power like I have. I can beat my chest to say that the elites are not interested in the youth. How do you rate Bayelsa State as at now? Bayelsa state is less than one million in population and we have received over N2 trillion from 1999 till date but if you come to Bayelsa today, you will cry because there is no concrete work on ground, our educational system is in a state of decay, our women do not have that sense of belonging again because they cannot sell again, our people are used to fishing but cannot do that because of oil spillage. The leadership had not been fair to our people. The sectors are down. Do you know that there are a lot of Bayelsa students abroad who are stranded and cannot pay their fees any more, they are frustrated, the females have gone into prostitution, the government keep responding that there is no money but when the money comes they share it amongst themselves, it doesn't trickle down to the people. For instance, we have had successive government in Bayelsa who placed embargo on employment; there is no critical investment in Bayelsa that can employ massively. Everybody sees government as the only employer of labour in Bayelsa. Now you need a leader that can think outside the box, that is innovative and creative to bring about the investments required in Bayelsa state. I have been in the private sector, I have business, I have partners and I have the will to do that. You cannot give what you do not have, I have employed people, I have grown a business from scratch to where it is today, I have helped people in my community, I have not bought education material for two years; I have been supplying them. I have eight children from my community studying abroad, on my mill. So, let all those who have ruled Bayelsa come out and tell what they were able to achieve before they got to that position. What is your disposition to Youths development in the Country? The lowest funded ministry in the history of democracy in Nigeria is the ministry of youth. Meanwhile, we gave them the mandate. When I was younger I used to see government development craft centers, skill acquisition centers, sport development institutions, look at the education sector, it suggest that there is no hope for the young generation. When you canvas for the inclusion of young people in governance, they would say what level of experience do you. So we have found ourselves in a state of dashed hope and opportunity. I have so much belief in the younger generation that why I am offering myself to liberate my people from the suffering and hardship that they are going through. This is the first time in the new Nigeria democracy that someone of my age group would come out for a position like this, and as a governor being a member of the Council of state; I am going to represent the interest of the youth. This is my will. We must put an end to political imposition and create a sustainable future for our people. My heart bleeds whenever I am asked ''where are you from?'' Sometimes my friends and associates from abroad say they want to come to my state and I wonder what they would see there. Meanwhile, Bayelsa state has a huge tourism potential. We have 75 per cent of Nigeria's gas reserve and the level of political gain that Bayelsa has enjoyed has never been enjoyed by any state in this country. Bayelsa has had a President, a Petroleum minister, a National security adviser all from a state that is not up to one million in population, eight local governments but this political positioning have not been translated into gains to benefit the people. It will therefore take a will of grace that can bring about the needed change and that is what I am bringing to the table. I am not going to the state house to sell pride but to sell humility, to serve my people, if I have been able to achieve what I have achieved in the private sector, then I can bring the much needed development in the public sector to our people. Siasia MConsidering your age, would you not need party elders’ support to secure the ticket? While some remain myopic and wouldn't love to let go because that is where they get their pay from, there are some of them that are positive minded. And we must convince them that it is time for us take care of them and to take the interests of our people serious. And I believe that God will give us the grace to champion this course to the next level. You should be aware of the level of debt in the state which successive administrations have incurred, how would you run a successful government with the high level of debt? If you do not take up the challenge you will continue to allow people to accumulate debt for the state. My will is to put a stop to debt owing. We must create investments that would boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue of the state which is currently less than N1 billion. We are going to diversify the economy and concentrate on sectors like tourism, agriculture. I would increase investment enough and create environment to attract investors. We would tax the rich and the big hotels in the state and complete the abandoned five-star hotel project that former President Jonathan started so that people can come and see. Bayelsa is where oil was first discovered in Nigeria. We would create a museum, a city out of Oloibiri, then develop Akasa and create a beach there. The environment in Akasa in Bayelsa is better than Miami in the US. If you sit in Brass at night you can sight Guinea. Bayelsa State is central to the Gulf of Guinea. You can get to Equatorial Guinea under one hour through boat from Brass. Hence, we can build partnership and build ​​seaport. We can use the opportunities to create wealth for the people. I am not going to run a debt owing state. There won’t be need to borrow to execute any project. Some of my partners are currently supporting some states in building infrastructures. We would also team up with them. There are a lot of my partners who are looking for real business environment to invest; we can create that. The current administration created Bayelsa Development Centers in the United Kingdom and South Africa but not many investments have come to the state through this means. In one year, we can bring about 500 companies in Bayelsa. We can create massive employment under one year, in fact about 50,000 jobs, viable jobs, not N10, 000 jobs or street sweeping jobs. We are going to create job that comes with job security. Wealth to me is not about how much I have in my account but how many lives I have been able to touch and that is why I want the people to vote for me. I have done that in the past. Majority of the militants from the Niger Delta regional are from your state, what is your plan for them? I do not see them as militants, rather, I see some of them as professionals. For example, on a high sea and on a very high level of water pressure, someone uses a speed boat to kidnap somebody and still uses the speed boat to escape with his victim. It requires a lot of technicalities to do what they are doing. We would try to ensure that they channel their energy into productive ventures. We would show them the light to enable them use their potentials rightly and this will further strengthen the state. That is where human capacity development comes in. I have started meeting with some of them and they have been impressed that someone within their age bracket is coming out for a post like governor, while some of them have not responded. Well, but we would keep them informed about the dynamics of contemporary politics which largely involves youth participation. How realistic is it for you to run the state without borrowing funds when elected as governor? My business is not in debt. You must take loan to fund massive projects but the strategy we have used to run our business is to build partnership and that would be adopted too. See, running a state is not so different from running a business. Some state governors were able to leave office with good reserves without debt. What we have is enough to sustain the state. For instance, most investors have it in their business plan that they are going to get gas from Bayelsa and this makes the state very strategic. And we are going to build investment around this with the support of the Federal Government to ensure that we create massive wealth for our people. Our aim is that we transform Bayesa to a point that everyone would become proud of it. Considering the current level of threat to life in Bayelsa due to kidnapping and hostage taking, how do you intend to ensure the safety of foreign investors and provide basic facilities which they are used to from where they are coming? We would use Bayelsa as example for modern facilities by Optic fibre network. You would have access to internet from anywhere you are. There are companies that are willing to come and do this and thankfully people are beginning to key into this. For security, I believe that once the people have a sense of belonging, the state becomes secured. This strategy was used in Borno and it is working. The environment becomes safe once you build confidence and the people are part of the projects. We must transmit values that would sensitize the people so they would know that they are critical stakeholders in the system. People will be able to access me as this would help to build their trust. How do you intend to dislodge political heavyweights like the incumbent governor, Dickson and Timipre Silva who are currently rumoured to be interested in the governorship race? It is not about me, it is not just Moses Siasia, it is a movement. The people's will is more important in politics. This was evident in the last general elections. Power is going back to the people and this is what would happen in Bayelsa too. Former President Jonathan is from Bayelsa and is expected to be the Godfather in the state. Do you have his support already or hoping to? People's perception of godfathers in politics really worries me some times. I understand that there is need to gather the support of the heavyweights. I will consult the former president. I know he is open to the voice of the youth as seen in his works while in office and this is the time for him to show again that he believes in the youth. Does the ethnic game on ground in Bayelsa favour you? And how would you ensure that you are accepted at the grassroots? I strongly believe in professionalism so I don't discuss matters like ethnicity or zoning formula. The incumbent governor is from my part of the state, he has used for years and I will also use four years. The choice is there for the people to make and they would make it rightly, I believe that we do not have buy people's vote because the people are wise now.

  • I’ll forever remain grateful to Alamieyeseigha – Jonathan

    I’ll forever remain grateful to Alamieyeseigha – Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has paid tribute to his former boss, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, for giving him a breakthrough in politics.

    Chief Alamieyeseigha picked Dr. Jonathan as running mate for the 1999 governorship election in Bayelsa State which they won.

    The former President went on to replace Alamieyeseigha as governor following his impeachment.

    He was preparing to seek re-election as governor in 2007 when he was drafted in as running mate to the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua in that year’s Presidential election.

    Speaking during  an interdenominational thanksgiving service organised by the Bayelsa State government as part of the grand reception in his honour in Yenagoa, yesterday Jonathan said he never dreamed of becoming  a commissioner in the state until Alamieyeseigha convinced him to become his running mate in 1999.

    “Without Alamieyeseigha, l wouldn’t have been here talking about being a former President. Nobody would have heard about Jonathan without him. So, help me thank him,” he said.

    He appealed to religious leaders and the Christian community to keep praying for him and his family saying that he would continue to contribute to development and nation-building by virtue of his current position.

    He commended the CAN President and other Christian leaders for their prayers and support throughout his Presidency.

    Jonathan who read the first Bible lesson from Luke 17:11-12 hailed his former aides for their services to the country saying that they all worked tirelessly to develop the country.

    He praised Dickson for packaging the grand reception.

    The thanksgiving service, which was held at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Ovom, Yenagoa, was attended by dignitaries from across the country and abroad.

    Governor Seriake Dickson and his wife, Rachel, Deputy Governor John Jonah, Alamieyeseigha, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson and other notable politicians in the state were in attendance as were over 50 former presidential aides including ministers.

    The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, led a high-powered delegation of Rivers people including the former Governor of the state, Celestine Omehia, to the event.

    President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor  Ayo Oritsejafor, received Jonathan and his wife, Patience, at the church.

    Earlier in his welcome address, Dickson said the people of the state were elated to welcome the former President and thanked the people for accompanying him to his Otuoke country home.

    “The significance of this thanksgiving is that we as a government felt that all the activities will not be complete unless we assemble here to thank the awesome God for the opportunity granted us to serve this country.

    “Our leader Jonathan did a great job and he has now entered into an exclusive club of national and international statesman. We know the challenges of public office but God helped him and we are very grateful to God”, he said.

    In his sermon, Pastor Uma Ukpai described Jonathan as “one man that remembers those who helped him when he was nobody. He was approachable and he doesn’t behave like a   Nigerian.”

    The highpoint of the event was a presentation made to Mrs. Jonathan by a group of Abuja women led by Onyeka Onwenu.

  • Compensation fraudsters flood Bayelsa

    •Sell ‘Shell’ forms at N1,000

    UNSUSPECTING members of the public are being duped of their hard-earned money in Bayelsa State by a gang of compensation fraudsters.

    It was gathered that members of the gang are selling compensation forms at N1,000 each to unsuspecting members of the public in Yenagoa, the state capital, and other rural communities in the state.

    The suspected fraudsters are said to be telling their gullible victims that the forms are meant to compensate victims of the two main oil spills that occurred from facilities belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Chevron.

    Specifically, they claim the compensations are for the Bonga spill of December 2011 and Chevron’s KS Endeavour explosion of January 16, 2012.

    An environmental activist and state representative of Environmental Right Action (ERA), Mr. Alagoa Morris, confirmed the fraud in Yenagoa.

    He asked Bayelsans to beware and report such persons to the police and other security agencies.

    “We know that even if there was going to be compensation of any kind, it ought to be limited to persons who actually suffered the negative impacts of the spill and not just for everybody.

    “We know the pains real victims go through and so we shouldn’t just watch fraudsters spoil a good case for real victims. We condemn the act completely and advise members of the public to discourage the act by reporting perpetrators to law enforcement agencies,” he said.

    Morris further appealed to the government to investigate and prosecute the alleged criminals.

    Describing the act as roguish and unacceptable, Morris said ERA had been inundated with calls of people who wanted o confirm the genuineness of the forms and claims of the fraudsters.

  • Foundation trains 220 girls

    IN fulfilment of its objective to educate and empower the girl-child in Bayelsa State, The Friday Konyefa Foundation, a nonprofit, nongovernmental organisation has sponsored 220 girls in Spice Catering School, Yenagoa, who graduated at the weekend.

    Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the Coordinator of The Friday Konyefa Foundation, Miss Tari Konyefa, thanked God for making it possible for the Foundation to train and support the beneficiaries.

    She, therefore, enjoined the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity provided by the Foundation by engaging in meaningful activities so that the resources put in their training would not have been wasted.

    Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Spice Catering School, Mrs. Ruth Ukwenya, expressed profound appreciation to management of The Friday Konyefa Foundation for partnering with her organisation to train the graduands.

     

  • Odi boils over compensation sharing formula

    Odi boils over compensation sharing formula

    •Angry youths attack traditional ruler, chiefs

    ODI, the community in Kolokuma-Opokumam Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, invaded by the military in 1999 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has again suffered violent protest over issues bordering on the sharing formula of the N15billion compensation.

    It was gathered that out of the N35billion the court ordered the federal government to pay Odi as compensation for the invasion, the community had been paid N15billion.

    It was learnt that 40 per cent of the paid sum was deducted as legal fees by the consortium of lawyers hired by the community to prosecute the matter.

    But the sharing formula of the 60 per cent balance was said to have pitted the youths against the community leaders.

    Angry youths, it was learnt yesterday, attacked the deputy traditional head of the community, Chief Ebitimi Karuiru, and other chiefs in the community with machetes following allegations of discrepancies in the sharing formula.

    The youths were said to have accused the Odi Invasion Case Committee headed by some prominent indigenes of being the brains behind the disappearance of over N600million of the money.

    The youths were said to be angry that the humongous sum was allegedly deducted from the money by members of the committee as payment for their efforts in securing the judgment.

    It was gathered that Karouiru was attacked at his home in Odi with machete and that his car was set ablaze.

    The youths, who were said to have marched the streets naked, demanded the heads of chiefs and notable government officials who shared the N600million.

    Eyewitnesses said that the youths bared it all, moved to the burial site of the victims of the 1999 invasion and invoked curses on persons accused of diverting the money.

    A team of armed mobile policemen were said to have been deployed to the community to maintain law and order.

    The committee was said to be made up of signatories to the N15billion Federal Government Funds.

    It was gathered that out of the missing N600million, the sum of N300million had been recovered while the balance was expected to be refunded by the committee.

    It was further gathered that the state government through the office of the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), had demanded for the list of persons who diverted the money.

    Jonah was said to have intervened in the matter at a meeting which had the community leaders and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Bernard Kenebai (retd), and others in attendance.

    A source at the meeting, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said:  “The issue of the sharing of the money has become a major issue in the community. If not for the intervention of the state, the Odi community would have burnt again.

    “At the meeting convened by the State Government, it was agreed that representatives of the women and the youths should be included for wider representation.

    “It was also agreed that the signatories should be changed and that N9billion should be domiciled in a special account pending the resolution of the issues.”

  • A ‘divorce’ long expected

    A ‘divorce’ long expected

    Patience dumps Dickson as the scales finally fall from the eyes of the ‘romantic pair of lovers’

    Like all such ‘marriages of convenience’, the political alliance between Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, finally collapsed like a pack of cards on October 23. I cannot say precisely when the ‘romance’ started. But not many would doubt that it was initiated by the governor, who must have felt he needed the First Family’s support to realise his political ambition. It was in furtherance of this objective that the governor appointed Mrs Jonathan as a “super” permanent secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service in July 2012, barely five months after his inauguration. She was one of the 17 persons so appointed. Expectedly, the appointment caused outrage in the country, with many people expressing misgivings about it and the extent to which the civil service had been politicised, because, clearly, such appointment is injurious to the civil service, which is supposed to be the engine room of governance in the state.

    Without doubt, it was an abuse of privilege which did not make sense in a place like Nigeria. What would the wife of the President of Nigeria do with the ‘peanut’ that a permanent secretary (super or ordinary) earns monthly, compared to the unlimited pork in the care of public office holders here? May be elsewhere, where public servants, including the president, are closely monitored to ensure that they do not have access to more than belong to them from the public till, such peanut could amount to something; definitely not here where public functionaries can spend and all we would do is keep wondering who appropriated the money for them and when?

    But Governor Dickson, like most public officers in the country defended the appointment; he even quoted the constitution to support his decision. The governor probably would have quoted another section of the constitution to support himself or even quote the same section upside down if he did not want to do what he did. The point I am making is that deep down in his heart, the governor knew he made the appointment due more to political exigency, even if he was not willing to admit that much.

    Mrs Jonathan’s resignation has however confirmed what many of us have always known about such ‘marriages of convenience’. Once the scales fall from the eyes of at least one of the lovers (which is more than enough requirement for a ‘divorce’) the ‘wedlock’ collapses. Since it takes two to tango, and since, as the late Chief Moshood Abiola once said, one cannot clap with one hand, the collapse of the ‘unholy wedlock’ was only a matter of time. That time came on Thursday.

    Those who feel the resignation might be to pave way for others to climb in the civil service must have got it all wrong. Since when did the First Lady realise that her appointment was blocking others from making progress, after all, she was appointed more than two years ago? Secondly, how can only one space given to her be the obstruction on the part of those deserving elevation in the state civil service? At any rate, what would it cost the state government to create offices for the deserving even where none ever existed; after all, again, there is a precedent already? For sure, Governor Dickson would gladly have created other offices if that had been the problem. So, that excuse certainly, does not hold water. Moreover, at 57, the First Lady still has at least three more years to go, given the retirement age in the state civil service pegged at 60. Why then would she be in a hurry to leave the system?

    In essence therefore, the only plausible reason that could be adduced for her resignation is that she felt she has bided her time enough and it is now time for her to come out of her shell which she had recoiled into a few months back, following persistent bashings she received online after the now famous blood that they are sharing (shedding) saga. Mrs Jonathan ‘s running battles with the governor have been in the news for long; apparently it has got to a point where she can no longer stay in her shell if she is to stop the governor’s reelection bid. Already, according to reports, she has her eyes on Waripamowei Dudafa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs. Dudafa, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Bayelsa State appears the only man that President Jonathan and former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha can trust and are therefore likely to back for the state governorship election in 2016. It would appear therefore, that Dame Jonathan is in charge of that flank for the election, apparently to allow the president concentrate on other areas that might not want to capitulate to the almighty ‘federal might’ in the coming elections.

    We cannot also forget that Mrs Jonathan is a veteran of political battles. Her issue with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is still fresh in mind. She bared her mind on the rift with Amaechi to 16 bishops from the south-south geopolitical zone who visited the Presidential Villa in July, last year. According to her, “This matter started as far back as four years ago at Anyugubiri in Okrika when I begged him not to demolish a part of Okrika but (that he should) dialogue first with the people. After that incident, he called the chairman of Okrika (local government) and sacked him for holding a reception in our honour; that boy was the first victim. He also put my people on curfew for nine months. I called him and pleaded with him but he refused. Then I began to hear all sorts of propaganda in the media against me; this is not the way …”

    It is a long story but the kernel is that Governor Amaechi stood his ground from the beginning to the end. No doubt he paid some price for that because his state was nearly made ungovernable by the powers-that-be. It could not have been worse for Governor Dickson if he had followed a similar course that is almost certain he would have to pursue now that the president’s wife is almost set to go for his jugular. The governor must have realised, perhaps belatedly, that there are some people like that who can hardly be pleased once they have made up their minds or have their minds made up for them. But my own take is that what the governor cannot tolerate as a big man, he should have been rejecting even when he was poor.

    Mrs Jonathan has by her resignation confirmed the saying that the cane that was used to whip the first wife (Timipre Sylva in this instance) was never thrown away; it was merely hidden in the ceiling. Now that they have need for it again, they are going to retrieve it.

    This however is contrary to what Mrs Jonathan told the visiting bishops on Amaechi’s matter because; at a time in her speech to them, she went scriptural. At another, she went philosophical. Hear her: “… I pray that God touches Amaechi’s heart as per his hot temper because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers …  Hebrews 12:14 urges us to embrace peace with all men without which; we cannot see God. Amaechi is my son; I cannot fight him, and I cannot kill him”. And the philosophical: “He shouldn’t be used by outsiders against his own blood because this seat is vanity. “One day, no matter how long it takes; we will leave this seat. Power is not forever”. Got the contradiction between words and deed?

    Anyway, all said, whether the forces against the governor would prevail or not is difficult to predict, but what may not be is the fact that even the Dudafa that they reportedly prefer today is coming to have the same comeuppance. It is only a matter of time for today’s lucky man to realise that he cannot please his political godfathers. Once upon a time, Dickson was the anointed child with whom they were well pleased. As things stand, the governor must realise that he has a lot to contend with. If Dame Jonathan could treat Amaechi whom she referred to as her “son” the way she did, then Dickson who is not her “son” should know what to expect. But, like all those who rode to power on the back of the tiger, he needs more than his present tough posture not to end up in the tiger’s belly, and to win the battle ahead. If the matter is about wars and chariots, he needs no soothsayer to tell him he is not in contention. He would be fought on all fronts – land, air and sea.

  • One month after, Sylva’s kidnapped uncle still missing

    •’I miss my husband’

    Thirty days after Pa Benson Adigio-Eseni, the 86-year-old uncle of former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva, was kidnapped by gunmen, his whereabouts remain unknown.

    The octogenarian was whisked away on a speedboat on July 28 around 2am in Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area.

    The hoodlums were said to have shot sporadically into the air and mishandled the old man as they escaped.

    The kidnappers contacted the family about two weeks after the incident, demanding N45 million ransom.

    They allowed Adigio-Eseni to speak to a member of the family.

    After negotiation, it was learnt that the kidnappers were given N5 million, but nothing has been heard of the octogenarian since then.

    A family source said: “We have fulfilled all conditions given by the kidnappers to set our beloved father free, including paying N5 million to them. But since we paid that money, we have neither heard from the kidnappers nor seen our father.

    “Immediately they collected the money, they switched off their phone. We have not heard anything from them. We are praying to God to spare our father’s life.

    “We are in a dilemma. We are now seeking a spiritual solution. We do not want to think negative because we hope in God, believing that he (Adigio-Eseni) will return to us safe.”

    One of the victim’s sons, Fabo, said his father could have been abducted to get at Sylva, who is close to the old man.

    Expressing concern about his father’s health, Fabo said: “My dad was down with high blood pressure. He was being sustained by drugs. The kidnappers did not go with his drugs and his phone.”

    The octogenarian’s 70-year-old wife begged the kidnappers to free her husband, saying: “I miss my husband. Until I see him, I won’t be at rest. I am begging the kidnappers to set him free. They should consider his age. Since they took him away, my life has not been the same.”

  • Mothering Sunday in Jonathan’s hometown

    Mothering Sunday in Jonathan’s hometown

    It was their day. Women worshippers in the President’s family church, St. Stephen’s Church, Otuoke Deanery in Bayelsa State, came gorgeously dressed for this year’s “Mothering Sunday”. EVELYN OSAGIE writes on the event which attracted Otueke indigenes from home and abroad.

    The classic song by highlife maestro, the late Nico Mbarga, “Sweet Mother, I no go forget you, for the suffer wey you suffer for me o!…” rent the air as men, women and children went about exchanging gifts and pleasantaries. Yet, it was no party. The celebrators were mothers who have served their families and society.

    It was their day and women worshippers in President Goodluck Jonathan’s family church in Otuoke, Bayelsa State turned out in large numbers to mark “Mothering Sunday”. Sons and daughters of the town trouped home for the event.

    The yearly feast, celebrates the importance of motherhood to the family and society.

    It was the women’s day of glory and they showed they knew what it meant to look good. They had set out to outdo one another in their dressings and the gifts they shared. Many wore white blouses and green and blue wrappers that bore emblem of the Anglican Church Women Guild, made specifically for the occasion.

    They had matching scarves and shoes. Others came in different eye-popping attires. The men and children were not left out: they were also gaily dressed. The event drew notable personalities, including the Obenema of Otuoke, Lot Ogiasa, Oke X; Bayelsa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Sarafina Otazi; Dr Celina Eze; the biological sister of President Goodluck Jonathan, Madam Obebtiatein Jonathan, among others.

    There was a shower of gifts. People, young and old, moved from one row to the other dishing out all sorts of gifts to the women.

    There was no discrimination. Even though this reporter was not a member of the church, she got a fair share of the gifts. She left with a bag full of gifts.

    It was a refreshing turn of event for the reporter, having been initialy stopped at the entrance by an usher, who bombarded her with questions.

    “Who invited you?” “Who did you come to see?” he asked.

    Wondering if there was a problem with her dotted white-and-black kneel-length gown or cream hat or if it was the church custom to treat visitors that way, she answered: “I was invited by a friend.” He took down the friend’s name and had ran off to confirm her claim, but not without saying: “Wait here,” before leaving.

    Stunned and amused at the same time, the children’s presentation calm her nerves and she resolved not to allow anyone spoil her mood. The day started on a refreshing mood. It rained heavily that morning cooling the hot Otuoke’s air.

    “I am sorry, please follow me,” came the voice that jolted her back to reality.

    As he led the way, she wondered if all guests were given such “close watch”.

    There was a brief announcement calling those paticipating in the dramatic performance to get set as the reporter sat down just in time to listen to Mrs Elizabeth Amangala give the New Testament reading taken from II Timothy 1:3-7 in which Apostle Paul enjoins Timothy “to stir up the gifts of God in him” while citing his mother and grandmother as worthy mentors. The women drama drove home the role of mothers in the life of a child, family and society.

    For the Vicar’s wife, Mrs Ipoton Eli, women are the bedrock of the family; and as such should live up to their responsibilities. Her submission was taken from Proverbs 31:10 to the end that urges women to build their homes rather than destroy it.

    According to her, Mothering Sunday is not only set aside by the church to celebrate motherhood but also “women of virtue”. While speaking of the importance of motherhood, she listed the qualities of a good mother, which she termed a “virtuous woman”, urging women, paricularly mothers to imbibe the qualities listed therein.

    She said: “The success of your home is in your hands. Whether it is to succeed or not, you have a role to play. Don’t leave everything to your husband. You need to walk together with your husband to raise your children. We saw in the drama what the end of a mother who abandons her family and one who does not is.

    “While one was cursed by her children at the end; the other received blessing and lived to enjoy the fruit of her labour. Let us lead our children alright. Only then can we receive the blessing of being a virtuous woman as we read in the Bible which says: ‘Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come’.”

    Mrs Otazi reiterated the Vicar’s wife words, urging women to be dedicated to God in their actions and service to Him. She said: “In the first Sunday of March I was here, and the Vicar said the Bishop had said that our “God is a God of impossibilities” and that with “Him nothing is impossible”.

    Today, the Vicar’s wife preached that women should do away with characters that will not allow them make progress by supporting the men to take care of the family. “If we serve a God of impossibilities, I think all we will need to do is to ensure we live rightly, do away with characters and behaviours that allow us to make progress and support our men for the development of the family,” she said.

    Madam Jonathan advised mothers to do all to give their children a better life, saying a true mother is one who cares for her children.

    “I believe one of the lessons the day holds is for mothers to live up to their responsibilities in ensuring that their children are well-taken care of. And mothers should support the efforts of their husbands. They should struggle to see that they do not allow their children to suffer.

    “My mother was like that, even though we were poor, my mother never allowed us to starve. She supported our father and worked hard to make sure we had food on the table. I think all mothers should be that way.”

    The speeches were followed with a thanksgiving service. The women danced out in style in appreciation of God’s goodness, while donating a blue canopy to the church. “The blue canopy is symbolic of the presence of God in the family and home,” said Mrs Eli. The day ended with an exchange of gifts. Children and men were seen presenting gifts to their mothers and wives along with other women.

     

  • Security upbeat in Bayelsa over Jonathan daughter’s marriage

    * Residents kick against roadblocks

    Security was Thursday heightened in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and Otuoke, Ogbia local government area in preparation for the traditional marriage of President Goodluck Jonathan’s daughter.

    Residents of Yenagoa, however, kicked against security blockade of some internal roads that lead to the Yenagoa home of the President.

    Passerby and motorists were unhappy that all the roads close to the Jonathan’s house in Kpansia area of the capital city were close to traffic.

    Stern-looking security operatives took over the roads and diverted traffic leading to chaotic traffic situation in Yenagoa.

    All security commanders, the police, air force, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), relocated temporarily to Otuoke, the hometown of the President to ensure a hitch-free ceremony.

    Dignitaries including Patience Jonathan and the Chief of Staff, Aso Rock, were said to have arrived the state for the marriage.

    The President is expected to arrive Friday for the marriage.

    Investigation revealed that motoists were groaning over the traffic gridlock that resulted from preparations for the marriage.

    The wedding was said to have taken toll on commericial activities as a popular market at Kpansia which holds on Saturday has been reportedly closed.

    Traders from neighbouring states usually gather at the market along Isaac Boro Road to do business every Saturday.

    Some traders who spoke with our correspondent decried the closure which they described as ill-advised.