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…Jonathan, Abacha’s family and others honored as Bayelsa celebrates three decades of statehood
Daud Olatunji
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has conferred a posthumous award on the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha, crediting him with the creation of the state and what he described as the liberation of the Ijaw people from political marginalization.
Diri honored Abacha on Thursday evening at a dinner and awards ceremony organized to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Bayelsa State.
The event, themed “Celebration of Legacy”, was held at the Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa.
Bayelsa was created on October 1, 1996 by the Abacha military administration along with five other states.
The governor’s decision to honor the late military ruler is noteworthy because Abacha’s years in power remain a controversial chapter in Nigeria’s political history. However, Diri said Bayelsians viewed the former military leader primarily through the lens of state creation and what it meant to the Ijaw people.
Diri said the creation of Bayelsa brought together predominantly Ijaw communities that had previously been divided between different states.
According to him, the development put an end to what he described as years of oppression, injustice and political marginalization of the Ijaw people.
“General Abacha might mean different things to different people, but for Bayelians, he is the one who liberated us from oppression,” Diri said.
He added: “It freed us from injustice and gave a homogeneous state for a people who had been balkanized in various states and making us a minority in some.”
The governor said the anniversary is therefore not simply a celebration of the creation of a state, but also an opportunity to recognize individuals whose contributions have shaped the political and developmental journey of Bayelsa.
Diri said Bayelsa has seen significant progress since its creation, despite starting with limited infrastructure and institutions.
He recalled that the state initially had no tertiary institutions, but now has more than five institutions, including universities, polytechnics and a college of education.
He also highlighted the expansion of the state’s road infrastructure, noting that Bayelsa has moved beyond the Mbiama-Yenagoa single lane road that existed at the time of its creation to a larger network of roads, dualised highways and senatorial roads linking different parts of the state.
“Are we talking about transformation of healthcare? A lot has been done and we can rightly say that Bayelsa has made progress and is no longer where it was,” Diri said.
The governor subsequently honored 63 individuals and institutions for their role in the creation and development of Bayelsa.
Among those recognized were former President Goodluck Jonathan; the late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the first civilian governor of the state; Ijaw activist Isaac Boro; politician Harold Dappa-Biriye; former governor Seriake Dickson and former military administrators in the state, including Caleb Olubolade, Phillip Ayeni, Habu Daura and Edor Obi.
The ceremony was attended by former President Jonathan and his wife Patience, members of the Abacha family, including Abba Abacha and Fatima Gumsu Abacha, as well as lawmakers, diplomats, business leaders and government officials.
Jonathan, who spoke on behalf of the award recipients, dedicated his award to Alamieyeseigha, who had appointed him as his deputy when he was governor.
The former president acknowledged the progress recorded by Bayelsa in the last 30 years, but said the state was yet to reach the desired level of development.
“Even though we have not reached the point where we should be, I am happy where we are. I am happy that Bayelsa State has been created and that we have gained a lot,” Jonathan said.
Jonathan also expressed appreciation to Abacha for creating Bayelsa, saying the people of the state would remain grateful for the decision.
“Bayelsians will always remain grateful to the late General Sani Abacha who made it possible for Bayelsa to be among the last six states created by him,” he said.
The former president also praised Diri for marking the 30th anniversary by recognizing people who contributed to the creation and development of the state.
The ceremony effectively turned the anniversary into a celebration of Bayelsa’s political history, with the state government using the occasion to honor both political figures and institutions associated with its birth and subsequent development.
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