Sylva Begs Bayelsans For Forgiveness

Head of Service, Rivers State, Barrister Rufus Godwins (left), presenting a Merit Award to a civil servant in the office of the Head of Service, Mr. George Geoffrey, during Civil Service Week celebration in Port Harcourt, yesterday Photo: Chris Monyanaga

Bayelsa State immediate past Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva has pleaded with his kinsmen and women of Okpoama in Brass Local Government  Area to forgive him for not initiating  development projects in the area for six years he ruled the state.
Sylva, believed to be nursing ambition for another shot at Creek Haven, the seat of Bayelsa State Government, while speaking at a unity rally and reception held in his honour as a former governor and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, said he has learnt his lessons, declaring, “if God can forgive all our trespasses, I believe you will also forgive me.”
According to Sylva, his political travails in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that led to his being denied the party’s ticket to run for second term in office as governor and his return as the state Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have opened his eyes to the fact that only God can forgive.
According to Sylva,”If I have learnt any lesson from my travails, it is only the fact that it is only God that forgives. I have forgiven those that offended me,  and also urge those of you that I have offended to forgive me.”
The former governor, who described the decision by the traditional ruler and the Council of Chiefs in Okpoama Kingdom to honour him as “a blessing”, urged the community to consider the occasion as an opportunity indication for renewed unity.
“If you think you have sea deity, you have not seen anything yet. God is the only beginning for us. Today is not only a day for unity but it will bring development. Let us do away with plague of poverty. The Lord has blessed us. If you do away with it, it is possible because God said so.”
Traditional Ruler of the Okpoama Kingdom, King Ebitimi Banigo while conferring on  Sylva a chieftaincy title, described him as a true leader, and commended his ability to stand tall to unite his people as political leader.
Banigo, who described Sylva as a prophet not recognized in his home town, said, “Today, we are putting that behind us and recognizing our son as a true gift from us to the nation and the world. It is easy to sit up and take notice. But it is another to sit up and take action. He has turn displeasure into success. He is a man of incredible character.”
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of  Okpoama Unity Forum,Comrade Ebinimi Omubo, had said the decision to organise the unity rally to coincide with the chieftaincy title bestowed on Sylva was based on the need to bring together the  people of the community and forge a common front, adding that “the unity rally is to unite our people and we are grateful to God for blessing us with Chief Timipre Sylva.”
Political observers believe that Sylva, who was publicly stoned for non-performance during his tenure as governor has used the programme as launching pad for his new party.

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa