Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, their wives, and Judges from across the country, midweek, bade farewell to the late husband of the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Elder Freeman Ayemieye.
At the funeral service, held at the Saint Peter’s Deanery, Yenagoa, the former President and the Bayelsa Governor paid tributes to the late Anglican Layreader.
In his tribute, Jonathan charged political leaders to live lives worthy of remembrance, warning that no one owned the world or even his own family.
He said from the biography of the deceased, and the testimonies of the church’s Men’s Fellowship, the late Elder Ayemieye lived well and was a pillar of the church.
The former Nigerian leader said one of the striking lessons from burials was that everyone will die one day, and asked: when we leave, what will people remember us by?
Addressing political leaders, Jonathan queried if people would remember them for the number of people they killed or the number of houses they burnt down because they wanted to win elections.
He warned that as elections approach, Nigerians will listen to speeches by politicians, who will talk as if they owned the world, but in reality, they were just individuals.
According to him, “no matter how powerful you are, if you got lost today, nobody will remember you; nobody cares. Nobody should think that he owned the world, Nigeria or even his own family. Sometimes, you will be surprised that some of your children might not even vote for you. That is the funny thing about politics.”
In his remarks, Diri recalled how the late Ayemieye came to him and stood by his wife, Justice Matilda Ayemieye, during the period of her appointment as Chief Judge.
He said although he did not know the deceased before then, from the brief period of their interaction, he heard nothing to the contrary about him from every encomium poured on him at the service.
He said under Justice Ayemieye, the executive has had a peaceful relationship with the judiciary, stressing that the achievements recorded by his government were because the three arms of government in the state worked together.
The Governor also attributed the successes recorded by the Chief Judge to the support and peace from her late husband at home, stating that if there was no peace in the family, it would have reflected in her actions.“We know that at times like this, even when a wicked man dies, nobody talks about his wickedness. Everybody talks about the good side of the dead. But for the man lying in state here, from all the interactions we had, I have not heard anything to the contrary.ý
“Since that appointment, I have worked in peace and synergy with the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State and with the Judiciary. Any achievement of this government is because we have worked together. It is not I as governor alone. It is because we have worked together – the executive, legislature and the judiciary”, the Governor said.
Preaching on the theme: “Seeking God’s kingdom”, Bishop of the Niger Delta West Diocese of the Anglican Church, Rt. Rev. Nexon Enekeme, warned Christians against chasing titles, positions and material wealth, saying none of them follows a man to the grave.ý
Enekeme urged Christians to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and that every other thing shall be added unto them.
Speaking on behalf of the deceased family, immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, described the late Ayemieye as a very peaceful man, whose life attracted people from across Bayelsa State to his funeral.
Walson-Jack, who said it was an honour to speak on behalf of the Ayemieyes, described herself as a member of the family because of the close relationship between both families, having lived with them.
She stated that through her prodding, the deceased became President of the Port Harcourt branch of the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship because of his love for God.
She appreciated Jonathan, Diri and their wives for their support, prayers and encouragement during the trying time of the family as well as the Niger Delta West Diocese, Chief Judges of other states, and others that travelled to the state to honour a colleague.
At the funeral service were former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, Dr. Gloria Diri, Justice Patience Diri, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, members of the National Assembly, Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Michael Ogbere, the Chief Judges of Rivers, Delta and Oyo states, and other top government officials.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Technical Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Dr. Wisdom Ikuli, has expressed concern over what he described as poor information management and dissemination by government information managers in the state.
He called for improved professionalism, effective communication strategies and stronger engagement with the media.
Ikuli made the observation when he hosted members of the Bayelsa State Independent Publishers Association (BIPA), who paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Yenagoa at the weekend.
The governor’s aide expressed his regrets over the poor media management relationship on the side of those entrusted with the responsibility of managing and disseminating government information in the State in the past years.
He alleged that Government’s Media managers were not doing ormation about government policies, programmes and activities reached the public.

enough to ensure that accurate, timely and relevant information about government policies, programmes and activities reached the public.
“There’s need for a more coordinated and proactive approach to information management. Effective communication remained critical to promoting government activities, correcting misinformation and sustaining public confidence.

misinformation and sustaining public confidence.
“Information managers must rise to the demands of their responsibilities by embracing professionalism, building stronger relationships with media practitioners and ensuring that government information was properly packaged and disseminated through appropriate channels”, Ikuli said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Association, Mr. Ebi Ozegbe, informed Ikuli of the forthcoming burial ceremony of one of the association’s members, Elder Union Oyadongha, the late Publisher of “Banner News”.
Ozegbe sought for the support and partnership of the Technical Adviser’s office, particularly in strengthening the relationship between government information managers and independent newspaper publishers in the state.
“Independent publishers are important stakeholders in the information and communication industry. They contribute to public enlightenment, accountability and the promotion of democratic values.
“The importance of a mutually beneficial working relationship between our Association (BIPA), and the governor’s media office in enhancing information flow and ensuring that the activities of government receive adequate media coverage can’t be over emphasized”, he said.
Also speaking, the immediate past Chairman of BIPA, Dr. Francis Dufugha, expressed displeasure over what he described as the unfriendly manner in which some government media handlers relate with media practitioners, particularly independent newspaper publishers.
He observed that the relationship between government and the media should be built on mutual respect, openness, accessibility and recognition of the media’s constitutional responsibility to inform the public.
Dufugha lamented that some media practitioners were often treated with indifference by government communication officials, a development he said was inimical to effective information dissemination and constructive government-media relations.
The former BIPA Chairman called for a change of attitude among government media handlers, and urged them to recognise independent publishers as critical partners in governance rather than outsiders seeking favours from government.
He stressed that the media should not be engaged only when government requires publicity, but should be treated as an essential partner in the dissemination of information, public enlightenment and democratic accountability.
Dufugha further advocated a more inclusive communication framework that would accommodate independent publishers and other media organisations in government information activities.
The visit provided an opportunity for both parties to discuss areas of possible collaboration towards improving information management, strengthening media relations and promoting a more effective communication environment in Bayelsa State.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

The Cross River State Government’s Social Investment Programme (CRSIP) has urged journalists to investigate its activities and hold managers accountable to prevent corruption and ensure sustainability.
The programme’s Coordinator, Dr. Edem Effiom, made the call in Calabar on Saturday while briefing journalists on its implementation.
Effiom said media scrutiny was essential to preventing corruption and mismanagement, which had contributed to the collapse of several social intervention programmes.
“Journalists must ask tough questions, investigate possible irregularities and consistently mount pressure on government to sustain the initiative”, he said.
He warned that without public scrutiny and accountability, the programme could suffer the same fate as previous interventions undermined by corruption.
Effiom said the government had begun compiling a register of vulnerable residents across the state’s 196 wards to ensure inclusive distribution.
He explained that the programme targeted 150 beneficiaries per ward, comprising 100 conditional cash transfer recipients and 50 skilled individuals requiring start-up support.
According to him, the arrangement was designed to reach vulnerable residents across religious, traditional, women’s and youth groups, irrespective of their social backgrounds.
He said beneficiaries had started receiving N50,000 each, while challenges involving bank accounts and Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) were being addressed.
Effiom clarified that the payments were funded by the state government’s Social Investment Programme, not a Federal Government initiative circulating on social media.
He stressed that the N50,000 payment was neither a loan nor a conventional grant but an investment in poor and vulnerable residents.
Addressing concerns about favouritism in beneficiary selection, he said nominations from different social groups were adopted to promote fairness and prevent concentration of benefits.
He, however, acknowledged gaps in identifying persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, promising regular reviews of the register to improve inclusion.
The CRSIP is designed to reduce poverty, support vulnerable households, promote economic empowerment and improve living conditions across Cross River State.