Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has called on diaspora Ijaws to instill the values, culture and tradition of ijaw in their children.
Diri made the call at the gala night to wrap up the 2022 Ijaw Diaspora Convention in Newark, New Jersey State in the United States of America.
“A man who has no culture is lost. The beginning of a man’s culture is language and then his dressing. So, I count on you to ensure the sustenance of the rich Ijaw culture.
“My physical presence here should tell you the importance I attach to the cause of Ijaw nation.
“I am equally happy with what this group is doing, bringing all Ijaws in diaspora together.
“Consciously, we must continue to preserve and promote the Ijaw culture and tradition wherever we find ourselves. That applies to all of you abroad”, he said.
Diri urged the diaspora Ijaws to support efforts of the government to attract investment opportunities to their state.
He used the opportunity to keep the diaspora Ijaws up to speed about development in the state, including the ongoing construction of the three senatorial roads.
“Through the three senatorial roads, we are connecting many riverine communities by roads. We also want to ensure that all our Local Government headquarters hitherto not linked by road are connected.
“For the Sagbama-Ekeremor road in the Bayelsa West, we are working to ensure the completion and commissioning during the 3rd anniversary of our government
“In Bayelsa Central, the Yenagoa-Oporoma road is progressing with the bridge to connect Angiama Community to Oporoma, the Southern Ijaw Local Government headquarters awarded.
“Just about two weeks ago, the last one in the East, Nembe-Brass road was flagged-off after decades that the road had been on the drawing board,” the governor said.
He urged them to ensure they work closely with the national executive of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).This he said they could do by adding their voices to trending national debates and promotion of the culture of the fourth largest ethnic group in the country.
In his address, the Chairman of the occasion and member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Dr Fred Agbedi, stressed the need for the Ijaw people to continue to unite.
Agbedi urged those in diaspora to always contribute to the development of their state back home.
The President of Ijaw Diaspora Council, Prof. Mondy Gold, expressed the appreciation of the council to the governor and other top Ijaw leaders for their attendance and participation.
He said that the forum had formed a strong network across the globe to stand firmly together for the progress of Ijaw nation.
Other dignitaries present at the occasion were Amb. Tijjani Mohammed-Bande, Nigeria Permanent Representative to the UN, Amb. Ben Okoyen, Nigerian Amb. to Cuba, and Amb. Lot Egopija, Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, among others.