Niger Delta
Diri Tasks Ijaws On Culture Preservation
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has stressed the need for the people of the Ijaw ethnic nationality to preserve and promote the positive aspects of their culture to enable them command honour and dignity.
Senator Diri stated this while speaking as Special Guest of Honour during the public lecture of this year’s Sagbama Ebila-Oge celebration in Sagbama Town, headquarters of Sagbama Local Government Area.
Represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Diri noted that a people without a culture were a people without an existence and future.
Underscoring the need for every community in the state to regularly organize festivals to promote the Ijaw culture, the Bayelsa Chief Executive, however, expressed concern that many children born in Ijaw communities in recent times could not speak the Ijaw language.
He stressed that language was the vehicle of culture, and as such, when a people’s language fades away, their culture automatically takes its leave as well.
He advised the people of Sagbama to be their brother’s keeper always and to continue to use their festival to unify the community, assuring that the State Government would continue to support and identify with communities that organize festivals for cultural promotion.
”Culture is the pride of a people. A people without culture is a people without existence.We have been so intimidated that we now live other people’s culture and not our culture. We are afraid that if our festivals are not regularly organized in our communities, at a point in time, we will be a people without culture.
“I am very sure that there are some children born in Sagbama here who cannot speak Ijaw. And that is not good for us as a people. Language is the vehicle of culture. Once your language goes away, your culture has started going out of your body.
“The Bayelsa State Government is committed to promoting culture at all levels. So, we are here to celebrate culture because we appreciate the importance of celebrating our culture”, he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, the Member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chief Fred Agbedi, described the Sagbama Ebila-Oge as a major unifying factor among the people of the community.
Chief Agbedi, who was represented by the Secretary of the PDP State Reconciliation Committee, Chief Austin Lugbenwei, said he had participated in several editions of the festival in the past and encouraged the people not to relent.
In his welcome address, the National President of the National Executive Council of Sagbama, Mr Ebi Evinson, said the creation of Sagbama LGA in 1976 and the construction of the erosion control “carpet” at the waterfront in the early 1980s were two critical events that necessitated the birth of the festival.
He thanked the Governor and other top government functionaries for finding time to attend the programme, and extended his appreciation to everyone who had made financial contributions to the celebration of the festival.
Highpoint of the well-attended ceremony was the conferment of the chieftaincy title of “Buluebitimi Amatariowei of Sagbama” on the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, by the Amananaowei of Sagbama, HRH Moses Ojo Magbisa.
The event also featured a special performance from the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture troupe, traditional wrestling, and public lecture with the topic, “Love and Unity as Imperatives for Community Development”, delivered by Prof. Barclays Ayakoroma.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
Niger Delta
Diri Appoints New SSG, CoS, Retains CPS
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has approved the appointment of the serving Executive Chairman of the Bayelsa State Board of Internal Revenue(BIRB), Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The state’s Chief Executive also has appointed his former Acting Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Peter Pereotubo Akpe as his new Chief of Staff (CoS) in his second tenure in office.
The Tide also learnt that the Governor has approved the retention of Mr Daniel Alabrah as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS).
A statement from the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah noted that Mr. Irorodamie Komonibo has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief of Staff (DCoS), Government House.
Alabrah in his statement stated that the appointments take immediate effect.
The Tide learnt that until this new appointment, the new SSG, Ayawei, is a Professor of Analytical Chemistry, technocrat, public servant and university lecturer.
He has also held the position of the Executive Chairman of the State’s board of internal revenue since 2016.
A further profile of the new appointees made available to newsmen by Governor Diri’s CPS says that Prof. Ayawei is also a former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The statement noted that the new SSG started his working career at the state’s Ministry of Environment before his appointment as member of the State Scholarship Board in 2001.
In 2002, he was appointed Chairman, Bassan-Koluama Rural Development Authority. While in 2003, he was elected to represent Southern Ijaw Constituency four in the state legislature, after which he became General Manager/Chief Executive Officer of the Bayelsa State Housing and Property Development Authority in 2012.
He has also been Commissioner for Housing and Rural Development in 2014.
Ayawei bagged a Bachelor of Education degree in Chemistry in 1995 at the then Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt (which was then an affiliate of the University of Ibadan) before obtaining a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry in 2008 at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State and later a Doctor of Philosophy in Analytical/Environmental Chemistry at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Amassoma.
He was the first PhD graduate of the NDU in 2016.
He also took up appointment as lecturer in the university’s Department of Chemical Sciences in 2016 and is currently a Professor of Analytical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, Bayelsa State Medical University (BMU), Yenagoa.
On the other hand, the new Chief of Staff(CoS) Government House, Dr. Pereotubo Akpe, who was the immediate past Deputy Chief of Staff and Acting Chief of Staff is a 1991 graduate of the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt (now Rivers State University) where he obtained a B.Sc. in Technical Education, specialising in Electrical/Electronics.
He also holds a Master degree in Administration and Planning from the same university and a Ph.D. in same discipline from the University of Port Harcourt.
Akpe worked in both the Rivers and Bayelsa States Civil Service for over 20 years and retired as Assistant Director.
He also served as Head of Administration, Office of the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State (2006–2007), Commissioner with the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Service Commission (2008–2011), a two-term member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and was Leader of the House between 2011 and 2019.
He equally held other offices as Commissioner and member of the State Executive Council in 2020, Deputy Chief of Staff (2020–2023) and Acting Chief of Staff (2023–February 14, 2024).
Dr Akpe whom many have described as an astute administrator is a fellow of several professional bodies, a 5th Degree Black Belter and Certified Kukiwon Coach in Taekwondo, and is currently the Pastor-in-Charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Bayelsa Province one, and a part-time Lecturer with the Redeemed Christian Bible College, University of Ede, Osun State.
Meanwhile, until his new appointment, the new Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr. Irorodamie Komonibo was the Principal Secretary to the Governor until February 14, 2024.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa
Niger Delta
C’River, Ebonyi Govts Resolve Boundary Dispute
In a bid to end the persistent border disputes between Cross River and Ebonyi States, the two States have resolved to unite and work for peace on the border corridor of Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and Adadama, in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The resolution was contained in a five-point communiqué issued after a meeting of officials of the two States on the inter-state boundary, held at Ebonyi State deputy governor’s office, Abakaliki, yesterday.
In a communiqué adopted by officials from both parties and signed by the Deputy Governors of Cross River and Ebonyi States, the meeting resolved to embark on sensitisation of the affected communities to desist from all forms of encroachment while waiting for the delineation of the boundaries by the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
It also added that the two States put in place modalities for joint security teams to patrol the affected areas.
The members agreed that the deputy governors of both States, who are also chairmen of state boundary committee are to reach out to the NBC to expedite action on boundary delineation, so as to restore peace and ensure that no further lives are lost and properties destroyed in these communities.
It also called for the revitalisation of Adadama-Amagu Development Association (ADAMADA), a group that had contributed to peace in the region.
The meeting, presided over by the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Patricia Obila and attended by the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Peter Odey and chairman, State Boundary Committee, represented by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State, Ededem Ani, was attended by a high profile delegation from Cross River State, including the State Security Adviser (SSA), Major-General Okoi Ubi Obono (retd), Head of Personal Staff to the Deputy Governor, Dr Chris Ojikpong; the Director-General of Border Communities Development Commission (BORDERCOM), Ngim Okpo.
Others were Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Relations, Chief Ada Charles Egwu; Head of Local Government Administration, Abi Local Government Area, Cross River State, Mrs. Eke Ani and traditional rulers from the affected local government area of the State as well as other relevant government officials.
The Ebonyi State delegation to the meeting had the Commissioner for Border Peace and Conflict Resolution, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor and Chairman of Ikwo Local Government Area, as well as traditional rulers, among other top government officials.
Niger Delta
Cross River Commissioner Threatens School Principals With Sack Over Illegal Levies
The Commissioner for Education in Cross River State, Senator Stephen Odey, has threatened to sack any school principal caught in any illegality, including imposing an unapproved levy on pupils or students.
Odey spoke during a reception to mark the conferment of a second doctorate on him and the launch of his new book, titled “Oil and Gas Pollution Abatement and Legislation in Nigeria.”
The commissioner, who said he had received reports of illegal charges and was investigating their veracity, affirmed that the various reforms introduced in the education sector were necessitated by the need for change.
“I am not tough but I am doing things differently; the old style is gone. One thing that is permanent in life is change and when people resist change, it means that something is wrong,” he said.
He further said that his doctorate in philosophy and law will help him to discharge his duties, while also declaring that there is a need for upgrading academic attainments and diversification.
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