Niger Delta

Govt, Ijaws Honour Bayelsa’s First Executive Governor

Published

4 years ago

October 11, 2022

The government and people of Bayelsa State gathered on Monday in Yenagoa to reminisce the life, times and achievements of the first civilian Governor of the state, late Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, popularly refered to as DSP.
The event was the 7th Memorial Anniversary and Annual Public Lecture organised by the State Government at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, with the Wife of the immediate past President of the country, Dame Patience Jonathan, in attendance.
Also in attendance were the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Wife of the late former Governor, Mrs Margaret Alamieyeseigha, the President of Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, traditional rulers, including the Chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, described the legacies of Chief Alamieyeseigha as indelible and unforgettable, saying he laid a worthy foundation under very trying circumstances for successive governments to build on in the State.
Diri, who was represented by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, noted that the Amassoma-born hero passed on at a time when the ovation was loudest as a true Ijaw son and political liberator who championed the struggle for resource control and fiscal federalism in Nigeria.
According to him, Chief Alamieyeseigha sacrificed himself for the first Ijaw man to become President of Nigeria through his doggedness and advocacy for the minorities to be recognised at the top echelon of national politics.
The State Chief Executive likened the leadership qualities of Alamieyeseigha to that of King Solomon in the bible, stressing that his predecessor was wise enough to lay the foundation for the political, economic and educational development of Bayelsa State.
Governor Diri also encouraged the immediate family to continue to take solace in the legacies their father and husband had left behind, promising to sustain the annual programme in honour of the departed hero of the state and the entire Niger Delta.
“When people say that Alamieyeseigha felt offended, I always reply, he was just fighting all his battles to immortalise his name as a David. He was also a Solomon, because he laid the foundation in which other governors have been building.
“He was a wise man to have established the Niger Delta University, initiated bursary, attracted foreigners to bring home investment and so he remained one of the greatest Kings to have ruled Bayelsa.
“He was also a Peter, who stood for resource control and stood by the gospel of resource control and he was crucified for it. He is an Alamieyeseigha meaning God does no wrong so it was the will of God that he passed on at that time.
“For every upliftment, there is a sacrifice that must be made. For an Ijaw man to occupy the presidency of Nigeria, a sacrifice had to be made. The blemish and appropriate sacrifice was Alamieyeseigha”, Diri said.
In her goodwill message to the Alamieyeseigha family, former First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan said the Bayelsa pioneer civilian Governor was a father to all who never discriminated against anyone he encountered.
She noted that the occasion calls for sober reflection and lessons to be learnt on the life and times of Alamieyeseigha, urging the people of the state to shun the pull him down syndrome that is hindering their growth and development.
Delivering the annual lecture titled: “Of Governance, Heroism and Nationalism:” Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha: Seven Years After,” the Chief Historian and Archivist of Bayelsa State, Dr Stephen Temegha Olali, eulogised Alamieyeseigha as a philosopher Governor who led his people from the front.
Also speaking, the General Overseer of Royal House of Grace International Church, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, re-echoed Chief Robert Enogha’s request at the event by calling on the State Government to put together a truth, peace and reconciliation commission as a unifying mechanism.
On his part, the President of the Ijaw National Council, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said Chief Alamieyeseigha earned the title “Governor General of Ijaw Nation”, by identifying with the pains and challenges of Ijaw people within and outside Bayelsa State.
In his tribute, the state Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, urged Ijaw people to see themselves as the true owners of the resources in their land and stop fighting one another over the pittance thrown at them by those who are not only oppressing them, but also expropriating their God-given wealth.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Chief Patrick Erasmus, explained that the annual event was put together to not only remind the people of Chief Alamieyeseigha’s achievements, but also inspire them to show love and support for every worthy Ijaw cause.
Others who spoke at the event included Alamieyeseigha’s sons, Ebipade and Selaike, Chairman, Bayelsa Founding Fathers Forum, Chief Benedict Guembe, Vice Chancellor of Bayelsa Medical University, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, Chief Austin Lugbenwei and a former National Chairman of Ijaw Youths Council, Chief Oyinfie Jonjon.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

Bayelsa Inaugurates Cttees For 30th Creation Anniversary

Published

4 days ago

August 3, 2026

The Tide

The Bayelsa State Government has inaugurated six sub-committees, as it begins preparations for the 30th Anniversary celebration of the creation of the state on 1st October.

Inaugurating the sub-committees in Government House, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, explained that Bayelsa has countless reasons to appreciate God for what He has done for its land and people in the 30 years of its existence, especially in development.

He charged the sub-committees to come up with proposals for the various activities and events for the celebration within the next two weeks in line with their respective terms of reference, stressing that strategic things had to be done to make the anniversary significant and historic.

According to him, the three-day programme of activities for the anniversary celebration, which will commence on the 29th of September, will be preceded by two weeks of commissioning of public infrastructural projects completed by the Prosperity Administration.

The Bayelsa Number Two Man further clarified that events penciled down for the celebration include a cultural carnival, boat regatta, anniversary lecture, sporting events, state banquet and awards night.

The sub-committees are: the Awards Sub-Committee, chaired by His Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo; the Sports Sub-Committee, headed by Hon. Daniel Igali; and the Lecture Sub-Committee, with Prof. Stephen Olali as its Chairman.

Others are: the Mega Praise Sub-Committee, jointly chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, and the Managing Director of Premium Trust Bank, Dr. Emmanuel Emiefenim; the Cultural Sub-Committee, headed by Rt. Hon. Monday Bubou-Obolo; and the Publicity Sub-Committee, with the Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, as Chairman.

by: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Niger Delta

NDDC Backs Federal Drive To Cut Maternal, Newborn Deaths … Trains Traditional Birth Attendants

Published

4 days ago

August 3, 2026

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has stated its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), with a renewed push to tackle the persistently high rate of preventable maternal and newborn deaths across the Niger Delta.

The Commission made the pledge during workshops for traditional birth attendants held in Delta and Bayelsa states, where it stressed the need for stronger collaboration between traditional birth attendants and the orthodox healthcare system to improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Speaking at the training, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, urged women to embrace modern medical care while leveraging the trusted role of traditional birth attendants in their communities.

Represented by the Principal Manager, Education, Health and Social Services (EHSS), Mrs. Dare-Oloko Kuami, Ogbuku described maternal and child mortality as an alarming public health challenge that requires urgent and collective action.

“The rate of death among women and children is alarming and must be eradicated. This training is designed to enlighten our women and should not be taken for granted”, he said.

According to him, the workshop was organised to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of traditional birth attendants in providing safe maternal and newborn care, identifying pregnancy-related complications early, and referring high-risk cases promptly to hospitals and health centres.

Also speaking, the Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. Patience Ezugu, called on women to take issues relating to childbirth seriously, stressing that improved knowledge and adherence to safe delivery practices would help save lives.

Represented by the Principal Manager, EHSS, Dr. Otokolo Fidelis, Ezugu disclosed that more than 300 women from Delta and Bayelsa states participated in the training and were provided with medical equipment and cash support to enhance their services.

One of the resource persons, Mrs. Gift Akitiri, underscored the vital role traditional birth attendants continue to play in many rural communities, noting that regular capacity building would improve the quality of maternal healthcare delivery.

“Traditional birth attendants are trusted members of many communities. By equipping them with updated knowledge, we are helping to ensure that mothers and newborns receive timely and appropriate care, thereby improving health outcomes”, she said.

A participant, Mrs. Franscica Odiakosa, commended the NDDC for organising the workshop, describing it as timely and impactful.

“I have gained valuable knowledge that will improve the quality of healthcare I provide in my community. I have also learnt the importance of referring expectant mothers to health centres and hospitals whenever a case is beyond my capacity”, she said, while urging the Commission to sustain the initiative.

Niger Delta

Uyo Club Inaugurates New Executive … Tasks Members On Service, Community Impact

Published

4 days ago

August 3, 2026

The Tide

One of Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious social clubs, Uyo Club, has inaugurated its full Executive Council to oversee the affairs of the association for the next two years, with a charge to provide purposeful leadership and make meaningful contributions to society.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at the club’s headquarters on Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, the President of the club, Prof. Sahm Etuk, urged the newly elected executive members to bring their wealth of experience and professionalism to bear in the discharge of their responsibilities.

He said members of the club expected the new leadership not only to strengthen the institution, but to also extend its impact beyond the clubhouse through service to the wider community.

“You have voluntarily presented yourselves for service, and we expect that you will make yourselves available at all times to offer the service required of you”, Etuk said.

The inauguration followed the April 2026 bye-election conducted to fill vacant positions in the Executive Council.

Among those inaugurated was renowned broadcast administrator and Executive Managing Consultant of Comfort 95.1 FM, Uyo, Samuel Enoh Akpan, who was elected Public Relations Officer. Akpan is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).

Other members of the Executive Council are Barrister Eno Inyang (Treasurer), Anthony Etim (Social Secretary), Christian Daniel (Welfare Secretary), Friday Ekpa (Legal Adviser), Christian Chukwu (Provost), Mmenye Udofa (Assistant Secretary), Otu Otu (Maintenance Secretary) and Macaulay Udom (Ex-Officio).

Prof. Etuk, a Professor of Strategic Marketing, Director of the School of Continuing Education at the University of Uyo, and Chairman of the institution’s Sports Committee, had earlier been inaugurated as President on January 10, 2026, alongside the Vice President, Dr. Nestor Udoh, a retired Permanent Secretary.

Other officials inaugurated at the time include Ndi Aquaisua (General Secretary), TPL Dr. Emmanuel Etuk (Financial Secretary), Dr. Imbur Terfa (Auditor), and Dr. Anietie Ekong (General Games Captain).

The President also inaugurated the Board of Past Presidents, made up of all living former presidents of the club, urging them to continue providing guidance and institutional support to the Executive Council in line with the club’s constitution.

Former presidents present at the event included Dr. Emem Umoh, Dr. Bassey Etuknwa, Engr. Mbosowo Orok, Prof. Ini Jonah, and Akparawa Ikpong Essien-Udom, a member of the Standing Committee of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

Etuk called on members to unite in pursuit of the club’s founding ideals of recreation, service and development, expressing confidence that the newly constituted organs of the club would strengthen its operations and reposition it for greater relevance.

Founded in 1935, Uyo Club remains one of Nigeria’s foremost recreational associations, with a membership that cuts across diverse professions and sectors of society.