By Pamela Onwumere
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, and children of the late former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, on Wednesday joined Governor Douye Diri and other dignitaries to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State.
The anniversary programme, held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa, featured an exhibition, anniversary lecture and panel discussion on the state’s three decades of existence.
Speaking at the event, Diri said Bayelsa had overcome the daunting terrain and infrastructure challenges that confronted it at creation, while renowned scholar and public intellectual, Prof. Godini Darah, called for greater resource control and an end to Nigeria’s overdependence on crude oil.
Other prominent guests included the governor’s wife, Dr Gloria Diri; Deputy Governor Dr Peter Akpe; and children of Abacha, including his eldest son, Mohammed Abacha, Abba Abacha and Fatima Gumsu Abacha, among other members of the family.
National Assembly members, state legislators, top government officials, traditional rulers and Bayelsans from across the state also attended the celebration.
Bayelsa was created on October 1, 1996, by the military administration of Abacha from the old Rivers State.
Diri said the state had made significant progress in infrastructure, connectivity and human development despite starting with difficult terrain, limited infrastructure, poor connectivity and a fragile economic base.
The governor said roads and bridges had replaced many of the waterways that previously separated communities, while the establishment of an international airport, universities and polytechnics had further transformed the state.
He said, “Today, where there was once swamp, we have an international airport. Where there were once creeks, we now have five universities as well as polytechnics. Where communities were separated by water, bridges and roads now bind us together.”
Diri also highlighted the expansion of federal presence in the state through facilities including the Content Towers, Federal Secretariat, Nigerian Law School and various security formations.
He acknowledged the contributions of successive administrations, stressing that Bayelsa’s development over the past 30 years was a continuum built on the efforts and sacrifices of previous leaders and citizens.
The governor disclosed that attention was being renewed on the state’s senatorial roads, while the Independent Power Project was being expanded from 60 to 100 megawatts.
He also cited the ongoing construction of a 30,000-capacity stadium and a nine-storey Secretariat Complex as projects expected to boost public services, connectivity and economic activity.
Diri said the anniversary should not only be about celebrating past achievements but also about building stronger institutions, creating opportunities for youths and women, protecting the environment and ensuring balanced development across the state.
He challenged Bayelsans to turn the sacrifices of the state’s founding fathers into a foundation for a more prosperous and united future.
“The legacies of yesterday must become the launchpad for the Bayelsa of tomorrow: a Bayelsa that is more connected, more prosperous, more just, more peaceful, and more promising for every citizen and resident,” he said.
Darah Demands Resource Control
Delivering the anniversary lecture, Darah argued that Nigeria’s dependence on oil and gas had constrained the development of other productive sectors of the economy.
He called for fundamental reforms to Nigeria’s fiscal federalism and greater resource control for oil-producing regions.
Darah described the 13 per cent derivation allocation to oil-producing states as “87 per cent deprivation,” arguing that the Niger Delta bears the environmental consequences of resource extraction while having limited control over its natural resources.
He linked the situation to historical and constitutional arrangements, including Petroleum Decree Number 51 of 1969 and Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution.
The scholar challenged Niger Delta leaders to move beyond crude oil by investing in knowledge, science, technology, research and value-added industries.
He advocated the establishment of specialised universities and research institutions focusing on oceanography, marine engineering and commercial aquaculture.
Darah also called for the conversion of natural gas into reliable electricity and the development of petrochemical and other industries capable of creating jobs and wealth within the region.
He urged state governments and Host Community Development Committees to channel Petroleum Industry Act funds into human capital development and transformative infrastructure.
The anniversary programme also featured a panel discussion anchored by the Vice Chancellor, University of Africa, Toru-Orua, Prof. Solomon Ebobrah, with Prof. Ibaba Samuel Ibaba, Professor of Political Science; Young Ayotamuno; and Prof. Ongoebi Maureen Etebu, Nigeria’s first female professor of mechanical engineering and former Commissioner for Special Duties.
An exhibition showcasing Bayelsa’s history, the struggle for its creation and the developmental milestones recorded over the past three decades was also held.
