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The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has called on the Ijaw nation and other well meaning Nigerians to unite and re-strategise in the quest for resource control and restructuring of the country.
Governor Diri, who was represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the call on Thursday at the 9th memorial anniversary of the first civilian governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha in Yenagoa.
A statement issued by the senior special assistant on Media to the deputy governor, Mr Doubara Atasi, quoted Governor Diri as eulogising Chief Alamieyeseigha as a true nationalist who succeeded in building bridges of unity between Ijaw nation and other ethnic groups in the country.
He stressed that the issues of injustice, environmental pollution and economic exclusion which late Chief Alamieyeseigha agitated against alongside his contemporaries have not yet been achieved and called for concerted efforts to sustain the agitation.
According to the governor, Alamieyeseigha made indelible contributions to the development of Nigeria and the state and left behind the legacy of courage in the quest to improve the lives of his people.
Governor Diri pointed out that the departed civilian governor’s passion for the empowerment of the ljaw people led him to establish the Niger Delta University for their educational advancement, adding that Alamieyeseigha’s good deeds earned him accolades such as Governor General of Ijaw nation and Champion of Resource Control.
He encouraged the Alamieyeseigha family not to despair, assuring that they will always have the support of the government and people of the state.
His words: “Chief Alamieyeseigha is being remembered and celebrated today not because of his passage but for his heroic efforts and display of courage in fighting against injustice, environmental degradation and the achievement of the 13 percent derivation principle.
“Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha and his colleagues sustained the struggle for resource control and true federalism. But the question is: Have we truly attained his ideals? The answer is quite obvious.
“Therefore, there is a call for action. Let us restrategize and pursue the ideals for which Alamieyeseigha stood for. There is need for solidarity to pursue good governance; we must stand up for our resources”
In his lecture titled, “Economic and Political Restructuring, and Sustainable Development Nexus in Nigeria: Revisiting DSP Alamieyeseigha’s Position”, Professor Ambily Etekpe adumbrated that the agitation for resource ownership, control and management in Nigeria had metamorphosed into the current debate on economic and political restructuring of the country.
Ambily Etekpe, who is a Professor of Political Science at the Niger Delta University (NDU), posited that Alamieyeseigha championed the agenda for resource control when he realized that the bulk of the Niger Delta oil-wealth was siphoned to develop other parts of the country.
According to Etekpe, for Alamieyeseigha’s position to be achieved, there must be devolution of power, restructuring of institutions, a brand new people-focused constitution, reinvigoration of the state economy, amongst others.
The Alamieyeseigha memorial event also had a symposium which focused on the theme of the public lecture, featuring prominent scholars and academics, namely Professor Stephen Olali, Professor Philips Okolo, Dr. Timitimi Ebisinkemefa, and Dr. Oyeinfie Jonjon.
They submitted that many benefits had accrued to Bayelsa and the Niger Delta as a direct result of Alamieyeseigha’s dogged fight for resource control, such as the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme, the Ministry of Niger Delta, among others.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Technical Adviser to Governor Diri on Sports, Mr Opukeme Alaowei, Lady Love Amaseimogha, and Prof Steve Azaiki, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Africa, Toru Orua, Prof Barclays Ayakoroma.
Speaking on behalf of the Alamieyeseigha Family, Hon. Salo Akpoebide Alamieyeseigha, expressed gratitude to Governor Diri for making good his last year’s promise that the state government would continue to sponsor the annual memorial event of the late DSP Alamieyeseigha.
Dignitaries at the event included the wife of the pioneer civilian governor of Bayelsa State, Mrs Margaret Alamieyeseigha, top government functionaries, traditional rulers including the former military governor of Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Town, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and the Chairman of the state traditional rulers council, King Bubaraye Dakolo.
