Bayelsa State: A Sacred Homeland Beyond Politics and Propaganda

 

🔷 Bayelsa State: A Sacred Homeland Beyond Politics and Propaganda


— By Prince Agbedeyi Odimientimi Desmond | Global Egberi Media International

“Bayelsa is to the Ijaw Nation, what Jerusalem is to the Jewish Nation.” — Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli

🛑 Development and Strategic Importance Should Not Be Trivialized

The issue of Bayelsa State’s development and strategic significance should never be reduced to social media banter or beer parlour gossip. It is a matter far deeper than politics, beyond rhetoric — Bayelsa is the ancestral heartbeat of the Ijaw Nation.

Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, Technical Adviser to the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State on Media and Public Affairs, strongly emphasizes this in a timely reflection published on July 2, 2025. He warns against the growing trend of Ijaw people themselves participating — knowingly or unknowingly — in narratives that diminish the state’s worth and progress.

🌍 A Symbol of Identity for the Ijaw Nation

Bayelsa is not just a geographical entity. It is the Jerusalem of the Ijaw people, comparable to the roles of Kano/Kaduna in the North, Lagos in the West, and Enugu/Onitsha/Owerri in the East. These cities are not only cherished but actively developed, defended, and promoted by their people.

“When you value something, you promote and protect it. You do not subject it to public ridicule.” – Hon. Ikuli

🏗️ From Obscurity to Visibility: The Journey Since 1996

When Bayelsa was created on October 1, 1996, Yenagoa, the capital, had a single narrow road and just one outdated guest house. The state was tagged educationally backward. But 28 years later, Bayelsa stands tall with:

  • 🏛 2 Federal Universities

  • 🏛 3 State Universities

  • 🏫 1 College of Education

  • 🏫 2 Polytechnics (Federal & State)

  • 🩺 Colleges of Nursing and Health Technology

  • 🍽 College of Tourism & Hospitality

It now boasts over 100 renowned professors, Ph.D. holders in nearly every family, and thousands of graduates and postgraduates excelling globally.

🚀 Economic and Industrial Breakthroughs

Once dependent on sachet water and bread from neighboring states, Bayelsa now produces its own:

  • 💧 Ayalla Water

  • 🍞 NDU Bread

  • 🛍 Supermarkets and markets flooded with “Made in Bayelsa” goods.

The people of Bayelsa are shedding the cloak of dependency and embracing self-reliance and enterprise.

⛽ Feeding Nigeria, Bleeding for It

Bayelsa is the birthplace of Nigeria’s oil economy, with Oloibiri-Otabagi being the first site of commercial oil discovery in 1956. Yet, despite contributing over 65% of the nation's oil and gas wealth, Bayelsa continues to suffer marginalization, environmental degradation, and political subjugation.

This unjust reality is likened to the fate of modern Israel — surrounded, envied, and under constant existential threat. Ikuli warns that grand conspiracies are designed to balkanize the Ijaw Nation and erase its voice.

🧱 Gov. Douye Diri: A Messiah for the Moment?

Governor Douye Diri, often antagonized by hidden forces, is described as a God-sent liberator for the Ijaw people. His administration is laying the groundwork for an industrial revolution through landmark infrastructure such as:

  • 🛣 Nembe-Brass Road

  • 🛣 Yenagoa-Angiama-Otuan-Oporoma Road

  • 🏢 9-Storey State Secretariat

  • 🏟 25,000 Capacity FIFA Standard Stadium

  • 🚗 Glory Drive Phases 2 & 3

  • 🌆 New Yenagoa City Project

  • 🔄 Igbogene-Bayelsa Palm Ring Road

These projects are not just about aesthetics but about transforming Bayelsa into a global economic hub, especially with access to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Guinea.

💡 Vision Beyond the Present

Bayelsa has:

  • 🐟 Untapped potential for fish processing/export industries

  • 🔌 Capacity for hydropower plants

  • 🏭 Ceramics and glass factories (due to world-class sand)

⚕️ Innovation and Social Impact

Bayelsa is one of the few states in Nigeria deploying drone technology to transport medical supplies to remote areas. Its ASSURED Prosperity administration continues to make significant strides in:

  • 📚 Education

  • 🩺 Health

  • ⚽ Sports

  • 👩‍🎓 Youth Empowerment

  • 👩‍💼 Women Inclusion

  • 💼 Workers’ Welfare

🕊️ Call to Unity and Pride

While challenges remain, the narrative of underdevelopment is no longer valid. Ikuli urges Bayelsans and Ijaws to promote their positive milestones, unite for collective progress, and shun divisive criticism.

“Let us see and dwell more on the positive achievements of our great people and de-emphasize our weaknesses.”

📍 Published by: Global Egberi Media International
🖋 Author: Prince Agbedeyi Odimientimi Desmond
📧 Email: globalegberimedia@gmail.com
🌐 Website: https://globalegberi.blogspot.com
🗓️ Date: July 2, 2025

 

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