19/11/2019
Congratulations to David Lyon.
We are thankful to God that the election was not as bloody as we all speculated. Elections or no elections, we are all Ijaws, and David Lyon is an Ijaw son. We should all leave political sentiments, fracas, clanishness, and cliques , and come together as one, to confront the real issues facing Ijaw Nation and its people.
Ijaw people should be more proactive in the quest to refocuse and reposition ljaw land for total liberation and development. We must redefine the last 20years of Ijaw backwardness and underdevelopment
since the advent of democracy in Nigeria in 1999.
I would like to remind the incoming Governor-Elect of Bayelsa State, that all his Predecessors must have started with lofty and patriotic ideas to lay the foundations for Ijaw Nation building. Mid-way through their journey, they derailed from their original vision. The new Governor-elect should avoid such disastrous mistakes that could sign the death warrant of his political career, as Seriake Dickson learnt from last Saturday's volcano that hit Bayelsa and Ijaw Nation.
The Governor-Elect's victory at last Saturday's election should always serve as a reminder to him as follows:
1) That no Governor is more powerful, all-knowing, all-knowledgeable and more patriotic than the electorate.
2) The Governor should be seen as the servant of the people always.
3) That the Governor should be wary of Elders, Chiefs, Political Advisers, Godfathers who always think about their personal interests, instead of the citizens they serve.
4. The Governor should disassociate himself and his Government from persons who by association, or have played roles that contributed to the failure of previous Governors and their Governnents.
5) The Governor should not use his office as a place to promote his clan and nepotism.
6) The Governor should be fair in distributing development across the 8 local government areas of the State, irrespective of people's political affiliations, as father of the people. It will help to promote unity and loyalty across the State.
7) The Governor-elect should run an all inclusive government made up of proven experienced persons with track record. Persons should be employed on the basis of merit to improve the quality of governance, professionalism and not political patronage.
8) Most of the abandoned projects from D.S.P Alamieyeseigha's time to date, especially the abandoned 5-Star Hotel in the heart of Yenagoa should be reviewed, and if found relevant to the economic interest of Bayelsa State, should be completed.
9) Ijaw traditional Institutions, Culture and Value systems need to be rebuilt as soon as possible. Many of our youths are totally lost and do not know or guided by the rich and true Ijaw cultural and traditional values that help to define the Ijaw character and behaviour. Ijaw youths are now covered in the cloaks of dependency and "gbeke" culture.
10) To attract foreign investors to Bayelsa, the Governor-elect should create the enabling environment (security, power, water, health, roads and lT infrastructure) and rebuild the battered image of Bayelsa State at home and abroad.
11) To revive the Educational institutions, specially, Vocational skills training Centres for the group of Youths in Bayelsa, that less academically inclined, to learn trades.
The Governor-elect should also review the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board and allow it to function without political interference.
Finally, join me to wish our Governor -Elect David Lyon, the very best of luck in the task of repositioning Bayelsa State for Greatness and bring, hopes of liberation to the Ijaw Nation, other minority groups in Nigeria and Africa.
Long Live Bayelsa State,
Long Live Ijaw Nation,
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Annah Buseri
