The Bayelsa State Government has expressed its deepest appreciation to former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon
GCFR and his wife, Lady Victoria Gowon for honouring its invitation to commission two flagship projects of the Restoration administration in the State.
In a statement signed by the commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite, described General Gowon’s decision to accept the invitation to commission the magnificent and iconic new Governor’s office complex and the Ijaw National Academy, Nigeria’s largest state government free boarding Secondary School at Kaiama, as heart-warming as well as a massive boost and a mark of encouragement for the restoration government in the State.
The Information and Orientation commissioner was also full of gratitude to Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Ijaw literary icons like, Prof. John Pepper Clark and Dr. Gabriel Okara, as well as renowned historian Prof. E. J. Alagoa and other notable personalities for honouring the State Government’s invitation to participate in the commissioning of the projects and the highly inspirational and intellectual academic exercise at the Ijaw National Academy.
Obuebite, also lauded Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on his conferment and acceptance as honorary education ambassador to the state, and inspiring 1,000 future leaders of the Ijaw National Academy with his motivational words, disclosing in the process his remarkable journey to fame through literature and arts, and hailed the appointment and acceptance as as Honorary Education Ambassador of the State, noting that the decision of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in this direction would have a long time positive effect in the massive investments already made in the education sector.
He went on to express the appreciation of the Government to statesmen and elders of the Ijaw Nation, including Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark OFR.CON, HRM. King Alfred Papa Preye Diete Spiff and others Traditional Rulers, notable personalities in the Niger Delta like Tony Uranta, Ambassador Godknows Igali, and Capt. Sam Owonaro, the ally of the late Major Isaac Adaka Boro for all gracing the events, members of the National Assembly, Senator Foster Ogola, Hon. Douye Diri, Hon. Fred Agbedi and others in attendance, members of the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Friday Konbowei Benson, the Judiciary arm of government led by the Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri, members of the State Executive Council, Apostle Prince David Zilly Agree, clergy men, principals, staff and students of the Ijaw National Academy, opinion leaders, youth groups, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and Bayelsans in general.
Others are various women groups and organizations from all the three senatorial districts, captains of Industry from within and outside the state, publishers and editors of reputable media organizations across the Country, members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State and other states across the Country who attended the two-day programme from across the Niger Delta and beyond, adding that, the Government and people of Bayelsa State will remain ever grateful to them for their show of support, encouragement and solidarity.
The commissioner used the occasion to reassure the people of the State and her guests who participated in the two-day programme that, the Bayelsa State Government under the able leadership of Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson will remain committed to the fulfilment of its restoration agenda despite the harsh economic realities.
His words; “This is just the beginning of our project commissioning exercise, it’s a season of commissioning, commissioning and more commissioning as we will have more of our flagship projects commissioned in the next couple of weeks and months, including the 3.5 kilometre runway airport, which will be one of the best and largest in the country”.