Francis Falola reports that the notion of Bayelsa State being the most violence-prone state in the country is gradually becoming a thing of the past as the state Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is confronting the problem headlong
If you want peace prepare for war, so the saying goes. Bayelsa State, the land of all glory, had witnessed many wars in the past going by the spate of youth restiveness and outbreak of violence in the state. A state believed to be the smallest in size and one of the youngest in the country was not without a track record of being the most volatile when it comes to violence. As crises of oil spillage pervaded the land, so also did the spilling of blood over bid for resource control, courtesy of the militant group in the state, the Egbesu Boys. Bayelsa, for several years, became synonymous with violence and cut a gory picture of a land dreaded by both indigenes and non-indigenes alike who lived with their hearts in their mouths over continuous fear of an outbreak of violence.
Bayelsa State, created eight years ago by the then military Head of State, Late Gen. Sani Abacha, is one of the oil-producing states in the country with over 90 per cent of its inhabitants predominantly fishermen. The state came into limelight in 1998 as a result of persistent civil disturbances ranging from seizure of oil flow stations by aggrieved youths, communal clashes to unjustified killings of innocent people. The situation climaxed as many oil producing companies operating in the state, which was then nicknamed �trouble spot,� threatened to leave the state. The Federal Government then in addressing the problem applied its military might by drafting soldiers to the state to restore normalcy. But the Egbesu Boys were undeterred by the presence of the military men as they kept on launching their attacks unabated.
The situation culminated in the postponement of the 1999 general elections that brought in Diepreye Alamieyeseigha as the first civilian governor of the state. Shortly after the election of the governor, there was a break down of law and order in Odi, Odi Local Government Area. Some policemen were allegedly killed by irate youths. President Olusegun Obasanjo, who decried the situation, deployed military men to the trouble spots, resulting in what is today known as the �Odi massacre.� The state in those days cut a fiery image that Obasanjo once jokingly referred to Alamieyeseigha as �Egbesu governor.�
The governor, not happy with the development, set a machinery in motion to tackle the problem of general insecurity and outbreak of violence in the state. Bayelsa Volunteers, comprising youths in the state, was founded to curb restiveness among the youths. Radio jingles and messages on broadcast media rent the air on the need for the people to embrace peace in the interest of development of the state. The setting up of the group and the creation of awareness paid off as there was an emergence of a new beginning. Peace started creeping in. A new wind of change started blowing across the oil-rich state.
A community, Beletiama, which had been on the warpath with the people of Ekpetiama, over the alleged killing of a woman from Beletiama community, were re-united by Alamieyeseigha. The communal clash, it was gathered, led to the killing of over 500 people from both communities. Before the intervention of the governor, the inhabitants of the communities had fled to neighbouring states such as Delta, Edo, Ondo and Rivers. Beletiama and Ekpetiama were then turned to ghost villages inhabited by serpents and rodents. But today, the people have started settling down again and picking up from the bits of the ruins. Alamieyeseigha in his crisis management efforts mandated the Ministry of Special Duties to cover the three senatorial districts in the state namely, Bayelsa East, Central and West and unite the various warring communities. He urged the ministry to bring them together for the progress and development of the young state. All these efforts were fruitful as several warring communities were brought together.
The youths of the state were also appreciative of the governor�s efforts in handling the problem of youth restiveness in the state. Such efforts is depicted in the painstaking moves of Alamieyeseigha in 2003 in ensuring the release of the 33 youths of Foropah, Akassa Local Government Area of the state, who were arrested by naval officers for seizing the oil flow stations of one of the big oil companies in the country. The youths, who accused the oil company of insensitivity towards the plight of the host communities, were arrested and taken to Abuja before the governor went to the federal capital to seek their release.
The governor during the recent visit of the Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, where Odili solicited his cooperation towards preventing further outbreak of violence in Port Harcourt, reiterated his resolve to join forces with the governors of the Niger Delta region in ensuring that enduring peace reigns in the region. He expressed his belief in the fact that no meaningful development could take place in any society in an atmosphere of rancour and violence.
Just about three months ago, Alamieyeseigha was on an entourage of the Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to United Kingdom when another crisis broke out as deprived workers of an oil-service company held 11 expatriates of French nationality hostage, in Sangana, Brass Local Government Area of the state. The aggrieved workers accused the management of the company of breach of contractual agreement. Obasanjo, it was gathered, heard of the situation and called Alamieyeseigha to cut short his trip and wade in to secure the release of the men. The governor then took the next available flight to the country and personally moved to the trouble spot to meet the aggrieved workers and secure the release of the expatriates.
The governor, who had to take an open speedboat to Sangana, as the community was not accessible by road, was drenched by a downpour. Recounting the experience in an interview, Alamieyeseigha stated, �Immediately I got the President�s call, I had to take the next available flight back to the country and then proceeded to the area. For two hours, I was on the high sea right in the Atlantic Ocean. In all my life, I have never seen what I went through while going to Sangana. It was scaring. Our boat was nearly torn to pieces by the sea waves. I was completely drenched by downpour. When we got to the place, I was lifted to the platform through a crane, where I eventually had access to where these gentlemen (the expatriates) were with the workers. I was received very well with ovation as if they were expecting a saviour. I held consultations with the workers, not negotiation. And having listened to the workers, I came to the conclusion that they were not fairly treated, they were being treated like animals, working in a very dehumanising condition. But again, I believed the workers were wrong as the laid down conflicts resolution process was not followed. That was the area they went wrong. I asked them to hand over the expatriate workers to me, which they did without hesitation.�
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Steve Azaiki, while commenting on the prompt response of the governor in handling the issue, commended the governor for staking his life for the release of the expatriates. Azaiki said, �The boat in which the governor travelled nearly capsized. But as a man of valour, he never looked back as what pre-occupied his mind was how to secure the release of the expatriates so as to justify the confidence reposed in him by Mr. President. With the bravery displayed by the governor, he deserves to be given a national honour.�
Obasanjo, who was highly pleased with the release of the expatriates, sent a letter of commendation to Alamieyeseigha, the second of such in less than three years. In the first letter written on the relative peace that now reigns in the state, Obasanjo stated, �I appreciate the effort that you have made in concert with the various community leaders and associations in the Ijaw nation to ensure that irrespective of social demarcation and differences they eschew violence and confrontation as a means of resolving problems.�
In the recent letter on the role played by the state governor in securing the release of the expatriates, Obasanjo wrote, �Your expeditious response to my summons occasioning your immediate return from your overseas trip, your quick and effective intervention in the situation and the successful negotiation with aggrieved workers, resulted in the prompt resolution of the crisis in a way that has served the best interest of our nation. The nation owes you a gratitude.�
Judging by these developments, it is not surprising as gratitude and commendation started trooping in for Alamieyeseigha. Three weeks ago, he was awarded with the Best Governor on Security Matters by Security Watch in conjunction with the African Independent Television. Not only this, the Nigerian Defence Academy, while marking its 40th anniversary on September 25 listed the Bayelsa State governor as one of its alumni to be honoured for lofty contributions in their various fields of human endeavour.
In his response to the decision of the Academy to include him in the list of those to be honoured, Alamieyeseigha described the institution as symbolising national pride and power and expressed great happiness over the honour done to him.
But apart from the honours, a lot of Bayelsans see the efforts of the governor in stemming the tide of violence in the state as capable of encouraging investors and quickening the pace of development in the young state.
