The Genesis of Change Movement in Bayelsa

It is not always that a rich oil base as Bayelsa State of Nigeria gets to grip with such political uncertainty as at present. Since inception of the State in 1996, Bayelsa had been a politically predictable State. As it is with Rivers State, oil production means that the State is always a right of the centre State.None wants to take any risk with oil output of Nigeria and for this reason so much has been tolerated in terms of declining governance rating vis a vis other less previledged states in the South South and South East. Unfortunately, some of her deviant behaviour stood out policy wise like a sour tumb.It was always the international community and stakeholders that complain. Each time policy makers shifted to assuage the complainants and a new focus brings in a new government. What the policy makers at the centre could not flexibly do was to address the demands of the people for good governance at grassroots level because that was always seen as too risky for continuing oil production.


To trace the origin of this peculier political history of Bayelsa State is to go back to the anticidents dating back to old Rivers State. Everyone should be acquainted enough with reasons for the creation of Rivers state out of Rebeling Eastern Region in 1967. The reason was simply to cash in on the existing minority agitation to employ a divide and rule tactics to whittle down on the peoples loyalty to the then Biafran regime at Enugu. It worked perfectly for the mionorities rebelled against the Biafran authority and surrendered loyalty to the Federal side thereby ending the war. The most contentious issue was the newfound oil revenue and the Federal Government executed the war with it. After the war, those elements that were likely to be deviant from the policy of peace for more oil disappeared. Such radicals like Adaka Boro who muted resource control could not be accomodated in the new polity. Later on all other deviant but strongly people- oriented activists like Ken Saro Wiwa received the same treatment. Even notable politicians and writers amongst them went misteriously out of the scene.


The policy seems to be to develop the Rivers and Bayelsa State through direct intervention from the federal level. In order words, “we will take your oil and resources and work out enough money to develop you within the purview of our control from the centre”. The direction was okay during the Military rule that brought Bayelsa State into being in 1996. There was no question of deviation because the two twin (States Rivers and Bayelsa) existed under the harmer of Military barracks. Much Later in Civil rule,after quelling the few insurrections like the Ogoni and Odi amongst others,it became clear to the civil regimes that coercion cannot be kept abbey if "peace" was to be maintained in the oil bearing States. So since 1999, a collection of politicians who could bend backwards to accommodate this policy formed the ruling PDP in the two States. Occasionally, a radical comes along in their midst and leaves the scene with the same speed with which he emerged. Such notable politicians in our memory as the Dikibo make us think this analysis rings true.


Since 1999, the changes were drawed by the euphoria of democracy dividends for the people that no one really examined closely what it really meant in terms of the rights of these people to self-determination within the purview of constitutional federalism. All the leaders who sought to tow a different line as direct leaders of their people are disgraced. Think of Former Governor Alamieyesiegha of Bayelsa State because he was percieved to shunned policies said to attract foreign investment and tried to unite the ijaws as “Governor General”. You may not really include the presidential bid of Former Governor Peter Odili but it came under the same mold. When Governor Alamiesiegha appeared to shun such foibles as tree planting campaigns as well as the peer review Benchmarking for States in 2004,he ran into the brick wall of those who thought he should not be allowed to become too powerful outside the control of the centre. In essense going through history, the people of the Niger Delta never really mattered except in so far as they achieved an expeditious goal for the centre. Oil production was more important than their lives and property.


The culmulation of this developmental paradym was the rise in Militancy activities of disgruntled youths later hijacked by ecomnomic criminals to further the same subjugation of the people in another way. The Government had accomodated these knowing thiefs because it was difficult to bring on a case against them that was not indicting of the government itself. Therefore, the Amnesty came as the last resort to whittle down on the activities of these economic competitors of the central purse by spreading the largese to them. However, it was to be a temporary measure to gain time. There was no alternative to a restructured polity and economy except that it would give the Niger Delta too much right to their land and resources. What remedies abound? Were the legal environment stable enough were the polity able to absorb shocks, were the constitution federal enough, the best thing would have been to allow rights across board and impose appropriate taxation on those who receive oil wells as part of their landed properties in a new dispensation.


Yet what remains imperative is the urgent need for good governance in the Riverine areas. The mitigative step taken to assuage the people for a while in the economic and political representation leading to the election of a South South President was forced.However this situation changed the game plan of power speculators somewhat. Now opposition has come from the North to make his regime look worse than the rest before he sits back to really empower his people. Good governance in his native State is now seen as the the best step to equiping the President to begin to do the right thing for Nigerians. This commodity unfortunately is truly lacking in his backyard, Bayelsa state not necessarily because of those in power or their policies but the policies that brought them to power and threatens to sustain them there. These policies were inherently anti- people and yet without genuine mobilisation of his people, the President is lameducked!


So the options that face a President of Niger Delta extraction is to break the existing rule in order forcibly to establish a genuine people oriented government in this State as one of the biggest legacy he can bequit to your people. It is not enough to build Airports or Seaports, which the next government can close down for lacking in viability. It is not enough to attempt to pursue the policies of development carefully woven to keep your people in bondage. Even to secure reversals of these poliucies may be an uphill task. Nevertheless, with a good Governor, a knowledgable man at the helm in your state, you are sure of some level of autonomy in development policies no matter what happens at the centre. Perhaps this is what informs the frenzied changes pervading the ruling party; what has often been described as one of the most controversial State party primaries in modern Nigerian Political History.


Already everyone seems to have accepted that Dr Kubor could become the true instrument of Change for Bayelsa, a true departure from the band of prebendal jingoists we have become used to for so long. A fresh hand but experienced in the kind of governance when things were still in place. The new school of thought believes that Nigeria may be bad now but it was good sometime back and those who should be called upon to restore must have experienced the good to realistically do the job. Therefore, the operative word is transformation back to the good old days utilising existing resources. This calls for a true technocrat,a seasoned educator,builder and innovator. You do not need those born into this quagmire, those who see impossibilities because they are enmershed in them, but possibilitarians who can truly re-engineer policies within the space created by our constitutional and systemic limitations.


We need the grace of God in Bayelsa State. Let us pray to enthrone those whose aura spells progress,those who would rather make simple than obscure;those whose words can be counted upon ,those who can truly add value to the Presidents transformation agenda. Happily, the brick wall thinking that such a person must emerge from the ruling party PDP no longer holds water since the State branch of the party has become its own enemy! Now is the time to build a band of dedicated people around Dr. Kubor, those who value altruism not contractors because their period is truly over for Bayelsa State.


*Mr Godson Mande wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

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Articles by Godson Mande