The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has commended the people of the Ayakoro community in the Ogbia Local Government Area of the state for providing a peaceful atmosphere for development, and lauded the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for collaborating with the state government to transform communities in the state.

Speaking during the grand finale of the Ayakoro Annual Cultural Festival held in Ayakoro community on Saturday, Governor Diri expressed delight at the remarkable transformation in the communities, noting that “the progress reflects strong collaboration between the community, the state government and the NDDC.”

He said: “I commend the people for their peaceful disposition and continued support for our Government of Assured Prosperity.”

Governor Diri assured the people that the state government would continue to extend development projects to the area. He remarked that “Ayakoro will benefit from the ongoing Akaba–Ogu-Okodi Road project to boost connectivity and economic growth.”

He said further: “Our administration remains committed to ensuring that no community in Bayelsa State is left behind in our development drive.”

The Governor added, “We hope President Bola Tinubu will come and commission our 60-Megawatt Gas Turbine Project, which will provide 24-hour electricity in Bayelsa State.

In his remarks, the Chief Host and the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, thanked the Bayelsa State Governor for supporting the Ayakoro community in its time of need. He recalled that in 2022, when the community was ravaged by flood, the governor visited them to share in their pain.

Ogbuku observed: “When you stepped into this community, you wished us well, you wished us peace, you condoled with us, and since you left, goodness and mercy have been following us.

“Thank you for bringing blessings to this community. We know that, because you are here again today, we are going to quadruple the development we are seeing in this community.”

The NDDC boss noted that the annual cultural festival “celebrates the resilience and character of our people and their ability to confront the unknown, because one of the major difficulties of human beings is facing the unknown.”

“We are not only celebrating the crossing of the community because we were ravaged by flood erosion on the other side, but coming to this way again, you can see that we are doing land reclamation, which means erosion is still ravaging this community.”

Ogbuku stated that development would not thrive in an environment without peace. “The people of Ayakoro are very peaceful people, who believe that tomorrow will always be better.

“Since we have demonstrated that we are a community of peace, and you being a man of peace, we also need to be rewarded with more projects from the Bayelsa State Government.

The chairman of the occasion, Chief Obinna Iyiebu, applauded Ogbuku for the transformation taking place in Ayakoro community.

He said: “I must say Ayakoro community is blessed to have a son like Dr Samuel Ogbuku. I can see development everywhere in Ayakoro community. The essence of people finding themselves in certain positions in life is not just to acquire wealth for themselves but also to bring development to their people. Ogbuku has proven that by improving the Ayakoro community from the state he found it in, bringing development to his people.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Community Spokesperson, Chief Pureaziba Akpoti, noted that the annual “Eyal Obeyin” festival is a significant cultural event in the community, showcasing their rich heritage and traditions and promoting tourism.

He noted: “The Ayakoro annual festival has become a cultural tourism component called 'Eyal Obeyin' (Crossing), born out of the need to honour and immortalise the community's founding fathers.

“This annual celebration promotes harmony, collaboration, peace, and tolerance. It embodies the spirit of resilience and determination exhibited by the community’s forebears. By celebrating this festival, the community honours their forebears’ resilience and determination in the face of adversity.

•PHOTO, L-R: The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri; the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku and Dr Mrs. Amaba Samuel Ogbuku, during the grand finale of the Ayakoro Annual Cultural Festival held in Ayakoro community in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Update news