By Dabid Owei

Bayelsa State Government on Sunday held an inter-denominational thanksgiving service to kick-start activities marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of the state.

The service, held at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, Yenagoa, attracted top government officials, religious leaders and stakeholders.

The service was used to reflect on the state’s journey since its creation on October 1, 1996, by the late General Sani Abacha administration.

Governor Douye Diri, who was represented by his deputy, Peter Akpe, said the anniversary calls for deep thanksgiving to God for how far the state has come.

He said while the state celebrates its legacies at 30, there is a need for collective introspection to reposition it for greater purpose and development.

According to him, “If you were around 30 years ago, I believe you will say in all things we should give thanks, and specifically for where we are, we should appreciate God.

“The founding fathers, or those who were there, who played one role or the other, who came to Bayelsa or knew how Bayelsa was at the time we were created, they tell you the story. Some of us who are around can also tell you that we are not where we used to be, though we have a trajectory of where we are going to. The speed of getting there needs to be accelerated.”

Speaking on his administration’s scorecard, Diri highlighted infrastructure development as a major achievement of the Prosperity Administration.

He said from 2020 till date, over 85 per cent of communities in the state had been touched by one project or the other, aside from legacy projects.

He listed the construction of internal roads, the opening up of road networks and the deliberate policy of completing abandoned projects as proof of growth.

“Bayelsa is no longer a one entrance, one exit city anymore. You can now enter from all locations and all angles. We have ensured that there is no project abandoned as much as possible,” he said.

He explained that the government’s philosophy is that public funds must be judiciously used for economic sustainability, adding that projects are executed with Bayelsa money and should not be wasted on political sentiments.

“Any project that we execute, we are only guided as leaders to ensure those projects are executed. It is our money, the money of Bayelsans. There is no need to waste it with political thoughts. Check that alone – we have completed almost all the abandoned projects,” the governor stated.

In a sermon titled “Help From God,” Guest Preacher, Pastor Kontei Krinya, said every human being, irrespective of status, needs help at one point or the other.

Krinya said the teacher needs help from the government for promotion, the government officer needs help from the electorate to be voted into office, the electorate needs help from the government for social welfare, while the doctor needs the patient’s prayer and the patient needs the doctor for healing.

Referencing Isaiah chapter 6 where God asked “Whom shall I send, who will go for us?” and Judges chapter 5, he said a crime was committed because the people did not consider the help of the Lord, noting that man’s help is limited compared to God’s help.

He said as Bayelsa celebrates 30 years, the state must learn to look up to God for help, as only help from above guarantees lasting solutions and peace.

The service featured prayers for peace, economic sustainability and accelerated development as the state prepares for the grand celebration on October 1.

The service had in attendance wife of the governor, Gloria Diri; wife of the deputy governor, Favour Akpe; Senators representing Bayelsa East and Central, Benson Agadaga and Friday Kombowei-Benson; House of Representatives members, Oforgi Oboku, Rodney Ambaiowei and Marie Ebikake; Leader of the State House of Assembly, Monday Obolo-Bubou; Secretary to the State Government, Prof.Nimibofa Ayawei; commissioners, local government chairmen and other top government functionaries.

By David Owei

The President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Benjamin Isaiah, has been confirmed among dignitaries expected to grace the activities marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State.

The confirmation was made on Friday by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Daniel Igali, as the state intensifies preparations for the anniversary celebration.

Igali said, “the presence of the SWAN President would add further significance to the celebration and strengthen the cordial relationship between the Bayelsa State Government, through the Ministry of Sports Development, and sports journalists in the state.”

According to him, “sports journalists have continued to play an important role in promoting sporting activities and achievements in Bayelsa, making their partnership with the government an important component of the state’s sports development plans.”

The Commissioner noted that the administration of Governor Douye Diri had demonstrated considerable ambition in the development of sports infrastructure and human capacity, stressing that the state would continue to require the support and collaboration of SWAN to achieve its objectives.

Igali said, “the partnership would become even more important as Bayelsa prepares to host the 2028 National Sports Festival, with major sporting facilities currently under construction and rehabilitation across the state.”

He stated that “preparations for the National Sports Festival had already commenced, adding that the state was positioning itself to deliver facilities and programmes capable of supporting athletes and other participants when Bayelsa hosts the national sporting event in 2028.”

As part of the Bayelsa@30 celebration, Igali also confirmed a series of sporting activities scheduled to take place at the Samson Siasia Stadium on Monday, September 28, 2026.

The programme will commence at 2:00 p.m. with an Ogele Procession from Government House to the Samson Siasia Stadium, where sports legends, young athletes and other participants will take part in a lap around the pitch.

The procession will feature a symbolic torch handover ceremony, bringing together sports personalities from different generations to celebrate Bayelsa’s sporting journey over the past three decades.

This will be followed by a novelty football match between the team of Executive and Political Appointees and their counterparts from the Judiciary and Legislature, providing another major attraction for spectators.

The grand finale of the sporting activities will be a wrestling competition between Bayelsa and Delta State, urging members of the public to come out in large numbers and join government officials, athletes, sports legends and other stakeholders in celebrating Bayelsa’s 30 years of existence.

By David Owei

Recent criticisms in some sections of the media over the pace and direction of development in Bayelsa State demand a serious response—not because government should be shielded from scrutiny, but because public discourse about the state must be anchored on facts, evidence and professional journalism.

The press has every right, and indeed a responsibility, to question government policies, interrogate public expenditure and demand accountability. But the responsibility of the press does not end with criticism. Journalism must also tell the complete story.

It is therefore necessary to ask: Are we reporting Bayelsa as it is, or are some commentators deliberately reporting Bayelsa only from the angle that suits their political narrative?

There is a growing tendency to reduce the development conversation in Bayelsa to what government has allegedly failed to do, while conveniently ignoring major projects either completed, ongoing or already commissioned.

For instance, the state government has reported major investments in roads and bridges, urban renewal, a 60MW gas-fired independent power project, the Angiama-Oporoma bridge and other infrastructure projects.

The 2026 budget also allocated 64.6 per cent of its expenditure to capital projects, with substantial allocations to works, education, health, sports and other development sectors.

These facts do not mean that the government should be declared beyond criticism. Far from it. They mean that criticism should be based on the whole picture.

If there are concerns about the cost of a project, journalists should investigate the contract value, procurement process, funding source, level of completion and expected public benefit.

If there are concerns about poverty and unemployment, the press should obtain and present the relevant data. If government promises have not been fulfilled, the media should ask when the promises were made, what has been delivered and what remains outstanding.
That is journalism.

What Bayelsa does not need is a situation where every development project is automatically interpreted through a political lens and every government intervention is dismissed before its impact can be objectively assessed. The same standard must apply to government.

Government must be prepared to provide figures, documents, timelines and evidence to justify its claims. It must answer legitimate questions from journalists and citizens. It must accept criticism where projects fail, promises are abandoned or public resources are not properly utilised.

But the media must equally accept its own responsibility. A journalist is not an opposition politician. A newspaper is not a political party. And criticism is not synonymous with journalism.

The credibility of the press is measured by its commitment to facts, balance, verification and the public interest.
Bayelsa is a developing state with enormous challenges arising from its difficult terrain, limited connectivity and years of infrastructure deficits.

The state therefore requires sustained development, not perpetual political warfare disguised as journalism.
There is nothing wrong with asking whether a road is worth its cost. There is nothing wrong with questioning a stadium project.

There is nothing wrong with demanding jobs, food security, better healthcare and improved education. Indeed, those questions should be asked.

But the questions must be accompanied by facts—not insinuations, selective reporting or political talking points.

Recent opposition criticisms of the Diri administration have focused on poverty, hunger, unemployment and spending priorities, including criticism of the proposed stadium project.

Those positions are legitimate subjects for reporting, but they remain political claims and should be presented as such rather than automatically treated as established facts.

Equally, claims by government about development achievements should be subjected to independent verification rather than simply reproduced as official propaganda.

That is the balance Bayelsa needs.
Our people deserve to know what government is doing, what government is not doing, what has worked, what has failed, what has been promised and what has actually been delivered.

The press must therefore rise above political camps and become the bridge between government and the governed.
We should not be afraid to criticise government. But neither should we be afraid to acknowledge development when the evidence shows it.

Bayelsa belongs to all of us. Its development should therefore be bigger than partisan politics, bigger than personalities and bigger than the interests of any political camp.
The duty of the press is to speak truth to power—but truth must remain the standard.