Kuwekuzi Aigbe
The Pro Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Amb. Godknows Boladei Igali, has recalled how the late military Head of State, late Gen. Sani Abacha, consulted the late King Geoffery Filinti Aganaba, before taking the decision to create Bayelsa State.
Igali also named late King Aganaba, Lucky Okilo, King Ere and Diette Spiff among the Ijaw heroes that built Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
Igali spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State of Friday, during a public lecture in memory late King Aganaba, the Ibedaowei of Kolokuma (1972 – 1997), Kalaokun II, who died 25 years ago.
He called on the people of Bayelsa to institute the culture of celebrating Ijaw heroes like Aganaba, who contributed to the creation and development of the state.
He said: “The role of King Aganaba must be ventilated and written on. I have not seen it in any of the literature. I have seen a lot of writings on who are the founding fathers of Bayelsa State.
“So, for those, who will write the history of Bayelsa State, you must put it on record that in taking a decision on the final course on what the new Bayelsa State will be, General Abacha called King Aganaba before taking that decision on the creation of Bayelsa State.
“For the founding fathers, Aganaba has a special place in the creation of Bayelsa State, He and late Senator Amatari Zuofa were neighbours with General Sabi Abacha on Abagana Street in old GRA while he lived in Port Harcourt as Brigade Commander. That relationship continued and played a part during the creation of the state”.
Igali added: “We have to do a little bit more on the memory of our heroes, of our fathers because people like King Aganaba did not sleep thinking how the Ijaw man can move forward. I do know the history of the 25 years celebration in Ijaw culture. I don’t know if the family even know the cultural value of what we are doing today.
“25 years signifies goodness, signifies beginning of abundance but to the ijaw culture after 25years, there was a special celebration of great men and that celebration though it was some years ago but the intention was to remind the other generations to celebrate them and the family has the biggest celebration for a man that has gone 25years ago.
“King Aganaba was a great man. The history of Rivers State cannot be told without him and in those days in Port Harcourt, Bayelsa are people that dominated and made it what it is in Rivers State”.
Read More: Ghanaian king visits Ooni for cultural cooperation
Also spoeaking yesterday, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, said that the dream of the late Kolokuma monarch, King Geoffrey Aganaba, for a prosperous homogenous Ijaw state is being fulfilled with ongoing development efforts in the state.
Speaking in Yenagoa during the 25th remembrance anniversary of the late Aganaba, Governor Diri remarked that his contribution to the creation of Bayelsa was remarkable and worthy of mention and celebration.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as commending the family for putting the remembrance celebration together, saying it is in line with the ideals of his administration to honour heroes of the state.
He stated that one of the greatest desires of the late king was to see the creation of a prosperous Bayelsa, which is now happening, saying he must be resting well knowing that his efforts were not in vain.
The state’s helmsman stated that his administration had a policy of honouring Ijaw heroes as evidenced in the naming of the newly built Bayelsa media complex after the late media icon, Ernest Ikoli.
He called on people of the state and Ijaw nation to unite and work for development of Bayelsa, saying no state can prosper in an atmosphere of disunity and rancour.
Diri said as the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, the Ijaws deserve at least two more states and tasked the INC and other bodies to keep the struggle alive, assuring of the support of the state government.
His words: “Twenty-five years is a long time to be forgotten. And even a longer time to be remembered. That we have journeyed here today in our numbers bears ample testimony to a colossus of a man who inspired the best in us all and bequeathed an outstanding legacy of courage, duty and excellence
“One of his greatest desires was to see the birth of a prosperous Ijaw state that will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest states in Nigeria. At that time, he fought relentlessly. He left every other thing and became one of those that stood for the creation of Bayelsa State.
“This man touched lives. His legacies are speaking for him. He was at the forefront of the liberation of the Ijaws.
“I like to on behalf of your government say a very big thank you to the Aganabas for this event. We must look back and look forward to a greater Bayelsa. That is the only way we can talk about prosperity. We cannot prosper when there is disunity. We must all come together to develop our state that God has given us.”
