Bayelsa - History & Culture
Bayelsa State occupies the Southern part of Nigeria, making it very strategic in a number of ways. It has the longest coastline in the West African sub-region making the State a major tourists destination.
Created on October 1st, 1996 from the old Rivers State, it’s bounded to the east by Rivers State and west by Delta State, the beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean dominates its southern borders.
The name Bayelsa is derived from a combination of acronyms of three Local Government Areas within its confines: Brass LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa LGA (YELGA), and Sagbama LGA (SALGA). The state is made up of 8 Local Government Areas; they are Ekeremor,Kolokuma Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Brass and Southern Ijaw.
The beautiful city of Yenagoa serves as the Capital City which plays host to most of the Government and private institutions.
The four main languages spoken are Izon, Nembe, Ogbia and Epie-Atissa. Like the rest of Nigeria, English is the official language.
Bayelsa State has one of the largest crude oil and natural gas deposits in Nigeria. Bayelsa is often described as the cradle of Ijaw culture and tradition because of its rich culture and tradition that dates back to so many centuries.
See History Timeline
The name “BAYELSA”was derived from three local government area acronyms
namely Brass (BA), Yenagoa (YE) and Sagbama (SA).
1996
State Creation
Created from old Rivers State on October 1st, 1996 by General Sani Abacha. The name “BAYELSA”was derived from three local government area acronyms namely Brass (BA), Yenagoa (YE) and Sagbama (SA).
1949
First Military Administrator
Navy Captain Phillip Oladipo Ayeni (February 1949 – 21 April 2017) was the first Administrator of Bayelsa State, Nigeria after it had been created, holding office from October 1996 to February 1997 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.
1952
First Civilian Governor
Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha (DSP) (16 November 1952 – 10 October 2015) was the first elected Executive Governor of Bayelsa State as a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was sworn into office in 29 May 1999 and ran his tenure till 9 December 2005.
2020
Miracle Governor
Against all odds, on February 14, 2020 Senator Douye Diri, a trained teacher, businessman, social crusader, pan-Ijaw activist, politician and parliamentarian of the highest class, Miraculously took office as the fifth governor of the oil rich Bayelsa State in Nigeria’s Niger Delta.
Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro
“The Twelve-Day Revolution”
Boro wrote about his early life;
“I am reliably informed that I was born at the zero hour of twelve midnight on 10 September 1938, in the oil town of Olobiri along humid creeks of the Niger Delta.
My father was the headmaster of the only mission school there. Before I was old enough to know my surroundings, I was already in a city called Port Harcourt where my father was again the headmaster of another mission school. This was in the early forties.
The next environment where I found myself was in my home town, Kaiama. My father had been sent there to head a school yet again.” Major Isaac Adaka Boro
Our History
The 1952 Census Reports the ljaws of the Niger Delta region was recognized as one of the ten major ethnic groups with a population of 0.9 million. During the colonial administration, a separate province was created for them.
The amalgamation of Southern and Northern Protectorates in 1914 triggered the fear among minority ethnic groups of political domination; hence their agitation for a distinct state comprising the old Brass, Degema and Western ljaw Divisions, under the umbrella of ljaw National Group, started in earnest.
During the colonial period, Britain signed many treaties of protection with the chiefs of many coastal communities, especially the ljaws, with the hope that at Nigeria’s independence in 1960, a nation state would be created for them.
Between 1941 and 1956, many nationalist movements were formed mainly to establish ljaw political sovereignty. They pressed the issue of separate political sovereignty before the Willink Commission 1958.
In order to allay the fears of the ethnic minorities, the Willink Commission recommended the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Board (NDDB) to tackle the problems of underdevelopment of the area, environmental neglect and political domination. Despite the establishment of the Board, the agitation for state creation, based on the above stated problems, continued until the military wrested political power and control of Nigeria from civilians on 15th January 1966.
In February 1966, Isaac Boro, an ljaw son from Kaiama town, with Sam Owonaro, Nottingham Dick and thousands of their supporters unilaterally proclaimed a “Niger Delta Peoples Republic.” But the Federal Government brought the rebellion to a sudden end. On May 27, 1967, the then Rivers State (which was made up the present Rivers and Bayelsa States) was created.
Agitation for a separate indigenous Ijaw State continued among the ljaws and some of the reasons given included: environmental degradation occasioned by oil exploration and exploitation; continued neglect of the economic development of the area, political marginalization et cetera.
On October 1st of 1996, Bayelsa State was created out of Rivers State by the Sani Abacha’s military government. Its name Bayelsa was derived from acronyms of three functional Local Government Areas at the time: Brass LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa LGA (YELGA) and Sagbama LGA (SALGA).
Cultural Festivals & Events
Lake Efi Fishing Festival: A Celebration of Tradition and Abundance
The Lake Efi Fishing Festival is a vibrant and significant cultural event held at Efi Lake in Sabagrela, within the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. This colorful celebration, traditionally held every seven years upon the declaration of the Chief Priest, serves as a homecoming for the town’s residents.
The festival is a joyous expression of gratitude to the river goddess for a bountiful fish harvest. Key activities include captivating canoe rides, thrilling boat regattas, and engaging fishing contests, creating a festive atmosphere that brings the community together.
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