Diri sues for peace among warring groups in Bayelsa communities

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has appealed to warring groups in communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area and across the state to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.

Diri, who expressed worry over the different dimensions of chieftaincy crisis in various communities, specifically identified Agudama-Ekpetiama, Tombia and Akaibir communities as flashpoints of crisis.

He therefore enjoined the people to embrace peace and unity for the common good of the people.

Diri, represented by his deputy, Dr Peter Peretubo Akpe, spoke over the weekend at Gbarantoru community during the grand finale of the Okolede yam festival.

According to him, since chieftaincy issues are within his ambit as deputy- governor, he has requested his team to collate all chieftaincy issues across the state for resolution.

‘’ Bayelsa State is the safest state in Nigeria. This report is not from me but from security data and highly placed security sources. Therefore, I want to charge some communities that are still having chieftaincy tussles. Communities like Agudama treat yourselves as brothers.  Communities like Akaibiri, like Tombia, please treat yourselves as brothers and solve this problem amicably. As the Deputy- Governor that oversees chieftaincy issues, I have also called my people to collate all chieftaincy issues and challenges across the state, and we shall deal with them by the grace of God and resolve all ‘’ he said.

The deputy governor also raised concerns about the future of the Izon language, which, according to him, is going into extinction. 

He recalled that as a lawmaker, the House of Assembly made laws to encourage the speaking of the Izon language, noting that such efforts would be futile if the people did not make deliberate efforts to speak the language. 

Akpe listed training of Ijaw language teachers, compulsory learning of the language in public primary schools across the state, as part of deliberate efforts made by the ASSURED Prosperity Administration to prevent the Izon Language and Culture from going extinct.

“Most of us cannot even speak our Ijaw language very well. Some of us see this as a great challenge. That is why, as members of the state House of Assembly some years back, we made an effort to enact a law to ensure that the Ijaw language is taught in all our public primary and secondary schools. In all these efforts, would be wasted if we don’t start from the villages, from the homes. If a language is not spoken, you don’t use it, and you will forget it.  The Izon language is fast dying. It is going into extinction. So, we must intentionally, as a people, begin to ensure we bring back our cultural identity.’’