CHIEF DIEPREYE ALAMIEYESEIGHA, PHD

EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE

AT THE 2004 BORO DAY CELEBRATION

ORGANIZED BY THE BAYELSA STATE

COMMUNITY IN NEW JERSEY, USA

ON THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2004.

I FEEL TRULY DELIGHTED AND HONOURED TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY AS YOU GATHER TO MARK THE 2004 ISAAC BORO DAY CELEBRATION IN THE BEAUTIFUL COASTAL CITY OF NEW JERSEY.

IT GLADDENS MY HEART TO NOTE THAT BAYELSANS, WHEREVER THEY FIND THEMSELVES, ARE RECOGNIZING THE NEED TO COME TOGETHER TO TAKE THEIR DESTINY IN THEIR OWN HANDS. I SALUTE THE IJAW NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF THE AMERICAS FOR THIS INITIATIVE.

I RECALL THAT IN SEPTEMBER 2003, I WAS INVITED TO LONDON WHERE I MET WITH A SIMILAR CONGREGATION OF OUR PEOPLE. TODAY’S EVENT IS A FURTHER TESTIMONY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING YOUR BROTHER’S KEEPER, BAYELSANS STAND TO BE COUNTED.

TODAY’S OCCASION IS A TRULY REMARKABLE ONE BECAUSE THE HERO WE ARE CELEBRATING WAS INDEED A REMARKABLE PERSONALITY. MAJOR ISAAC JASPER ADAKA BORO WAS A PATRIOT AND NATIONALIST, BUT HE WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST AN IJAW MAN. HIS UNQUANTIFIABLE SACRIFICE TOWARDS NATIONAL PEACE AND UNITY REMAINS UNSURPASSED IN OUR CONTEMPORARY HISTORY.

IF BAYELSANS IN THEIR VARIOUS ABODES HAVE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE AND TIMES, IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HONOUR HIS MEMORY BY HOLDING FIRM TO THE PRINCIPLES THAT APTLY DEFINED HIS LIFE. FOR, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, IT IS THE CAUSE, NOT MERELY THE DEATH THAT MAKES THE MATYR.

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT MAJOR ADAKA BORO DESERVED A CROWN OF GLORY. IN HIS SHORT BUT EVENTFUL LIFE, HE LEFT A RICH HARVEST OF ACHIEVEMENTS AS THE YARDSTICK BY WHICH WE MEASURE PATRIOTISM AND SELFLESS SERVICE.

AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, THE PRESENT HIGH TEMPO OF THE STRUGGLE FOR RESOURCE CONTROL AND SELF-DETERMINATION IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION STEM FROM BORO’S VISION AND PIONEERING EFFORT. EVEN THE CREATION OF RIVERS STATE AND EVENTUALLY BAYELSA STATE, IS THE FRUIT OF MAJOR BORO’S SEED WHICH HE WATERED WITH HIS BLOOD.

AS PROUD HEIRS OF HIS HEROIC EXPLOITS, WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO HIS MEMORY TO UPHOLD THE NOBLE PRINCIPLES BY WHICH HE STOOD. THESE SHOULD GUIDE OUR EVERY STEP IN OUR EFFORT TO MAKE OUR TOMORROW BETTER THAN TODAY.

THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND CULTURAL OPPRESSION OF THE NIGER DELTA REGION WAS THE PROPELLING FORCE BEHIND HIS STRUGGLE FOR SELF DETERMINATION AND EQUITY. OPPRESSION STILL EXISTS TO A REASONABLE DEGREE. IT IS OUR COLLECTIVE DUTY TO BUILD FROM WHERE BORO STOPPED BY FIGHTING FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE.

IT IS GRATIFYING THAT BAYELSANS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAVE MOBILIZED TO CELEBRATE HIS MEMORY. WE SHOULD, HOWEVER, GO BEYOND THAT TO ACTUALIZE HIS VISION.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THE BAYELSA STATE GOVERNMENT MADE SERIOUS EFFORTS TO PERMANENTLY ETCH THE LEGENDARY ISAAC JASPER ADAKA BORO’S NAME IN GOLD WITH THE INAUGURATION OF A FOUNDATION WITH AN INITIAL TAKE-OFF GRANT OF N5 MILLION, AND A 15-MAN BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO MANAGE IT.

THIS SUM IS GROSSLY INADEQUATE, CONSIDERING THE TASK AHEAD. EVERY AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE IS THEREFORE NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THE FOUNDATION LIVES UP TO EXPECTATIONS.

IT IS ON THIS GROUND THAT I CHARGE YOU TO LOOK BEYOND THE GLITTER OF TODAY’S CELEBRATION BY TAKING POSITIVE STEPS TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER THE PLIGHT OF HIS COMMUNITY AND THOSE DEAR ONES HE LEFT BEHIND.

THE BAYELSA STATE COMMUNITY IN USA, I AM AFRAID, IS YET TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF BAYELSANS AT HOME. I CHALLENGE YOU TO REVERSE THIS REALITY.

I ENJOIN YOU TO POOL YOUR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH CONCRETE PROPOSALS TO CHANGE THE FORTUNES OF THE IJAW PEOPLE, WHOM THIS LATE ICON WHO CLEARLY LIVED AHEAD OF HIS TIME, FOUGHT AND DIED FOR.

LET ME REMIND YOU THAT OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE FOR LONG IMBIBED BORO’S PRINCIPLES AND PHILOSOPHY TO PURSUE THEIR ASPIRATIONS BEFORE WE BAYELSANS EVEN REALIZED THAT WE HAD A PRECIOUS GEM IN OUR MIDST. LATER EFFORTS BY OTHER GROUPS IN NIGERIA FOR RESOURCE CONTROL AND SELF-DETERMINATION WERE LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM THE SCRIPT WRITTEN MUCH EARLIER BY MAJOR ADAKA BORO.

IF OTHER ETHNIC NATIONALITIES CAN EASILY ADOPT HIS PRAGMATIC PRESCRIPTIONS TO RESOLVE THEIR COLLECTIVE PROBLEMS EVEN WHEN HE WAS ALIVE, IT IS SHEER PITY FOR US, HIS HEIRS, TO IGNORE HIS LEGACY.

ONLY HIGHLY PRIVILEGED SOCIETIES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF A HERO TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF ITS PEOPLE AND EXPAND THE FRONTIERS OF DEVELOPMENT. THE YORUBAS HAD CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO AND THE HAUSA FULANIS HAD SIR AHMADU BELLO. THE NIGER DELTA TOO WAS FORTUNATE TO JOIN THIS PRIVILEGED GROUP BY HAVING BORO, A MESSIAH IN HIS OWN RIGHT.

THERE IS NO GAINSAYING THAT AS LATE STARTERS IN THE HARD RACE TO DEVELOPMENT, BAYELSA STATE IS IN DIRE NEED OF MEN AND MATERIALS.

OUR PROBLEM AS A STATE IS COMPOUNDED BY SEVERE ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OCCASIONED BY OIL EXPLORATION AND EXPLOITING COMPANIES, AND A TERRAIN THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP.

WE HAVE SHOUTED OUR VOICE HOARSE IN A BID TO GET A BETTER DEAL FROM THE NIGERIAN FEDERATION. WE HAVE WRITTEN OUR PETITIONS AND SEALED WITH TEARS FROM OUR EYES WITHOUT RECEIVING SYMPATHETIC HEARING.

FROM ALL INDICATIONS, IT WILL BE FOOLHARDY FOR US TO THINK THAT OUTSIDERS WILL COME AND DEVELOP OUR STATE FOR US. IT IS ALSO TOO MUCH TO EXPECT THAT THE BAYELSA STATE GOVERNMENT ALONE CAN SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS. THE STATE CAN ONLY DEVELOP THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF HER CITIZENS, AT HOME AND ABROAD. AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF BAYELSA STATE, I CALL UPON MY KINSMEN IN THE USA TO MOBILIZE THEMSELVES AND INVEST IN THE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS WE HAVE LAUNCHED. TOGETHER, WE CAN CHANGE THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK OF THE STATE.

IN PARTICULAR, I URGE YOU TO UTILIZE SOME OF YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY TO INVEST IN PROJECTS AT HOME. THAT WAY, IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR YOU TO TOUCH ON LIVES, REMAIN ON TOP OF EVENTS AND COME HOME MORE OFTEN. AFTERALL, EAST OR WEST HOME IS THE BEST.

IT IS ON THIS NOTE THAT I ONCE AGAIN THANK THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS WELL-CONCEIVED OCCASION FOR GLOBALIZING THE BRAVE BOY FROM KAIAMA. KEEP YOUR SENSE OF UNITY, BROTHERHOOD AND PATRIOTISM. WE OWE BORO A DEBT: TO SEEK THE UPLIFTMENT OF OUR PEOPLE BY OVERCOMING THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE FOUND OURSELVES

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

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