In Bayelsa, Corruption Meets Greed!
Governor Timipre Sylva of the oil rich Bayelsa State engraves the image of a young and dynamic leader with enormous dexterity, mental alertness and intelligence judging from his public outings and speeches since he became the Governor of the state in May 29 2007. Also the state has comparatively witnessed some level of advancement in terms of policy direction. Being a state that is highly being misunderstood as a cash cow with huge wealth in its kitty without considering the developmental challenges facing the young state, the Governor has successfully put off the mindset of the populace from outright begging that was institutionalized by the previous administrations to meaningful and viable initiatives of contributing their quota to the development of the state instead of milking the state dry. For instance recent events in the state have shown that the government is still battling with some recalcitrant youths and elders alike who, albeit shamelessly have failed to come to terms with the present realities.
It was on the basis of the above that the Governor recently pleaded with all Bayelsans to team up and fight the scourge of wastefulness and corruption in the gap of ‘gbege’ (begging) that bestrides the state like colossus in the recent past. It was on record that the Governor out – rightly banned statement such as “I am loyal” to massage government officials’ ego, to rather dutiful statement like “I am committed to serve my state”. The effort paid off shortly after as the Governor publicly declared that the government had now railroaded the combined government revenue expenditure to 50% capital and 50% recurrent expenditure with a spirited attempt to achieve 70/30% ratio in the nearest future.
Despite Governor Sylva’s avowed commitment to change the fortune of Bayelsa and Bayelsans as illustrated above, right under his nose, some highly placed individuals in his administration have advertently also vowed to discredit his government by acquiring primitive wealth at the expense of the impoverished majority in the state. This, of course cast a lot of doubt on the integrity and sincerity of purpose of the governor himself even though no case of selfish aggrandizement has so far been traced to him personally. Since Governor Sylva is the head of the governing ‘Covenant Mandate’ in the state, we can not but heap the blame on his Excellency’s table.
Whether rightly or wrongly, Bayelsa is seen as a state where corruption is monumentally endemic. It is also seen as a way business is being done. Corruption is the acceptable weapon of sealing deal, securing contract, facilitating business and ensuring you get whatever it is you are looking for. And what is done in ‘the glory of all lands’ that is fast becoming ‘the corrupt base of all lands’ will stun many Nigerians. Some examples will illustrate this point.
If poor and weather–beaten Bayelsans weep in deep groans and silent tears because one of the most corrupt elements of Sylva’s administration, presides in the Creek Haven (Bayelsa State Government House) as Permanent Secretary right under the Governors’ nose, they definitely will register their grievances publicly at the likes of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) who confidently sat on teachers salary for four months all in the name of carrying out staff audit, thereby making stupendous gains out of the huge millions of naira she deposited in a fixed account. Bayelsans are even more aghast at the rationale behind the continuous stay of Sylva’s commissioner in charge of Health, who despite public rage and outcry can hold on to Chief Melford Okilo’s medical bills after the money was duly approved by his Excellency. How can Bayelsans exonerate governor Sylva from all these as far as these men are still serving in his government? In a letter personally signed by Chief Okilo, the first civilian governor of old Rivers state, the elder statesman narrated his pains and anguish as he battles with ill health to secure medical assistance from a state that was a mere local government when he served as governor between 1979 – 1983.
Reminiscent of D S P Alamieyeseigha’s hatchetman’s days, Chief Ebifemowei Abel (T.O), the permanent secretary has been going about government business in a gestapo style, intimidating staffers and telling whoever that cares to listen that he is a brother to the governor, therefore to hell with everybody. These three classic cases of amorphous collage of looters and corrupt government officials, led by Governor Timipre Sylva’s own Permanent Secretary have watered down the administration avowed zero – tolerance to corruption and also a far cry from the government’s stance on due process and people-oriented government as encapsulated in the administration’s 10 points agenda. How else can one explain the stupendous wealth being flaunted by the ‘clergy’–Permanent Secretary within few months in office to the consternation of impoverished Bayelsans? His wealth flaunting technique is so conspicuous and dull that observers wonder if the government is deaf to public outcry. This so called clergyman lives in unabashed opulence classic of Mephistophelean sarcasm theory – individual success in the midst of communal failure! What a shame. Within few months in office, any government official that audaciously acquires over 50 plots of land with unrelenting attempt to set family and communal disharmony by offering mouth watering prices to buy choice properties should be investigated by any sincere government. The government repeatedly tells Bayelsans that it is no longer business as usual, who then provided the Government House permanent secretary with the latest BMW coupe worth 10 million naira that has set tongues wagging in Yenagoa, the state capital?
The case of teachers is pathetic in the sense that, not only did social disequilibrium arrive, teachers dropped dead while waiting for their salaries. While government steps up effort to look into the most wicked of all fraud in the state, governor Sylva should know that a league of Buccaneers have taken over access and control of the state he presides as chief executive. Or is he aiding and abetting them? At this juncture, the administration’s rendezvous with greatness as preached by governor Sylva on a daily basis is automatically postponed ad infinitum – now governor Sylva can renegotiate a new appointment with corrupt government officials who relish poverty, social dissonance and pillage to their people with reckless abandon.
Today Bayelsa state passes for an essential arena where corruption meets greed because of the negative activities of these unpatriotic citizens. This is a stinking morass where rottenness and decadence embrace each other. In Bayelsa at the moment, ethics and decorum are victims of arrant disregard. Despite Governor Sylva’s swansong about welfare and wellbeing of Bayelsans as exemplified by his effort so far, his choice of government officials has zero consideration for the people’s welfare. To them, people welfare is a meaningless vestige cast in frozen irrelevance. As one observer succinctly puts it; Sylva’s cabinet does not share his vision. How sad!
To Sylva’s number one Perm Sec, kicking and clawing to advertise his new – found status albeit shamelessly is the in – thing. To Sylva’s SSG, nothing is sacred than her leprous grasp and to Sylva’s Health Commissioner, respect for elders of Chief Okilo’s status has nothing to do with his avaricious desire to acquire primordial wealth.
In all, these elements definitely constitute a boil on Bayelsa’s scrotum. This conglomeration of highly qualified, selfish government officials are a piece of unbearable nightmare that Bayelsans will not like to continue to experience.
Atayi Babs
Ikoyi – Lagos
atayibabs@yahoo.com