"Bayelsa's Governor, Seriake Dickson justifies new state symbols and song law says decision informed by tenets of true federalism, cultural revival and identity"

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Welcome development

By Samuel
Oyadongha,
Yenagoa
For the Ijaws,
the fourth
largest ethnic
nationality in the
Nigerian
federation,
Wednesday
signing into law
of the Bayelsa
symbols and seal
by Governor
Seriake Dickson
was a welcome
development.
Though the
decision which
was taken last
Monday at the
7th meeting of
the Bayelsa
State Executive
Council has
sparked fresh
controversies
especially with
the growing
voices of
secession across
the country and
escalating
violence in the
North, however
the majority of
the people of the
state did not see
anything wrong
with the action
of Governor
Seriake Dickson,
who incidentally
is a lawyer and
former member
of the House of
Representatives.
Surprisingly,
when most
analysts had
thought the
state
government
would jettison
the plan given
the stormy
debate it
generated in
some of quarters
that it was a
secessionist ploy,
Hon. Seriake
Dickson
Wednesday went
ahead to create a
new identity,
coat of arms and
anthem for the
state by signing
the bill into Law.
Governor Seriake
Dickson
The bill known as
the Bayelsa
State Flag, Coat
of Arms and
Anthem Law
2012 which was
among the eight
bills passed by
the State House
of Assembly has
not only awaken
old passion but
ignited fresh
hopes for the
Ijaw nation the
fourth largest
ethnic nationality.
Bayelsa State to
the Ijaw nation
whose people are
scattered as
minorities in
Ondo, Edo, Akwa
Ibom and Delta
states is
regarded as their
‘Jerusalem,’
hence the new
state flag with
four colours
(white, blue, red
and green) and
three stars
represent the
hope and
aspirations of
the people.
A source told
Saturday
Vanguard, “the
white colour
represents
purity, honour
and trustfulness
of the people and
their quest for
justice while the
blue represents
the abundance of
waters and their
inherent
resources; the
red colour
symbolizes blood
of our martyrs
while the green
colour signifies
the rich
vegetation and
the stars, the
hopes and
aspirations of
the Ijaw nation.
The Chief Press
Secretary to the
Governor, Mr.
Daniel Iworiso-
Markson, in a
statement
issued after the
signing of the bill
into Law said the
new law will
provide a unique
opportunity for
government to
make a clear
pronouncement
on the real
intendment of
the law as
follows:
“That Bayelsa
State is a
federating unit in
the Federal
Republic of
Nigeria, created
and recognized in
the constitution
with rights,
powers and
obligations. That
all structures,
organs and
officials of the
state operate
under the
constitution of
the Federal
Republic of
Nigeria. That our
decision to have
state symbols
and songs, are as
a result of our
belief in true
federalism as a
cardinal
cornerstone of
Nigerian
nationhood and it
is in exercise of
our inalienable
rights as a
federating unit.
“This is a right,
which we cannot
be denied of
since several
other states
with the same
rights have
equally exercised.
That the decision
taken by our
government in
this regard is also
as a result of our
commitment to
the propagation
of Ijaw culture,
language, history
and ideals. That
this decision also
creates a
platform for us
as a government
to rally our people
for positive
development
within the
context of a
united, egalitarian
and democratic
Nigeria.”
Commenting on
the controversy
generated by the
law, Hon. Seriake
Dickson at an
interactive
session with
newsmen at the
Government
House Tuesday
night said though
the intention of
the state was
misconstrued by
some politicians,
such fear of
secession is
misplaced and
the law be
viewed from the
need for the
state to create a
new identity for
itself in the
interest of
tourism.
Dickson said,
“This is just a
question of
federalism and
national identity.
If you go to
Lagos State, the
crest behind the
Governor is the
crest of Lagos
not the Federal
Republic.
Unfortunately,
this is the Nigeria
of today. People
sensationalize.
“Other states
have done it long
ago. Now, I want
to do it and they
are screaming.
We want to
promote tourism
and if visitors
come in, we will
present them
with a plaque and
it denotes our
identity. I know
people will
understand and
you know that I
am a politician of
conviction and
not convenience.”
Also the
President of
Conference of
Ethnic
Nationalities of
Niger Delta
(CENND) Prof
Kimse Okoko
defended the
Bayelsa State
government
action which he
described as
legitimate in a
federal setting.
The immediate
past President of
the Ijaw National
Congress (INC)
who lampooned
the quasi
federalism being
practiced in the
country queried,
“What is wrong
with the action?
The state has
the right to its
own anthem and
flag. It is long
overdue and I
support what
the state
government has
done.”
The state
Commissioner for
Culture and Ijaw
National Affairs,
Felix Tuodolo in
his reaction said
the Bayelsa
State flag, coat
of arms and
anthem was in
tandem with the
vision of the
founding fathers
of the state and
the
administration’s
stand on Ijaw
mobilization and
integration.
“This decision
also underscores
government’s
belief that this
state, like any
other state is
where the Ijaws,
the fourth
largest ethnic
nationality, has
as its home.
Bayelsa is home
to all Ijaws both
at home and
abroad. The
emblem
therefore, will
help serve as a
unifying force
and rallying point
for all our people.
It says a lot
about the
preservation of
our culture, our
essential values
as a people and
as a race,” he
said.
The symbol he
further explained
was not in any
way aimed at
undermining the
country’s unity.
He declared, “the
point must be
made clear that
the steps taken
by our
government to
announce the
proposed launch
of a state owned
flag, anthem and
coat of arms is
not in any way
different from
what other
states in the
federation have
done.
“It is common
knowledge that
virtually all the
states in the
South Western
region such as
Lagos, Oyo, Osun,
Ondo, Ogun and
Ekiti have since
launched theirs.
The most recent
was the North
Central state of
Kwara. In the
South South,
Cross River and
Rivers States are
the only two
states in the
region that have
embraced this
noble concept. In
the case of
Rivers, it was
done since the
1970s.
“We believe that
Bayelsa State,
being the only
state that can be
considered as the
home state of
the Ijaw race,
deserves even
much more to
blaze this trail
than any other
state in the
federation, given
its uniqueness.
This much is true
because of the
emphasis we
place on the
propagation of
the Ijaw ideals
and what we
stand for as a
people, the Ijaw
ideology. More
importantly, as a
government,we
view the decision
as critical to our
development and
it matches our
drive to project
Bayelsa State as
a world class
tourist
destination, the
frontier for eco
tourism and an
investment
haven.”
For Alagoa Morris,
a renowned
environmental/
human rights
activist, “it is
gratifying to note
that this whole
issue of anthem
and coat of arm
is in connection
to a state and
not individuals; a
state in which
the governor is
not only a lawyer
by profession but
a former
lawmaker of the
Federal Republic
of Nigeria and
former
policeman.
“We have been
calling for true
federalism for
too long a time
now and, if in a
secular
federating state
like Nigeria we
have some
states having
Sharia as official
religion and we
recently heard of
Islamic banking
system, what is
the confusion or
hullabaloo about
Bayelsa coming
up with its own
anthem and
coat? Or are we
treating some
sections of this
country as first
class citizens and
others second
and third class
folks?
“As a federating
unit, I see
practically
nothing wrong
with a people
having something
tangible as a
unifying factor
just as the Ijaws
have
Haaaaaaaaaan
Izon, Aaaaaan
Izon. Why hasn’t
the government
questioned the
Ijaws about
Aaaaaan Izon?
Besides, the fact
that we also
have the Isoko
people as part of
Bayelsa State,
Izons or Ijaws
should have a
more unifying
structure that
will galvanize the
people to greater
heights. I am also
not concerned
about what
others may say
on the issue
because people
are free to differ
in views. Again,
like the recent
declaration by
Ogoni, all human
beings are free
to chose for
themselves;
even self
determination.”

Another
Bayelsan, John
Idumange
described as
uncalled for the
hallabaloo over
Bayelsa’s
adoption of her
own coat of arm,
flag and anthem
citing the practice
in the United
States of
America which is
also a federal
state.
“It only
demonstrates
that Bayelsa has
come of age as a
state within
Nigerian
federation”.
Under a federal
system of
government,
component
states are
allowed to have
their own flag,
coat of arm and
anthem except
printing their own
currency or own
armed forces. In
the United
States of
America which is
riveting model of
federalism, all
states; California,
Texas, New
Jersey, Michigan,
New Mexico,
Florida among
others have their
flags flown along
with the
American
national flag,” he
said.
Saturday
Vanguard
investigation
however
revealed that the
Bayelsa State
Flag, Coat of
Arms and
Anthem Bill 2012
stipulates fine
for any person or
group of persons
who flies or
exhibits the
state flag or coat
of arms with
addition or
alterations or
adds to, deface
and or willfully
destroys the
state coat of
arms and or flag;
or adds to or
alters the
wordings of the
state anthem
shall be guilty of
an offence under
this law and shall
upon conviction
be sentenced to
6 months
imprisonment
with an option of
N100,000.00 fine
or both.
The offences
under this law
the bill added
shall be triable by
a Chief
Magistrate in the
state.
Source
www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/bayelsa-flag-and-coat-of-arms/

My position:

if Kano can adopt Sharia law, then eaxh state has the right to adopt whatever they think will help their state.

And if it is secessation they have in mind, who is afraid ot it?

Yes. Its shouldn't be justified.