Don’t get us wrong, we have nothing personal against very ‘local’ and unsophisticated folks. Yet, we are of the considered opinion that one of the greatest contributors to the underdevelopment of Bayelsa State is the continuous recycling of peasants as rulers of the land.

These Country folks see installing Traffic Lights or constructing an Overhead Bridge in a State Capital as big deal. This is because in the rustic places most of them have dwelt in for most of their lives before they were gifted Public Offices, these things are non-existent. So to them, they are in Paris. It is the same country mentality in the citizens that inspire them to applaud failed Governments for providing many low quality services for them. And you will hear them say things like “the Governor try nau.”

Thus, when they see the enlightened few criticize Government for its failures, these epitomizes of the Political Economy of Backward Societies will fire back in defence of the same failed Governments that have short- changed them. It is this same phenomenon that is responsible for the infantile policies of our Governments.

If not how else do you explain the Ghetto Nature of Yenagoa, a City that is built between 1996 to Date? Over 90% of the structures in Yenagoa were built between 1996 to date. What explains the fact that Amassoma Sand Field that was created sometime in 2003/2004 has been built like the Old Amassoma without any thought of Urban Planning?

How else would you explain the fact that even the Niger Delta University, an Institution of Higher Learning, which was established in 2001/2002, is being built like Amassoma Sand field or ‘Tomboulo’? Bayelsa state is suffering from what we call the “Waterside Mentality” or “Batcher –Face-me –I- Face -You Mentality”. When Ijaw people who came from Port Harcourt and elsewhere with their Marine Base, Bundu, Ajegunle Town Planning Mentality are pushed to power by some Puppeteers, they reproduce new Marine Base, New Bundu, New AJ City in Bayelsa State.

Before delving any further, let us seize a few seconds to unequivocally state that, we have absolutely nothing against Country folks, yokels and slum dwellers. In truth, we have had our fair share of life in the Ghetto. And in fact those are some of the most interesting times of our life. What we are actually against is people allowing their physical environment to limit their thinking and World-view. You can live in the most backward Village in this world and still think like a Nuclear Physicist and/or some sophisticated Investment Banker in Manhattan. There are no limits to the capacity of the mind to build up imaginations.

Until Bayelsans in particular and the Ijaws in general are ready to come together to give power to enlightened people, the Country (Village) people will continue to produce Village Policies.

The root of this problem can be traced back to the periods between 1996 and 2001/2. When the State was created by the Abacha junta in 1996, many ‘enlightened’ folks of Bayelsa origin did not relocate to the State because of its country nature. They remained in the comfort of their domains like Port Harcourt and Lagos.

However, most of the ‘nchi men’ who had almost nothing back in the Old Big Cities and thus back nothing to lose, and many Villagers moved over to the State Capital and got themselves fixed up in strategic places in the Civil Service and other areas(even with Standard 6 or School Cert).

So, by 1999, when it was time for transition to Civil Rule, those hitherto ‘nonentities’ were the men on ground. And with their local knowledge and good understanding of the system, they were able to call the shots and decide who gets what when and how. Despite half-hearted measures by the ‘Port Harcourt’ and ‘Lagos’ Boys to gain entry into the polity of the State, it was too late.

That is how these guys have been able to entrench themselves in the system that it is now safe to say Bayelsa State runs an Idiocracy. If the Power Brokers consider you to be sophisticated, you are sure not to be allowed near the citadel of power. So on and on we go reproducing and strengthening the Confederacy of Dunces in Government. They can travel the world all year round, yet the things they build for the Public will only be influenced by the quintessential Village World view.

The above explains why the architecture of Professor Steve Azaiki Public Library (a Library built by a private citizen) is 100 years ahead of that of the State Library. Bumpkins build outdated out-of-taste structures for the state in this 21st Century. We once saw a guy who was a Local Government Chairman at the time at a Car Wash marvelling at the fact that his car was being washed by a Machine. To the then Council Chairman, that was the 9th wonder of the Earth.

Although we were unemployed broke asses at the time, we saw the Chairman for the Yokel that he was despite his exulted office! And what do you expect from that guy in terms of development?

You can call us Elitists for writing this, if you may, we will plead no contest. If not for this same backward thinking, how else would anyone in their right senses be celebrating a Government for transporting water from tankers to GP Tanks for Citizens to fetch from in this 21st Century?

How else do you explain the fact that some people keep posting pictures and celebrating what they Call “Bayelsa State’s First Flyover” as if it is the best thing to happen to mankind since ‘Agidi Jellof’? Call us what you may, but we refuse to bend to the Standards of these pumpkins. Bayelsans deserve more. If you as a Bayelsan think this is the best you deserve, then you are on your own! we vehemently refuse to accept your mediocre standards.

As you read up to this point, let our words hunt you, prick your conscience, inflame your consciousness and force you to think towards a paradigm shift before leave this piece.

ARE YOU ANGRY? if you are angry at our words, GOOD!

That’s our objective! Do you feel like we are talking about you? Then change your ways. We all need righteous indignation against the thinks falling apart in our land to build a better alternative reality.

Source: www.sayelbatimes.

what can I say

How come the sophisticated boys want to reap where they did not sow?
Y didn't they move to bayelsa immediately the state was created so that they will be able to call the shots?
O chupuru onwe ya n'ugbo asikwana na ugbo eruteghi ya

so what do u want us to do nw?
Support ur hypocritical course hell no.
Go down there and sell yourself to ur fellow "elites" and make the elites also buy ur thought/vote for u.

godspeed biggy

I don't know about all what's written up there but I know Bayelsans have big, meaty bodies.