I used to believe a weak notion that Bayelsa is as hopeless as a slum and that majority of those inhabiting it are halfwits, who settle for a crumb. This was a perception that gained its ground by records of the many foul plays of Bayelsan leaders and the sheer timidness tossed into the heads of some followers.



But speaking with Mr Keniebi Okoko yesterday, I wished I had not given up entirely on the State and regretted regarding majority of its citizens as handicaps before now. At least I would have sought for solutions as a citizen and not otherwise. Now my cupid face is covered under shame, while my mouth is whispering out regrets of having falsely judged a people and almost reduced them to nothing.



I can't forget the warmness and hope that accompanied the words of Mr Keniebi Okoko when he aired his view about Bayelsa state and the clear possibility of it becoming a mega city, rising to per and standing distinct amongst the 36 States in Nigeria, if every citizen of it would think in his direction and sing loudly the anthem of investment in the land.



In his comforting words, which are like those of the saints, " let's not abandon the building of the state to Government alone. Let's build it with patriotic might into an inviting home , a tourist site and a booming commercial outlet by sacrificing in our little ways. The building of LEKKI had a little beginning but today it has risen into an adorable island upon which the noble of men die to dwell. Its glory is almost sang by every eye witness of its magnificent glow.



Their is always a story of economic horror in the account of every place. It precedes the glory days of sunshine. A Chinese man is aware of this fact; a German does but more aware is the south African man whose past is ruffled by apartheid. But these three men understand the language of revolution, overcame the unwanted circumstances before them and turned their regions into a place of great promises.



We Bayelsans must not be made with steel to take up such cause. Blood runs in us as it flows in the veins of these three men; and again our lands are more preciously endowed by nature than even theirs.



Therefore, if the citizens ( home and abroad) of the state are determined to sacrificially invest in the land like they desirously do else where, we just might become fortunate to have places here in years to come that would rival LEKKI and BANANA ISLAND in every ground.



Not that this would be achieved overnight but the fact remains that we must start somewhere. We must crawl before we walk and must walk before we run."


I waited a bit as to absorb fully the thought provoking message of Keniebi Okoko. But a third party whose curiosity has reached its limit interrupted him with a strange gusto.



"Sir, do you mean Bayelsa can attain the level of Lagos in housing, trade and infrastructure?". He said this with an intent to mock Mr Keniebi Okoko, implying that such hope would never come alive.



Mr Keniebi Okoko was never suppressed by this show but rather he maintained his spirited believe and enthusiasm towards his dream to see Bayelsa evolve into a jewel in the future. He retorted to this third party with an usual calmness.



" I cant say, in the area of development that Bayelsa can overtake Lagos. But we would wrath in the worst of places when we think that such is an impossible expedition. We are not in competition with any state but trying to improve in every aspect of our cause forces us into a competition with many.



Therefore, we are all in a race for development, and if we must win, then we need to think of those on the track with us as competitors and think of speeding pass states with fractured foot in the process." He addressed.



While the third party pointlessly presented reasons why Bayelsa can't roll out of industrial barrenness, I became captivated by the standpoint of Mr Keniebi Okoko whose logic and mannerism placed him above the prime, above the rank of this third party. And I became ready to follow Mr Keniebi Okoko to the end of where ever his astute thought leads.



I inquired from him, " sir, so how do we start in making this development miracle?"



He giggled a little and said, " Mark, miracle you say?" and smiled for a moment, fixing his eyes into mine. On his twitching eye balls rested a familiar alacrity that proved his sincerity.



He complemented me and spoke of my good sense of humour. Well, I was wrong not to tell him i was considering to make him a role model because he is a man of practical faith, with guts and balls, who can't be bent by the ceaseless troubles of life. In fact, I was momentarily turned on to think that he is a man with the magic wand to deliver the people of Bayelsa from the dire sufferings.



Finally, he answered my question. But before he did, the third party was becoming aware of his own ignorant that Bayelsa is hopeless. He was quiet and nodded to the points made by Mr Keniebi Okoko. He looked like one who had just been baptized by a catholic priest----he appeared cold and humble. But I didn't feel a bit pity for him, for I was engrossed to what Mr Keniebi Okoko had to say.



Mr Keniebi Okoko cleared his throat and we his audience-----myself and the third party, flapped our eyes and paid more attention. He said, " do you know an investment in Lagos promotes commerce and trade, feeds people of its residence with employment opportunities and make people migrate from other states to settle permanently in it?



Well, this is the trend in Nigeria as we have watched Lagos grow to a level where some now think it is only a nightmare for one to dream that any other state in Nigeria can attain that height. But no dream is too big to be achieved if the tower of Babel could be built in months----not certain of this however, as history holds not much detail to clarify the claim.



The point I am trying to sell is that Lagos has just one advantage over the rest states, which is its status of commercial excellence that owes all appreciation to the number of investors in the land. Lagos could be worse than Bayelsa with the absence of investors, and its citizens would cry and migrate to other regions for greener pasture like our people, who squeeze themselves into night buses every day just to have a sight of Lagos.



I am sure there is no harm in copying what is worth replicating. So, let's copy Lagos by making our state a site of economic attraction through thinking wittingly, and investing consciously in our state. Let's harness the areas with which we have an absolute trade advantage over other states. Nothing should stand in the way of this move.



For instance, if I have established a movie academy, let the next person set up an oil mill and convince his neighbors into building fashion/make up institutions. Buy as much fishing trawler as you can and supply fishes to those who demand for it. Learning a craft should be of essence because it strangles every spirit of idleness.

Tell someone out loud that this is a revolution all must take part. He or she must be involved actively in this dauntless march into the heart of investing. Or seduce a colleague with the success of your business and arose his interest in opening a business of his.



I told a friend to venture into the printing business last year and he felt elated now that he is reaping so much from heeding to my advise. Build a bakery, build an estate, factory, malls, fish pond e.t.c are the things we should say and consider.



Perhaps, we can say to our teenagers, 'learn a trade while you re in school, build an empire before you leave the campus and abolish the psychopathic impression that Lagos and abroad are the only destination of success. Invest! INVEST IN THE LAND should be our motto or theme under which we live.


This would solve the problem of why we have been static in growth and revamp the cells of the private sector, which has greatly suffered damnation in time past. It would relieve the government of some responsibilities and register smiles in the faces of citizens. Under such social and economic order, we can have a duplicate of LEKKI, Banana island, IKOYI and the likes here In Bayelsa."



Listening to this, I could only imagine how many men from Bayelsa can so much distinguish themselves from the multitude and muster the courage to see through a periscopic lens like Keniebi Okoko. I wished I met him earlier in life because he has furnished my brain with tremendous knowledge in just an hour conversation, which i am not sure of getting reading a thousand pages of an author who trades in motivation.


Even when Keniebi Okoko had left I felt the presence of him crouched in the words he left me with. An entirely new perception was established from them. We re responsible for our predicament in all intercourse. Therefore, if Bayelsa is a dead end, we are responsible. If it is ruined morally and abandoned economically, we re also responsible.


My advise is, let us all be responsible, rise to our fore and make our home a jewel of the Niger. It is possible!


"Just don't think Lagos became profoundly eminent because its inhabitants are super humans or alien who re programmed by nature to excel over the rest." Was the last thing he said while he rushed out to meet up a service holding every Thursday in SALVATION MINISTRIES.



By Corporal Mark