GOVERNOR DIRI, SENATOR LOKPOBIRI EULOGISE KING DAKOLO AT BOOK LAUNCH, URGE YOUTHS TO EMULATE HIM

Governor Douye Diri has charged youths in Bayelsa State to emulate the exemplary life of His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, AGADA the fourth, Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, describing him as a role model and a symbol of intellectual militancy.

The governor gave the charge during the weekend at the public presentation of two of King Dakolo’s books, Pirates of the Gulf and The Kingfisher. The event, held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, also marked the monarch’s 60th birthday and the 25th wedding anniversary of King Dakolo and his wife, Queen Timinipre.

The Governor recalled King Dakolo’s resilience after his dismissal at the Nigerian Defence Academy, noting that he rose to become a monarch and a prolific writer, stressing that young people should draw inspiration from his story.

Governor Diri, who launched the books with the sum of 100 million naira on behalf of the state government, directed the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, to adopt The Kingfisher as a recommended text in all secondary schools from the new academic session.
He further used the occasion to call on the Federal Government to urgently review the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA to resolve conflicts in oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.

Also speaking at the celebration, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Chairman of the occasion and Minister of State for Petroleum Oil, described King Dakolo as a man of wisdom, courage, and unwavering commitment to the Niger Delta cause.

He likened him to biblical King Solomon in wisdom and King David in courage, praising his advocacy for equity and environmental justice.

Senator Lokpobiri urged Niger Delta leaders to resolve disputes over Host Communities Trust Funds so that billions of naira currently lying idle in banks can be used for meaningful development projects.

In his remark, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the Chief Launcher and Managing Director of NDDC, hailed King Dakolo for documenting his ideas in books, describing them as a form of intellectual agitation. He announced that the NDDC will purchase large volumes of the publications for distribution across universities in the Niger Delta to reshape conversations on environmental protection and development.
Speaking with journalists after the book launch, King Dakolo calls for the review of certain sections of the PIA, stressing that the current arrangement has allowed a few powerful individuals to dominate host community trusts while sidelining the majority. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the issues.

The triple celebration drew dignitaries from across the country, including federal and state lawmakers, traditional rulers, and top government officials.

Reported by Bright Okpo