Ahead of the 30th anniversary celebration of the creation of Bayelsa State, today I paid a courtesy visit to the family of late Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, in Abuja.
I was warmly received at their Asokoro residence by his widow, Her Excellency Dr. Maryam Abacha, the eldest son, Mohammed, his other children and grandchildren.
Dr. Maryam had vivid recollections and shared nostalgic memories of the family’s time in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, when Abacha was Brigade Commander of the Bori Camp.
Abacha holds the reputation as the Nigerian leader that harkened to the yearning of the Ijaw ethnic nationality for a homogenous state in the Niger Delta area. The dream became a reality on October 1, 1996 when he pronounced the creation of Bayelsa State out of the old Rivers State.
In appreciation of that act of giving us a clear identity and for the progress achieved so far, the Bayelsa State Government will honour Abacha posthumously among other illustrious sons and daughters of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation.
The anniversary celebrations, which commence with the inauguration of projects executed by the Assured Prosperity Administration, will culminate in a four-day programme of activities from September 28 and rounded off on October 1 with a state dinner and awards ceremony.
– Senator Douye Diri