Famous Five At Ekeremor

The CDA STARS project team (see www.bayelsacdastarswas in Ekeremor LGA this week. BJSS Aleibiri, Agbidiama, Ogbotobo were the schools we visited. The journey comprised a 2 hour drive to Bomadi LGA in Delta State from Yenagoa in Bayelsa State and then a boat ride to the 3 communities. All 3 communities are islands located in the hearts of creeks. We spent 2 hour 30 minutes in the boats going to Agbidiama and Ogbotobo communities each from Bomadi, it seemed like we were nearing the end of the world!

In fact we dedicated 1 day to Ogbotobo community and with each jump of the boat whenever the waves hit us, I was reminded of another rough journey to my village in Okpoama, Brass LGA of Bayelsa State during the 2011 elections. The trip to Okpoama was certainly a chapter from the Famous Five Adventures! We left the Ogbia jetty at 7pm under the shouts of soldiers who had been directed to close all jetties before the 10pm curfew time, to protect the peace for the next day elections. Our boat driver turned off his engine and allowed the boat to drift off shore under the cover of darkenss until we were far enough to put on the engine. Travelling at night on the sea, with a boat that had a torchlight for headlamps, was enough to make anyone's heart race. But we "original water people"- as my travel companion called us- were bantering and laughing. Good thing our representatives won their seats at the State House of Assembly and are being sworn in...TODAY!!

We arrived at the schools in Ekeremor to hearty welcomes and eloquent speeches. The communities clearly have organised structures, with the Chiefs and community chairmen taking charge of the welcome ceremony and making sure their people were clear on our mission. The children were dancing simply at the the fact that they were going to be proud bank account owners, not to mention their screams of joy when we told them the Bayelsa State Government will not only deposit N40,000 in each of their bank accounts but will double each sum the children deposit in these bank accounts.

2 widows in oil hosting Agbidiama community blessed Chief Timipre Sylva for approving this people oriented project whilst 1 community leader in far away, "no oil in their lands" Ogbotobo siad the people, who previously were anti Sylva, are now the Governor's supporters since he has shown that he remembers their poor community by bringing this project to them.

My hands still hurt from raising them each time we met the soldiers, in their house boats, guarding the Shell Petroleum oil producing sites, to signify our "coming in peace".  As peaceful as the creeks are now, the presence of the soldiers reminds one of the restive period Bayelsa State recentlyexited due to the activities of militants. The parents of the children to benefit from this Bayelsa State project confirmed that this project will encourage students to complete their secondary school education and compel them to start planning for their future to ensure they achieve their dreams. Where this project goal is achieved, Bayelsa State would have put to rest the possibility of our children of today holding the State to ransome as the militants did. All fingers are definitely crossed for this project to be successful and all thanks are to His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva for having the foresight to approve this project.

More to come next week....

Tonbofa

                                          No Jetty, so we jump off the boat to land

                                          Oh No Weed, you can't stop us!

                                          The Leaders get all the facts
                                      

                                            CDA -STARS