Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has renewed his call on Ijaw people across the country to set aside clannish, creek, and partisan differences and work together for the collective interest of the Ijaw nation.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, Governor Diri made the call during the wreath-laying ceremony in honour of the late Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro at the Ijaw Heroes Memorial Park in Yenagoa on Boro Day.
“The greatest tribute we can pay to Major Adaka Boro is not in the wreaths we lay or the speeches we deliver, but in the unity we forge, the peace we keep, and the prosperity we build for generations yet unborn,” Diri said.
He urged Ijaw people to remember they are “children of one ancestor and custodians of one heritage,” stressing that “a divided Ijaw nation cannot finish the work Boro began, but a united Ijaw nation cannot be denied its rightful place in the Nigerian Federation.”
The Governor described Bayelsa State as living proof of Boro’s vision, noting that the seed planted by the 12-Day Revolution has grown into a recognised state and voice for the Niger Delta.
He paid tribute to Boro and other Ijaw freedom fighters who fought against oppression and marginalisation.
Diri also commended the youths for conducting a peaceful procession and warned against destruction of public property or criminal acts under the guise of celebrating Boro, while urging them to embrace education and skills acquisition.
In his welcome address, Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Chief Godspower Oporomor, said the annual celebration honours Boro’s memory and inspires younger generations to continue the struggle.
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Chairman of the Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (CITRE), His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo, noted that despite the Ijaw nation’s enormous natural resources, the fourth-largest ethnic group is yet to receive its fair share, and called for stronger unity among Ijaw sons and daughters.
Highpoint of the event was the laying of wreaths at Boro’s tomb by the Governor’s representative, traditional rulers, the Boro family, Ijaw Youth Council, and other groups. Senior government officials and stakeholders attended the ceremony.
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