Bayelsa | |
---|---|
Nicknames: | |
Country | Nigeria |
Geopolitical Zone | South South |
Created | 1 October 1996 |
Capital | Yenagoa |
Government | |
• Body | Government of Bayelsa State |
• Governor | Douye Diri (PDP) |
• Deputy Governor | Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo (PDP) |
• Legislature | Bayelsa State House of Assembly |
• Senators | C: Moses Cleopas (PDP) E : Benson Sunday Agadaga (PDP) W: Henry Seriake Dickson (PDP) |
• Representatives | List |
Area | |
• Total | 10,773 km2 (4,159 sq mi) |
• Rank | 27th |
Population (2006 census) | |
• Total | 1,704,515 [1] |
• Estimate (2022) | 2,537,400 [2] |
Ranked 36th | |
Demonym | Bayelsan |
GDP (PPP) | |
• Year | 2021 |
• Total | $29.97 billion [3] 9th of 36 |
• Per capita | $11,379 [3] 2nd of 36 |
Dialing Code | +234 |
ISO 3166 code | NG-BY |
HDI (2021) | 0.651 [4] medium · 4th of 37 |
Bayelsa is a state in the South South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta. [5] [6] Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, [7] making it one of the newest states in the federation. [8] The capital, Yenagoa, is susceptible to high risk of annual flooding. [9] It shares a boundary with Rivers State [7] to the east and Delta State to the north across the Niger River for 17 km and the Forçados River for 198 km, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean [10] dominating its southern borders. [11] [6] It has a total area of 10,773 square kilometres (4,159 sq mi).[ citation needed ] The state comprises eight local government areas: Ekeremor, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Brass and Southern Ijaw. [6] The state is the smallest in Nigeria by population as of the 2006 census. [12] Being in the Niger Delta, Bayelsa State has a riverine and estuarine setting, with bodies of water within the state preventing the development of significant road infrastructure. [13]
The languages of the Ijaw [14] are widely spoken in Bayelsa State, along with Isoko and Urhobo. The state is the primary home for the Ijaws, their ancestral home. The state is also the ancestral home of the Urhobo people in the Sagbama local government area. [15]
As a state in the oil-rich Niger Delta, Bayelsa State's economy is dominated by the petroleum industry. [16] [17] The state is the site of Oloibiri Oilfield, where oil was first discovered in Nigeria, [18] and as of 2015 was estimated to produce 30-40% of the country's oil. [19] The state has the largest gas reservoir (18 trillion cubic feet) in Nigeria. [20] Though being the site of one of the largest crude oil and natural gas deposits in the country contributes to local economic development, the state remains plagued by rampant poverty as well as pollution [21] stemming from oil spills. [22] [23]
During the 20th century, demanding a new, majority-Ijaw state to be drawn in the Niger Delta Region became common. Between 1941 and 1956, numerous Ijaw nationalist organizations supportive of an Ijaw-majority state in Southern Nigeria were founded. Isaac Adaka Boro, a prominent Ijaw rights activist during the 1960s who was born in Oloibiri, attempted to proclaim a "Niger Delta Peoples Republic" in 1966. [24] [25] [26] Bayelsa State was created out of Rivers State on October 1, 1996 [27] by the Sani Abacha's military government. Its name was derived from the first few letters of the names of the major local government areas from which it was formed: Brass LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa LGA (YELGA) and Sagbama LGA (SALGA). [28]
On November 20, 1999, the Nigerian military committed what is now referred to as the Odi massacre. The death toll remains disputed to this day, though Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action, claims that nearly 2500 civilians were killed. [29] [30]
In response to environmental degradation in the state caused by the oil industry, movements such as the "Rise for Bayelsa [31] " campaign have emerged to push for protecting the local water supply. [32] In 2019, the Bayelsa State government launched the first formal inquiry into the crisis of oil pollution in the state. [33] [34]
Bayelsa State has one of the largest crude oil and natural gas deposits in Nigeria. [35] [36] As a result, petroleum production is substantial in the state. Even though Bayelsa State is well-endowed with natural resources, the state "enjoys very minimal dividends from its oil wealth due to the structural inequities in the national revenue allocation system in the practice of fiscal federalism in the country". [37]
Bayelsa has a riverine and estuarine setting. [38] Many communities are almost (and in some cases) surrounded by water, making them inaccessible by road. The state is home to the Edumanom Forest Reserve, in June 2008 the last known site for chimpanzees in the Niger Delta. [39]
Other important cities besides Yenagoa include Akassa, Lobia, Wilberforce Island (the location of the Bayelsa Airport), Amassoma and Ogobiri (the host communities of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Eniwari, Ekeremor, Aliebiri, Anyama-Ogbia, Anyama-Ijaw, Peretoru, Twon-Brass, Egwema-Brass, Kaiama, Nembe, Odi, Ogbia, Okpoama, Brass, Oporoma, Korokorosei, Otuan, Koroama, Okolobiri, Obunagha, Ogboloma, Sagbama, Olugbobiri, Peremabiri, Ekowe, and Swali.
The Akassa Lighthouse has stood since 1910. [40]
Bayelsa has a Tropical monsoon climate with yearly temperature of 28.64 °C (83.55 °F) and it is -0.82% lower than Nigeria's averages. The state typically receives about 241.52 millimeters (9.51 inches) of precipitation and has 296.16 rainy days (81.14% of the time) annually. [41]
Bayelsa State has mostly received the effects of Climate Change due to Environmental degradation and high level of Carbon emissions. [42] [43]
The Bayelsa region experiences tropical monsoon weather. All year long, there are high temperatures and a lot of rain. In Bayelsa, the average annual temperature is 56 degrees, and there are roughly 675 inches of rain each year. With an average humidity of 82% and a UV-index of 6, it is dry for 47 days out of the year. [44]
This is a black hazardous carbonate substance that pollutes the area due to its illegal burning of crude oil (locally called Kpo-fire). [45] This carcinogenic chemical causes illnesses such as lung cancer, skin irritation, allergies, respiratory tract infections, eye problem, etc. Its effect is also meted on the environment as it causes air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution which has led to the death of both plants, humans and animals. [46]
This is a common annual problem in Bayelsa because it is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The rise of seawater is the major cause. The flooding has affected many communities, properties and human lives. [47] Almost all areas in Bayelsa state are affected by flooding but Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Yenagoa areas of Bayelsa state are more prone to flooding as it affects these areas yearly. [48] Poor town planning is another major cause of flooding in Bayelsa State. [49]
As of August 2022, the state was stricken with a flood, displacing over 1.3 million people and destroying live stocks and properties.
This is one of the major environmental issues in Bayelsa State due to the activities of major oil companies. [50] Oil spillage has affected farmlands, aquatic life and the health of the people. [51] Almost every day, Udengs Eradiri is informed of another oil spill in Bayelsa state, in the Niger Delta.
He said Bayelsa used to be green, you could go to a farm or go fishing and have a very impressive harvest. You would spend hours in the water and have a handful of fish. Today, he added, you can spend the whole day without catching a glimpse of a fish. [52]
Another major environmental issue in Bayelsa state is air pollution (SOOT). Today, many people in Bayelsa state lament that they cannot breathe due to the exposure of emissions of soot, a hazardous black amorphous carbon that has almost completely polluted the air in the areas. [45]
However, stakeholders in the affected areas had in 2018 reportedly initiated a campaign with the common refrain; "Save Rivers from this soot of death", in the Rivers state region. [52]
Bayelsa State's natural resources include: [53]
The Catholic Church comprises parts of Bomadi Diocese (1991) under Bishop Hyacinth Oroko Egbebo (2009) , a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Benin City.
Major roads include the Isaac Adaka Boro Expressway 17 km north from Yenagoa to join A2 the Elele-Alimini-Patani East-West Rd east to Rivers State at Mbiama and northwest across the Forçados River to Delta State by the 850 m bridge (2014) at Patani.
Waterways are essential for transport as many communities are not accessible by road.
Bayelsa Cargo Airport on Wilberforce Island opened 2019, with international flights approved 2021. [55]
The main language spoken is Ijaw with dialects such as Kolokuma, Nembe, Epie-Atissa, and Ogbia. Like the rest of Nigeria, English is the official language.
Languages of Bayelsa State listed by LGA: [56]
LGA | Languages |
---|---|
Brass | Abureni, Southeast Ijo, Ogbia, Kugbo |
Ekeremor | Izon |
Kolokuma Opokuma | Kolokuma |
Nembe | Abureni, Nembe, Ijaw |
Ogbia | Abureni, Southeast Ijo, Odual, Ogbia, Oruma |
Sagbama | Buseni, Isoko, Izon, Ogbah, Okodia, Urhobo |
Southern Ijaw | Southeast Ijo, Izon |
Yenagoa | Engenni, Epie-Atissa, Izon, Ekpeye |
Due to massive overseas scholarship programs implemented by the old Rivers State in the 1970s and recent Bayelsa State governments, large numbers of Bayelsa professionals reside in Europe and North America. This is part of the general brain-drain trend affecting many African communities.
The major tertiary institutions in Bayelsa state are:
Bayelsa State consists of eight [84] local government areas:
The state government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state House of Assembly. The Capital city of the state is Yenagoa. [85]
The electoral system of Bayelsa state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of the State's local government Areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas. [85]
The Ijaw people, otherwise known as the Ijo people, are an ethnic group found in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with significant population clusters in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers. They also occupy Edo, Ondo, and small parts of Akwa Ibom. Many are found as migrant fishermen in camps as far west as Sierra Leone and as far east as Gabon. They account for about 1.8% of the Nigerian population according to CIA Factbook. The Ijaws are one of the most populous tribes inhabiting the Niger Delta region and the eighth largest ethnic group in Nigeria.
The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitical zone, one state (Ondo) from South West geopolitical zone and two states from South East geopolitical zone.
Yenagoa is a Local Government Area and capital city of Bayelsa State, Southern Nigeria. It is located at the Niger-Delta region of the country at coordinates 4°55′29″N6°15′51″E.
Heineken Lokpobiri is a Nigerian politician who is the minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil). He previously served as minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development from 2015 to 2019, and as Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District from 2007 to 2015. He is a former speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
Ogbia is a traditional Kingdom and Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The headquarters of both the Traditional Kingdom and Local Government is located in Ogbia Town at 4°39′00″N6°16′00″E.
Melford Obiene Okilo had a long and distinguished career as a politician in Nigeria from the start of independence in 1960 until shortly before his death in 2008. He was a member of parliament (1956–1964) and a Minister in the Nigerian First Republic. He was the first elected Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria (1979–1983) during the Nigerian Second Republic. Later he was Senator for Bayelsa East, in Bayelsa State (1999–2003) during the Nigerian Fourth Republic.
Lt. Colonel (retired) Paul Edor Obi was Administrator of Bayelsa State, Nigeria from July 1998 to May 1999 during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The Urhobos are people located in southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger Delta.
Izon (Ịzọn), also known as (Central–Western) Ijo, Ijaw, Izo and Uzo, is the dominant Ijaw language, spoken by a majority of the Ijaw people of Nigeria.
The Kaiama Declaration was issued by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) of Nigeria on 11 December 1998 to attribute the political crisis in Nigeria to the struggle for the control of oil mineral resources, while asserting that the degradation of the environment of Ijawland by transnational oil companies and the Nigerian State arise mainly because Ijaw people have been robbed of their natural rights to ownership and control of their land and resources. The council was formed in the town of Kaiama after 5,000 Ijaw people representing over 40 Ijaw clans, chose to articulate their aspirations for the Ijaw people, and to demand an end to 40 years of environmental damage and underdevelopment in the region.
The 2023 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election took place on 11 November 2023 to elect the Governor of Bayelsa State. Incumbent PDP Governor Douye Diri won reelection. The primaries were scheduled for between 27 March and 17 April 2022.
The 2011 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Bayelsa State was held on April 9, 2011, to elect members of the House of Representatives to represent Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
The 2015 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Bayelsa State was held on March 28, 2015, to elect members of the House of Representatives to represent Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
The 2019 Bayelsa State House of Assembly election was held on March 9, 2019, to elect members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The 2015 Bayelsa State House of Assembly election was held on April 11, 2015, to elect members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The 2011 Bayelsa State House of Assembly election was held on April 26, 2011, to elect members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The 2007 Bayelsa State House of Assembly election was held on April 14, 2007, to elect members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The 2003 Bayelsa State House of Assembly election was held on May 3, 2003, to elect members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All the 24 seats were up for election in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
The 2023 Nigerian presidential election in Bayelsa State will be held on 25 February 2023 as part of the nationwide 2023 Nigerian presidential election to elect the president and vice president of Nigeria. Other federal elections, including elections to the House of Representatives and the Senate, will also be held on the same date while state elections will be held two weeks afterward on 11 March.
The 2023 Bayelsa State House of Assembly election was held on March 18, 2023, to elect members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in Nigeria. All 24 seats were up for election in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}
: |first=
has generic name (help)