Farewell to a Pioneering Doctor

MB BS FRCS, FRCSE

November 1938 - January 2012

The Diriyai Family of Kaiama, the Kaiama Community and the entire people of Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area have been thrown into mourning by the death of their pioneer medical doctor, Dr Pianto Egberipou. Dr Egberipou died in an Indian hospital on Wednesday January 3 2012 aged 73 years.

By his death, Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa State and indeed Nigeria have lost an illustrious son and a pioneering surgeon.

Pianto was an alumnus of the famous Okrika Grammar School and he later he attended the University of Lagos Medical School obtaining his MB BS degrees. He then proceeded to do specialist training in surgery in Great Britain and obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of both England and Scotland (FRCS and FRCSE).

He was a one-time chairman of the Health Management Board of Rivers State of Nigeria and a consultant surgeon at the Delta Specialist Clinic in Port Harcourt.

Dr Egberipou has been an outstanding son of Kolokuma Opokuma having worked assiduously to help the area in his calling principally as a medical practitioner, but also as a health administrator and as law maker. He represented the area as a Member of the Federal House of Representatives in the Second Republic.

Dr Egberipou will be greatly missed by his professional colleagues especially his current colleagues at the Okolobiri Teaching Hospital of the Niger Delta University, and all the numerous people whose lives he touched over more than four decades through his professional duties and his philanthropy.

He is survived by many children and grandchildren.

The body has been flown home and burial arrangements have been scheduled for Saturday, March 3 , 2012 after a funeral service in St Mark's Anglican Cathedral, Kaiama.

Opokuma's Latest Graduate

Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark Cleary giving his address

Cross section of the convocation

Graduand and proud Dad

The Graduate

William with UBU Colleagues

William with UBU Colleagues

On Thursday, December 08, 2011, Opokuma had the newest addition to its teeming population of university graduates. William Priye Obubo graduated joint honours Politics and Law from the renowned Department of Peace Studies of the University of Bradford, England.

William hails from Agadawari Compound of Igbainwari Town, Opokuma

William is currently engaged in the University of Bradford Students Union (UBU) in a sabbatical position as Sports and Societies Officer.

Celebrity World Magazine » Blog Archive » volume 1 no 31

Celebrity World Magazine » Blog Archive » volume 1 no 31

Defections galore from Bayelsa PDP - Jonathan’s former Campaign Director, others defect to Labour Party

Culled from: Vanguard Online Edition


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/01/jonathans-former-campaign-director-others-defect-to-labour-party/

Black Friday At Opokuma As Political Rally Is Attacked

Alaibe unharmed in the Attack

Friday, 07 January was a black Friday for Opokuma as political thuggery reared its ugly head at the rally organised to welcome home Ndutimi Alaibe from Abuja after his tour of national duty as the Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Amnesty Affairs. Mr Alaibe hails from Igbainwari town, Opokuma in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Mr Alaibe had resigned his appointment only a week earlier to contest as Governor of Bayelsa in the forthcoming elections. Mr Alaibe had hoped to use the event to formally announce his intention to run and to seek the blessing of his kinsmen. A large motorcade of supporters had accompanied Alaibe to his country home and subsequently a mammoth crowd had gathered. Alaibe will be contesting the elections in April as the Labour Party Gubernatorial candidate for Bayelsa State.

Assailants suspected to be political thugs attached the gathering wielding guns, machetes and clubs unleashed terror on the gathering. In the ensuing fracas, several persons were killed and injured. Some arrests have been made and the injured are receiving treatment in nearby hospitals. Timi Alaibe survived the attack unscathed. It will be recalled that his country home was attacked with bombs in November 2010 by unknown assailants and in that incident a member of his security detail, a Police constable, was killed.

In an election that President Jonathan has vowed would be free and fair, certain evil political elements seem to be hell-bent on terrorising aspiring contestants to submission.

Despite these brazen acts of political intimidation, the activities reconvened on Saturday and Mr Alaibe assured his teeming supporters of his unflinching resolve to contest on the platform of the Labour Party of Nigeria and that he has what it takes to make significant improvements on the lives of Bayelsans with the resources at the disposal of the State.

Links to related stories:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/01/group-raises-alarm-over-allege-plot-to-frame-up-alaibe/

http://www.nigerianbestforum.com/blog/?p=74208

Fourth Legislative Assembly of KOLGA Inaugurated

by Okpoitari Diongoli

The 4^th Legislative Assembly of the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Council has been inaugurated.

The KOLGA Legislative Assembly has Mr. Waripamowei Surubo as Leader of the Assembly, Miss Wariegberi Kakatei as Deputy Leader. The Leader of the Assembly is the analogous position to the Speaker of the House at this tier of government. Other principal officers include Mr. Daubiri Samba as Chief Whip, Woyengipreye Waribagha as Majority Leader while Mr. Ilaye Ayawari is the Minority leader.

The Clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Ukiye Buruboyefi administered the oath of office and allegiance on the Leader of the House Mr. Surubo. Mr Surubo in turn administered the oath of office on the Deputy Leader Miss Kakatei and the nine other councillors of the wards.

Speaking shortly after taking the oath of office, the Leader promised that the House will enact bye-laws that will strengthen the Executive to move the area forward. Mr. Surubo pledged to make the council one of the best in the country and reiterated the commitment of the Councillors to the programmes and policies of the State and the local government.

Addressing the maiden session of the Legislative Assembly, the Chairman of the Council, Chief Ebikitin Diongoli espoused his vision to render quality service to the people.

House Leader Waripamowei Surubo

Miss Kakatei taking the oath of office

Councillors being sworn in

Chief Ebikitin Diongoli

KOLGA Press Corps at the Ceremony

DAY OF GLORY FOR OPOKUMA

Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa addressing the gathering

Commissioner Victoria Denenu and Commissioner Dudafa at the event

Chief Ebikitin Diongoli arriving at the event

Wellwishers celebrate the Chairman's victory

Chief Diongoli and Commissioner Dudafa appreciate some wellwishers

Press Release - Okpoitari Diongoli
-THE DAY KOLGA STOOD STILL.
It was a day of glory for Opokuma as the chiefs and people gathered in their numbers at the U.P.E. Playground of Opokuma South, to honour the newly sworn in chairman of the council Chief Ebikitin Diongoli. This is the first time an Opokuma indigene has emerged as the elected chairman of the Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Council since the creation of this Local Government Area. Colourfully dressed women groups from all the eleven wards in the area along with the live band and other traditional groups made the ceremony which took place a grand one.

Speaking at the occasion, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Waripamowei Dudafa said the policy thrust of the present administration is for the local government system to be participatory governance which will involve all stakeholders at the grassroots.

Mr Dudafa said it is imperative for chairmen of the various local government councils to operate from their headquarters to enable them appreciate the challenges and provide solutions to the critical needs of the people they are expected to serve.
The commissioner explained that as a proactive step, a legal framework is being put together by the State House of Assembly in partnership with his ministry to check the negative trend, emphasizing that any chairman who violates the law will be sanctioned appropriately.

According to Mr Dudafa, the paradigm shift is for local government administration to focus on human capacity development stating that the ministry has already issued a directive to the councils to anchor their budget for this year on education, primary health care and agriculture.He said the administration of Chief Timipre Sylva is laying emphasis on education because it is the key to attaining sustainable development adding that education will be pursued side by side with agriculture to boost the internally generated revenue base of the councils.

Also speaking the Environment Commissioner, Mrs Victoria Denenu charged the chairmen to concentrate on projects that will improve on the living standard of the people at the rural areas. Mrs Denenu, who is also an Opokuma indigene, called for total support from all stakeholders to enable the chairmen deliver on their mandate to provide meaningful development at the grassroots. She commended Mr Waripamowei Dudafa whom she described as the political leader of the area for his visionary and selfless leadership style that have place KOLGA at a vantage position in the comity of local government councils in the country.

The Amananaowei of Odi, King Shine Apere spoke in kind words about Chief Diongoli noting that as Care Taker Committee Chairman, he constructed what the king described as the most magnificent council secretariat in the south-south geo-political zone.
The king urged the chairman to sustain the tempo now that the people of Kolokuma/Opokuma have given him their sacred mandate.

Responding, the Executive Chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Council, Chief Ebikitin Diongoli promised to justify the confidence reposed in him and pledged to accord priority to proper administrative structure, health, education as well as boost internally generated revenue. Chief Diongoli announced that a Kolokuma/Opokuma Investment Corporation will be established through which the local economy will be diversified to generate revenue for the council to reduce over dependence on dwindling federal allocation.

He said the council will partner with some foreign development agencies and engage in intensive agriculture as well as promote cottage industries and upgrade the existing markets to international standards like Ariara, Balogun and Alaba markets.

The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from all walks of life including women and youth groups as well as special advisers, senior special assistants, the newly elected councillors of the eleven wards and traditional rulers from all the twenty towns in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area.