In
line with the vision of the founding fathers of our dearly beloved state and
given this administration’s stand on Ijaw mobilization, Ijaw integration and
the need to promote Ijaw fundamental interest, which clearly is not
subordinate to any other interests, the government of Bayelsa State has given
its approval to have a state-owned emblem to mark and strengthen our sense of
identity as a state.
The
decision was taken at the end of the 7th meeting of the State Executive
Council held on Monday 6th, August 2012. Accordingly, the State
Executive Council has approved a flag, state anthem and Coat of Arms for
Bayelsa State which will reflect the colours and symbols of the Ijaw nation
and it will be put to use as soon as His
Excellency, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, gives
his accent to the law which has just been passed by the State House of
Assembly.
This
decision also underscores government’s belief that this state, like any other state, is where the Ijaws, the fourth
largest ethnic nationality, has as its home. Bayelsa is home to all Ijaws
both at home and abroad. The emblem therefore will help serve as a
unifying force and rallying point for all our people. It says a lot
about the preservation of our culture, our essential values as a people and as a race. These are the qualities
that distinguished us and makes us who we are – proud, great people of the
Ijaw Nation; irrepressible in spirit,
a people that are second to none in this country. There is therefore
need to project our culture and uniqueness as a people. There is the need to
preserve our proud values and pass them on as part of our heritage.
Hence, once the law is accented to, the emblems will be
officially unveiled to the public. The point must
however be made clear that the step taken by our government to announce the
proposed launch of a state owned flag, anthem and coat of arm is not in any
way different from what other states in the federation have done. It is
common knowledge that virtually all the states in the southwestern region
such as Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti State - have since launched
theirs. The most recent was the North Central state of Kwara.
In
the South-South, Cross River and Rivers State are the only two states in the region that has
embraced this noble concept. In the case of Rivers, it was done since
the 1970s. We believe that Bayelsa State, being the only state that can be
considered as the home state of the Ijaw race, deserves even much more to
blaze this trail than any other state in the federation, given its
uniqueness. This much is true because of the emphasis we place on the propagation of the Ijaw ideals
and what we stand for as a people, the Ijaw ideology.
More importantly, as a government, we view the decision to
launch the state-own emblem, as critical to our development and it matches
our drive to project Bayelsa State as a world-class tourist destination, the
new frontier for eco-tourism and an investment haven.
The emblem that is soon to be launched represents a unique form
of branding for our dear state and we believe it holds the key to our collective abilities as Bayelsans
and Izons to stand for what we believe in, if we must make tangible progress
going forward.
Signed
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to Bayelsa State Governor
8/08/2012
|
Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor
Friday 12 July 2013
STATE-OWNED FLAG, COAT OF ARMS AND ANTHEM LAW
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