THE LAND OF BAYELSA NEEDS APOLOGY,
OUR LEADERS PLEASE ZIMO_Chief. Barrister Smooth
The creation of Bayelsa State no doubt was the collective efforts of every Izon man, far and near. Many gave their resources and lives to see that we should have an indigenous state we can call home of every Izon man. The people danced and rejoice over the fact that their dream had been achieved. They thought freedom had come at last. They thought they had arrived safely to their promise land. Hopes were high, expectations soar.
First we had our military Administrators who did their best but too small and we feel they could not do better because they were strangers who had no sympathy or understanding the sufferings of the people. To make their voices heard the Ijaw youths numbering thousands gathered at Kaiama to declare their sovereignty as a free Nation. Many youths who came to participate in the protest died in the course. Their wives and children are forgotten today by the present crop of politicians who think of nobody but themselves. Their blood cry from the ground asking to be appreciated and appeased and yet nobody tend to listen.
Then came Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha who became our Piller of strength and hope. He was angry at the underdevelopment and opened Yenagoa the state capital for rapid growth and development. He became the voice of the IZON man anywhere in the world and that earned him the appellation (The Governor General.) His reign marked the beginning of the success story of the IZON Dream.
But however his glory was cut off betrayed by his own brothers like Joseph in the Bible. He died for the Ijaw struggle that inspired my song APOLOGY. As a believer and fighter of the struggle, I saw the need for the Bayelsa land to be appeased to the spirit of late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha for future leaders to have a great sense of direction to lead the people well. To many that was a mere song to be overlooked with careless abandon. But today the land is in darkness calling our leaders to wake up to their responsibilities. Now that we have our own sons and daughters in positions, let nobody should blame the North for wickedness. Not again.
Pained I went to the studio and came with another song titled ZIMO in which I called our leaders to cut loose the rope of slavery, poverty, tied on the lives of the people. The hunger became unbearable. The people became slaves in their own land. The people that supposed to be celebrating their prosperity and freedom today are in abject poverty and darkness. Nobody cared about us, cried late Michael Jackson. Truly nobody cares about the Bayelsa of our dream. Nobody.
They say if you want to know the sufferings of your people, you should come down to mix with them, after all, we are all brothers. I have been in Bayelsa for two weeks and what I saw concerning the people were indescribable. I could not help but to assist almost 10m, with over 20 people with the sum of 500k each, for hospital bills and poverty alleviation.
Our political leaders, please this is not funny, ZIMO. Our Federal Ministers and Senators be your brother's keepers and ZIMO. Our Governor of Bayelsa State, this is no longer funny, move around and see the people wallowing in poverty in the dark, ZIMO. This is no time for politics, this is the bitter truth facing the state, please ZIMO. I know no big man will understand the people crying for light in their black out because they have their generators giving light every night and day. I weep when I go around the state.
Please I beg our leaders, ZIMO!
Chief Barrister S. Smooth
Freedom is my goal!
