Rivers, Bayelsa Honour Okilo In Port Harcourt

The Atlantic Hall of Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was filled to the brim with notable personalities from Rivers and Bayelsa States as people turned up to honour the first civilian Governor of the Old Rivers State, Chief Melford Okilo on the 16th memorial of his death.
The event was sponsored by the Rivers State Government with the support of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was the Special Guest of Honour, said Okilo was not only his political mentor, but was also a father to him and thanked organizers, Bayelsa Government, Movement for the Survival of the Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) for honouring the former governor.
“Okilo’s life should be an inspiration to all. He started like every one of us from the creek,” Dr. Jonathan recalled. Jonathan was represented by Amb. Goodknows Igali.
The former president said Okilo made himself available to serve the people for public service at a very young age. “He devoted his life to service for Ijaw people and Niger Delta in general. He was hardworking, and God in His mercy took him to the pinnacle. Okilo was a thinker, a philosopher,” he noted.
He pointed out that he played a key role in the Balewa government as a parliamentary secretary who did well and assisted a lot of people, noting that he built bridges across the country.
He recalled that Okilo and Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye teamed up and formed NSM/NDC Niger Delta Congress, which produced councilors and a chairman.
The Mother of the Day, Dame Patience Jonathan who sent a message to the occasion, expressed joy on the political achievements of late Chief Okilo, describing him as a front liner and pride of Ijaw people and Niger Delta.
Chairman of the Occasion and Former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada George noted that those who worked closely with Okilo know that he worked hard to achieve unity and cohesion in Niger Delta.
“At the age of 25, he was with the Zikist Movement; when he realized that what he wanted would not be achieved, he left the Zikist Movement and joined Chief Dappa-Biriye, and both of them aligned with the Northern People’s Congress (NPC).
“His interests were unity and cohesion of Niger Delta. He was the first democratically elected Governor of Rivers State, and had all the Governors under him,” Chief Ada George said, pointing out; “I served under him, he was my mentor.”
George added that Chief Okilo decentralized government to bring development to all nooks and crannies of Rivers State. “Okilo was not parochial, Okilo was open minded, and made all of us proud,” he said.
The Amanyanabo of Opobo, HRM King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, described the day’s event as memorable and historic. He recalled that Okilo saw him the first time when he (Okilo) came to Opobo and got him a new car after hearing how his car was stolen. “Okilo was a practical man, it was so sad that we lost a good thinker,” he noted.
Also speaking was the first military Governor of Rivers State, now Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, Bayelsa State, HRM Alfred Diete-Spiff who maintained that Okilo was his brother, noted that it was Okilo that signed his papers for him to travel abroad.
“Rivers State is Rivers State, there is no old Rivers State,” he stated, adding that Okilo achieved a lot for the state.
In a lecture, former president of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof Atuboyedia W. Obiamine noted that “today, we are witnessing history, history of people have come to know and recognize themselves. Let the spirit of unity of oneness continue to be among all”.
Professor Obianime recalled that Okilo was born into a humble family but was not deterred by that, hence he broke that barrier.
According to him, Okilo was tutored by a great man, Harold Dappa Biriye who himself was a revolutionary.
He stated that the young Okilo came to Port Harcourt in 1958, the year Dappa Biriye founded NDC. He traversed the whole Niger Delta, and out of the 11 candidates fielded in the election, only Okilo won election to the parliament. “He had to sell his Raleigh bicycle to finance his election.”
The former INC President said that by that election Okilo became Parliamentary Secretary which was a junior minister, while Dappa Biriye became the party leader.
“Okilo is no more but his legacies lives on”. “Okilo was very good at maintaining relationship. He made relationship very important and worked with the likes of Balewa, Ciroma, Shagari and others. Okilo used his political power to develop his areas”, he said, adding that government is not only about building roads and bridges, “Government is about developing people.”
Obianime said Okilo liberated the minds of people of Niger Delta, and charged all not to allow their environment to define them, rather they should rise above their environment.
Rivers State Governor Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo, said it was his pleasure to be part of the event in honour of a Governor, a senator whose human capacity and a political empire is being sustained today.
Governor Fubara thanked the Okilo family and the foundation, assuring that he would ensure the success of the foundation. “Okilo was a tested politician and leader with great vision, humanist who governed with the fear of God, and achieved a lot for the state and her people. He was one of the many first who established the Rivers State University to advance education, and advocated for resource control. He was courageous.” We should all reflect on the life of this great man”, Governor Fubara said.
Governor Fubara donated N80 Million to enable the Melford Okilo Foundation take off.
Notable Niger Delta Environmentalist Human Rights Activist and Founder, AG, APE Birthrights, Annkio Briggs said, “Okilo was a great man who did not see himself as a great man,” noting that he was a palm wine taper, a fisherman, a humble man who loved his people.
She stressed that Okilo was indeed our one and only country man, and as such must be honoured. She expressed her gratitude for all Okilo had done and wished him the continued blessing of God.
Other personalities such as NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Former Rivers State University Vice Chancellor, Prof Simeon Achinehu, former MOSOP, Mr. Legborsi Piyagbara and others also expressed their goodwill messages. HRM, Eze Lesley Eke, Eze, Gbakagbaka III, of Evo Kingdom and other traditional rulers from Rivers and Bayelsa States attended the occasion.
Highlights of the event were cultural performance, and drama exhibition on the life and times of Chief Melford Obiene Okilo.