Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson, has appealed to Bayelsans to always unite irrespective of political differences and party affiliation.
He said as a state in pursuit of greatness,
nothing should divide them in order to collectively achieve the desires of the founding fathers of the state and prepare a brighter future for generations unborn.
Dickson stated this at a reception in honour of Mr. Kemasuode Wodu, one of the 72 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) who were sworn-in on Wednesday at the Supreme Court, Abuja.
Wodu was a former Attorney-General of Bayelsa State during the administration of Dickson.
He said: “As I always say, these are occasions that call for joy, knowing where we are coming from. So I want to use this opportunity again, not just to call on Bayelsans to aspire to be the very best in what they do, but also to refrain from pulling down another. We are few, everyone is important and we must be our brothers’ keeper.
“This is why even though politics naturally engenders division and conflict, I have always concentrated only on defeating opponents at elections and nothing more.
“It is on record that at the federal level I have always supported our people in the pursuit of our collective agenda irrespective of political differences”.
While congratulating Wodu, the former governor said his elevation to the coveted rank of SAN was long expected and charged him to excel in his new position.
“I congratulate him, his family especially his wife. I congratulate also the legal community in Bayelsa and the entire state and Ijaw nation at large. I wish Kemasuode Wodu (SAN) the very best as I know the best is yet to come for him.
“I use this opportunity to call for hardwork not only on the part of lawyers who are striving to be SANs but also on all Bayelsans and indeed Ijaws whereever they may be to strive to be the very best in all they do”.
Dickson asserted that more work needs to be done for Bayelsa to produce more prominent individuals in various sectors, lamenting that out of the 72 SANs sworn-in, only 1 came from the state.
According to him, it was on the strength of that, he invested heavily in education and capacity development of youths while he was governor for eight years.
“Celebrations such as this is gratifying but we must build a critical mass of persons who will be champions of their chosen endeavours. Even today, we have only one of the newly sworn 72 SANs while there are states that have five or more.
“This is why we invested heavily in education in our government. We have to continue to support educational infrastructure and policies in Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation at large for a long time to come. Our people need to embrace and support the Education Development Trust Fund which is supporting thousands of students in boarding schools we built; the Tertiary Education Loan Board that is supporting thousands of students of secondary schools and undergraduates at higher institutions. For it is from this, that the future champions will emerge.
“We need more SANs in Bayelsa. From zero we are now being told that we have five which is good. Of the six SANs so far from Bayelsa, two are my former attorneys general: the late Francis Egele (SAN) and now Kemasuode Wodu (SAN) who replaced him in our government”
Continuing he said “My third Attorney General A.S. Arthur Esq, I believe hopefully amongst other qualified Ijaw Lawyers, would make it one day in no distant time . I thank the State Governor, the Chief Judge, and the state government.
“I thank Mrs Wodu for the support over the years. It is a family I know quite well. I thank his mother, my lord, the Chief Judge, Senior Lawyers, judges and all those who contributed one way or the other in making Wodu a SAN.
“I know Wodu as a man who works hard, I know him as an honest and courageous attorney general, who speaks truth, who is very resourceful and who is a man of integrity. Wodu never worked, did anything or gave any advice for pecuniary or personal benefit”.
