From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the 50th anniversary of the state, would be a celebration of the liberation of Rivers people from the forces of deprivation, oppression and domination.
He spoke when he inaugurated the Rivers State Golden Jubilee Celebrations Committee at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday.
“Many of us, who are now enjoying the fruits of liberty may not truly appreciate what it meant to be dominated, dispossessed, deprived, exploited and oppressed in your own land by the dominant social and political tendencies of the time.
“Before Rivers State was created, our people could not find schools in their neighbourhood, hospitals to treat the sick, universities to educate their children, decent jobs to earn income and good roads to their communities.”
The governor noted that since the creation of Rivers State on May 27, 1967, the state has attained greater heights and surmounted development challenges.
“For 50 years, we have lived and toiled together in pursuit of the vision of our founding fathers who put in and sacrificed everything, including their lives to ensure the creation of this beautiful state we all love, indigenes and non-indigenes alike.”
The governor noted that the most important achievement of the creation of Rivers State was that the people of the state were now masters of their own destiny.
“Although we are not where we should be within the matrix of where we want to be, we still have a lot to celebrate and thank God for the 50 years of our existence as a state and as a people with a common destiny.
The committee has 151 members with Chief Ferdinand Anabrabra as chairman, Chief Onueze Okocha, alternate chairman and Dr. Jacob Beredugo as secretary. It would submit an initial report and recommendations to the State Executive Council for consideration within two months.