Gifted Markson
At the First News 4th Anniversary Public Lecture held at the Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, represented by Dr. O. O. Osusu, called for unity among the people of the Niger Delta to drive sustainable development in the region.
Delivering the senator’s remarks, Dr. Osusu conveyed Senator Dickson’s regrets for being unable to attend due to an unavoidable appointment, while emphasizing his commitment to the event’s theme, “Building the Niger Delta of Our Dream: With or Without Oil.”
Senator Dickson’s message to the audience focused on the importance of regional unity to overcome the long-standing challenges of underdevelopment.
“To build the Niger Delta of our dreams requires unity of purpose by the people. Without that unity, our efforts will fail,” the senator said, as relayed by Dr. Osusu.
Highlighting the region’s paradox of resource wealth and poverty, Senator Dickson pointed out that while the Niger Delta owns vast oil resources, it does not control them.
“You own the oil, but you don’t possess it. They tell you the oil is in your backyard, but they possess it and use it on your behalf. Meanwhile, we are left doing nothing about it,” he lamented.
He urged the people of the Niger Delta to focus on harnessing their resources from within rather than depending on external forces.
“We must come back to looking inward so that we can build a society that develops from inside, not from outside,” he advised.
Senator Dickson also underscored the environmental degradation faced by the region, contrasting it with the wealth others derive from its resources.
“We suffer the pollution here, but others enjoy the wealth. How did we get to this point? We must come together to save our society,” he stressed.
In closing, Senator Dickson’s representative reiterated the region’s natural wealth and potential but lamented its current state.
“We are rich and endowed with everything, yet we are poor in the midst of plenty. The time is now for us to rise to the occasion,” he said.
Dr. Osusu concluded the speech by thanking the attendees and expressing confidence that the discussions at the lecture would be impactful.
The First News 4th Anniversary Public Lecture brought together key stakeholders, including, Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri, represented by Honourable Commissioner Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, and keynote speaker Prof. Pat Utomi, to engage in meaningful dialogue on the future of the Niger Delta.