Open letter to my future wife

OPEN LETTER TO MY FUTURE WIFE

Dear Future Wife,

You do not know me yet, maybe you do, you could have seen me already but have no idea it's me. You are probably wondering why I am even writing to you. I find a lot of anxiety trying to craft the right sentences so I wouldn't be chastised for being boring. I may not be able to convey my thoughts, my feelings, my love in words, but do not underestimate me yet.

Whether you are reading this before you meet me or stumble upon it later, there are some things I would like you to know about me because someday, I am going to marry you. Whichever way, please remember to bring a copy of this letter to our wedding as it will be good laugh for our guests.

I am a compassionate and an intrepid fellow, qualities I know were inherent in me while growing up. I may not have admitted it as an inchoate child, but I have great respect for my mother and my father. Though we argue sometimes, I never lost my respect for them. My dad, though not perfect, treated my mom like a Queen. He never belittled her, he never second guessed her decisions, he stood by her all the time. His love is a perfect example for me and my siblings to follow.

My mother, she is a darling, she is the definition of the word "mama" as she encapsulates all the virtues of a good mother. She is beautiful as she is tender. She have set the bar as to the qualities of a good wife and mother so high that I sometimes feel that finding you might be asking for the impossible. Mama is my Queen, that's why, i am going to treat you like a Princess, so you'll know I was raised like Royalty.

I write this letter to you because very soon, I will approach my own turn at marriage as I grow older an wiser, I would want to be your husband. I truly want to be your husband. A husband that will love, cherish and make you feel always special because the way i love a woman is part of who I am and not dependant on who i am with.

Dear future wife, I have always imagined what you'll look like, are you curvy, short, tall, dark, Igbo, Yoruba, Chinese? You don't have to be perfect, you have to be worth it, because in my eyes, it won't matter what you wear, how/what you look like, how much you weigh, what is your past, or what you perceive to be your imperfections, it will all be beauty to me. Sure, I am a sucker for soulful eyes and nice spread of good dentition when a lady smiles, your body will never be what defines your beauty, but rather the lasting and important things. Your soul, your heart, your mind, these are where a woman's true essence is and these are the things I will fall in love with.

However, do not misinterpret me by thinking your body will go unnoticed by me. Instead I will worship your body as if I've been wandering the desert for 20 years and you are the blessing of a cool, wet spring. I will know every freckle on your physique and wonder at them as though they were constellations in the night sky. I will
glorify every inch of your skin with gentle caresses of fingertips and soft lips, greedy palms and a hungry tongue. Holding you close while you sleep each
night will be the reason that I can't wait to go to bed each night, and why I will dread leaving our bed each morning. I will watch your breath steady and listen to the inevitable sounds you will make in the twilight between slumber and dreaming. I will fall asleep with the familiar scent of
your hair and skin filling my nostrils. I
will hold you as close as possible, our
breath and hearts syncing up as we drift off. I pledge to never stop doing the little things for you.

When you have a bad day I commit to lay you down and massage the sinewy, stress-knotted areas of your neck, your back and anywhere else you carry your stress. I will cook with you (not for you, I'm not s very good cook, not like my big brother) as often as possible. We'll do bible studies together.

I'll give you random gifts, just because you deserve gifts everyday. If you're
scared of spiders, or any bugs really, I
will always get them for you. I will also
try to do huge romantic gestures too but I'm a huge awkward nerd so they will inevitable be really cheesey...it's just who I am. These are the truths
about how I will love you when i find you.

I can promise i won't be perfect, and I'm going to mess up... maybe a lot. But I will always love you and be committed to you. If we have arguments, I'll rather lose the argument than lose a partner. I won't hesitate to always say I'm sorry, no matter who's right or wrong.

I will be the one who will recognize your goodness. I will be the one who will respect you and appreciate your high moral standards. I will be the one who will admire the way you respect yourself. I will be the one to hold your
hand when you need affection. I will be the one to kiss your cheek when you feel lonely. I will be the one who will hold you when you need to feel secure, i am an activist, i will always stand, defend and protect you. I will be the
one who will comfort you in your sadness and share in your happiness. I will be the one who will be by your side as you bring our children into the world. I will be the one who will love you as if each day was our last together. All these i'll do because your soft touch will weaken me. Your eyes will enthrall me. Your beauty will mesmerize me. Your goodness will enamor me. Your virtues will captivate me. Your trust will engross me. Upon securing your trust, my heart, mind and soul will finally find peace and contentment.

What will draw me to you, more than anything else, however is your love for God. And your attempt to follow His will. Your continued faith and love for God, through the failures and the triumphs, through the laughter and the tears, will only increase my love for you. So, please continue to be patient and wait for me. We will soon meet and begin our life together. And with the grace of God, through faithful devotion and loving sacrife, we will attain eternal happiness in Heaven.

I know I’m making all these plans without considering you but I’ll be willing to change all or accept any modifications from you even though I pray you love them too.

Yours inevitably,
Aluzu Ebikebuna A.

My name is Moses, and I will lead my people to the
Promised Land – Moses Siloko Siasia, Bayelsa State
Governorship aspirant

Posted by Admin

Moses Siloko Siasia is a a 34-year-old successful
Nigerian businessman who has decided to contest
the Bayelsa state governorship election
having waited patiently for a chance to change the
political environment in Bayelsa state. He believes
that he has what it takes to take Bayelsa state from
the backwater fringes to the Promised Land.
Below is the Press Statement released by the 34-
year-old successful businessman announcing his
intention to contest Yenagoa, Bayelsa June 9, 2015:

My name is Moses Siloko Siasia. I am a young successful Nigerian
businessman who has decided to run for office of
the Governor for my home state of Bayelsa,
Nigeria. The age limit to run for the office of
Governor in our constitution is thirty five. I have
waited patiently for a chance to change the political
environment in Bayelsa and on June 7th of this
year, I turned thirty five and I am ready to run. I am
a native of Bayelsa and a self –made successful
businessman who until sixteen years ago, was a
street vendor who scrounged for money and food
to survive. Determined to take myself and family
out of poverty, I worked day and night literally to
gain a foothold in the very challenging private
Nigerian economy.

After consulting with my family and friends, and
based upon the tremendous outcry from my home
state for help, I have decided to run for the office of
Governor of Bayelsa. For far too long, my people
have suffered from political oppression! Despite
being one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria, with
an abundance of natural resources, Bayelsa has
one of the highest unemployment rates in Nigeria.
Our children do not have modern schools or tools
to educate them. Our students abroad are stranded
without resources to complete their education. Our
infrastructure has been neglected resulting in
dangerous impassable roads, lack of potable water,
and basic human hygiene. Our older citizens have
been abandoned and left to die in poverty and poor
health. Our young, internationally educated young
men and women have been denied the opportunity
to run for office, and told that “the office of the
Governor is not for boys”. Young citizens of Bayelsa
who today seek change are being threatened and
intimidated for speaking up against the current
regime. Fear mongering and intimidation has no
place in Bayelsa and the time has come to end this
madness and take back our state from lying,
thieving, self-serving politicians.

Since Bayelsa became a state in 1999, there has not
been any private economic growth. Our people rely
solely on the allocation of Government funds to
survive, but the money never trickles down to them
due to wastefulness, mismanagement of funds, a
lack of leadership and self-serving agendas. Our
people have been cheated, lied to, misled,
neglected, and held in political bondage for far too
long and it is time to set my people free. My name
is Moses, and I will lead my people to the Promised
Land! I am running for Governor because it is time
to take back our state and usher in a new era of
leadership and prosperity for the people of Bayelsa.
Today, the youth of Bayelsa is crying for real
measureable change. The future of Bayelsa is in
dire straits. Our youth, the custodians of our future
are here to take back our state!

In July 2015, I will formally declare my campaign in
Bayelsa, and on Election Day, will make history as
the youngest elected person to the office of
Governor in the history of Nigeria. It is time for us,
the educated, proven successful business minded
professionals to lead. The office of the Governor is
NOT a trust fund for individualistic self-serving
agendas. It is the highest office of the state charged
with the responsibility of its people. As a successful
businessman, I will govern the state with a firm grip
on accountability and charge all those who will
work with me with great responsibility and high
integrity. I will bring in much needed international
investments and create sustainable and meaningful
private sector jobs. It is time for all foreign
contractor who come here year in and year out to
reinvest in our state. No longer will we allow the
world, and our current leadership to take
advantage of us. I aim to give hope to the hopes
and give voice to the voiceless. The time for real
measureable change is now! I am Moses Siloko
Siaisia and I am running for the office of the
Governor of Bayelsa to lead my people out of
political bondage and to a land of prosperity!

THE AGONY OF THE BAYELSAN CHILD AND THE DUTY ON THEIR PARENTS TO MITIGATE SAME COME DECEMBER 5.

A visit, paid by the PDM governorship aspirant, HON. MOSES SIASIA to the present
ODI RESTORATION GOVERNMENT ramshackled GENERAL HEALTH CENTRE IN BAYELSA STATE.

THE AGONY OF THE BAYELSAN CHILD AND THE DUTY ON THEIR PARENTS TO MITIGATE SAME COME DECEMBER 5.

As written by: Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine

The images below is not an excerpt from the pre-colonial era, it is the modern reality of Bayelsa state in light of the 21st Century. It is a pity that in seventeen years of political rulership and democratic dispensation, Bayelsan's are yet to feel the dividends of democracy.  With graphics and sights such as these. I think one need not wonder the rationale for the astronomous rise in crime recently in the state. When a government fails to invest in education and health, it puts the unity, safety and the state at large in a precarious situation.

LACK OF CONCERN FROM THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE  RESTORATION GOVERNMENT CONCERNING THE HEALTH OF THE ODI CITIZENS.

INTERIOR OF THE CURRENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT, ODI HEALTH CENTRE ,ANTE NATAL WARD.

INTERIOR OF THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT, ODI HEALTH CENTRE, MATERNITY WARD.

POOR CONDITION OF THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT, ODI HEALTH CENTRE, ANTE NATAL WARD.

 How long are we going to sell and mortgage our future as well as the future of our children and children yet unborn? Even those entrusted with public responsibilities, those who are supposed to be the custodian of the custom and tradition of the people and those who are supposed to be seen as trustee's of integrity, have compromised for their selfish aggrandizement at the expense of their communities and society at large.

It was erstwhile President Obasanjo who stated immediately after his release from prison by President Abdulsalami that "Nigeria is void of morals and order, even those expected to show high level of integrity and discipline are those involved in this sorry act".

The banner you see below, is a shameless endorsement of the incumbent Governor by a man who is supposed to be the voice of the voiceless, in his community.

YET THEY WANT YOUR VOTE TO KEEP IMPOVERISHING   YOU.

SAY NO TO THE PRESENT SELFISH BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT.

Such endorsement is indeed, a theater of the absurd, a height of irresponsibility, a brazen show of shamelessness, a display of factual ignorance about the plight of his people, a blatant stultification of good conscience and a pungent indictment of graft against High Chief M. Asangba of Odi. A community that produces oil, yet no good Health Centre for them.

LACK OF CONCERN FROM THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE  RESTORATION GOVERNMENT CONCERNING THE HEALTH OF THE ODI CITIZENS.

ENTRANCE TO THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT, ODI HEALTH CENTER, MATERNITY WARD.

STRUCTURE OF THE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT ODI HEALTH CENTER

 How can the children learn in a classroom that has no desk? They still bathe at the stream, defecate in thesame water and fetch thesame water to run their daily domestic activities such as cooking, doing dishes and laundry with it, and some even use it to quench thirst (drinking). I make bold to say that Chief M. Asangba of Odi have failed the people of Odi and the part of the banner which reads "tested and trusted" is a misnomer, and a such misleading to a great extent. Dickson and Sylva have failed the Bayelsa child.

POOR EDUCATIONAL STANDARD OPERATED BY THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT IN ODI.

THE CLASSROOM OF A FUNCTIONING SCHOOL IN THE  CURRENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT IN ODI

Until we stop this infantile stomach jamboree, It is not surprising that Bayelsan's will continually nosedive to destitutes and servitude instead of growing in knowledge and revel in prosperity. Our traditional institution should letup the celebration and coronation of corrupt individuals as can be seen in the recent coronation of Timipre Sylva as the 'Ajana 1', a man with a corruption case with the EFCC that is sub judicia. Our parents have been made either through diabolic means or the apparent political imposition, to wallow in sheer ignorance and as such, danced to the tune of mental slavery exude by politicians. Blinded by their greed for the little peanuts thrown around by these men during election periods who have unconstitutionally withheld their emoluments, an elusive life of opulence as paraded to them by these destiny killers, they have been derogated to play the role of partisanship for PDP and APC, and stand by the road side to cheer the same people that have subjected them to this state of perpetual squalor for the past seventeen years. They peregrinate round these elites like flies around an ordure, hoping to feed off the left over's of the National cake. Without prejudice and apology to anybody's feelings, these set of Bayelsa's deserves to be lynched as ironically, they are the set of people who constitutes the majority of voters in the state.

POOR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OPERATED BY THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT IN ODI.

NO REGARD FOR THE STUDENTS OF ODI BY THE PRESENT BAYELSA STATE RESTORATION GOVERNMENT.

It's more shocking when one realizes that it is thesame Odi that have carved a significant place for itself in the history of this great country Nigeria. I am a radical, a virulent writer and an activist. Those who wish to continue to subject us to such unimaginable hardship, should understand that notice is being taken of them for speculative purposes. This hardship on our children can be mitigated, prevalent circumstances have offered us a choice, and we have to choose between the two Pharaoh's and a Moses. we should be careful because the choices we make in this election can either make or mar us. We may not get it right next time.

I and those who represent my generation have found a light, and that light is Moses Siloko Siasia.

MOSES SIASIA AND IRENE OPUENE, TAKING BAYELSA STATE TO THE PROMISE LAND.

I so perorate.

I am Aluzu Ebikebuna
Truth have just been said no matter the cost.

MY GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRATION IS DIVINE - Moses Siloko Siasia

MY GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRATION IS DIVINE - Moses Siloko Siasia

His Excellency, the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Movement in Bayelsa state made this statement during an interview with Rythm 94.7 in Yenagoa, yesterday 31/10/2015.

This was how it went.

MAY WE KNOW YOU?

I am Moses Siloko Siasia, the standard flag bearer of People's Democratic Movement (PDM)

WHY ARE YOU IN THE RACE?

I am a young enterprising man who is moved by the pains I behold in the eyes of Bayelsans. There is the need to create massive employment and make education attractive in Bayelsa state. It is no news that I am the underdog in this race, as the political Goliaths have been tested, Bayelsan's should ponder if they are trusted.

HOW WOULD YOU ACTUALIZE YOUR PLANS?

My aspiration is divine, and I have a spunk conviction that I will be sworn in on February 14, 2016 which is a very significant day for the youths.

I will actualize my plans with proper strategizing and by diversifying our economy, from our over dependence on the federal allocation, to tourism as well as investing in our agricultural sector and human capacity development.

On the issue of dwindling resources, our government will take responsibilities. We will run a responsible government, I am a responsible man, and I have ran my Company responsibly for the few years I have been the Chairman.

Bayelsa state is endowed with a lot of resources, There is need for Bayelsa to transform these crude resources into modern realities for Bayelsan's. Bayelsa state has a good vegetation for plantain farming, why have our subsequent government failed to invest in this sector? We can become a major plantain exporter in Africa not just in Nigeria, this will further create jobs and employment for our people. We can produce plantain chips, and become a major exporter of plantain chips.

We can equally export rice and turn Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government rice farm to export destination.

In Bayelsa state, we produce palm oil more than Malaysia annually. We can become a major exporter of palm oil and engage our people in mass production.

There is the need to equip our farmers. If voted in as Governor of Bayelsa state, Bayelsa Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is currently not up to N1billion because it is solely dependent on tax, consequently it has made the business environment not to be conducive for our people. The highest IGR the Bayelsa State Government has produced is N856million in 2013. If voted in as Governor, I will raise our IGR to N5Billion in just four (4) years. We are young professionals, do not doubt us, we will do it.

BAYELSANS ARE USED TO THE UMBRELLA AND BROOM BECAUSE THEY ARE HOUSEHOLD NAMES, THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SYMBOL OF YOUR PARTY

Ok, we are not intimidated in any way by the names of the other parties, we do not tremble in anyway by them, because the PDM is the founder of both parties. Do you know that the PDP we have today emanated from PDM my party, and the APC members today were one time members of the PDP. It is God that gives power not man. The race to creek heaven is designed by God.

Bayelsa state is responsible for 70-75% of Nigeria's gas reserve and we are still living in this deplorable state, is the more reason the people should look out for the party with the "TORCH LOGO," that's the symbol of our party.

DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PULL THROUGH THIS RACE?

Only God gives power. In Britain, a 20 years old girl (Mhairi Black) unseated a two time parliamentarian is the British parliament member of recent. I'm sorry to say this but in Bayelsa state, people are morally demoralized. People are of the opinion that the election will be rigged because they have been used to political imposition. Now the thing is, it is we the masses that will rig the election for the powers that be. Bayelsan's need to secure their votes. They need to make sure they do not leave their polling units till their vote is counted. Look at what happened in Plateau state for instance, Plateau is a case study of how people came out and secured their votes against the ruling party.

I would want to assure Bayelsan's that this election and that of Kogi is the litmus paper test for His Excellency President Buhari, to know if he is a man of integrity and that the international communities are watching, the President of the United State of America is aware that I am contesting an election in Bayelsa, the Queen of United Kingdom is aware, and we will do everything humanly possible that this election will be free and fair. In short, for the purpose of removing doubts from people's mind, we will be using drones in this election, and it will be televised live, we are deploying eighty (80) drones for this purpose. I believe it is not by the making of man, it is God that gives power and I see no reason why I should be afraid. If not for God, President Buhari would not have emerged winner of last election as the PDP had all the ammunitions. So, I put my trust in God and not man.

YOU'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE YOUTHS AND IT SEEMS YOUR CAMPAIGN IS CENTERED AROUND THE YOUTHS, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR WOMEN AND THE ELDERLY?

The youth is a period of activity, so when we talk about youths it comprises of this stage in one's life when he/she is full of activities. I am a man who is gender friendly, I believe the women in Bayelsa state constitutes an untapped resources. Go to my company MOSILO GROUP, 60% of my workforce are women. I have been pressurized to field a man as my deputy, but I discarded such. My government will give the women 40% affirmative.

The elders will benefit also, we are not saying they do not have a place in our administration, what we are saying is mama, papa, our time has come. There is need to liberate the young in the state. A progeny at the age of 30 is still living in his father's house in Bayelsa and its a problem without the government realizing it.

We will provide free medical health care for 70 years old and above. Also, we will provide social and economic care for our elders. We will take care of pensioners as well.

Now, there have been rise in crime rates of recent, by creating jobs, we intend to reduce crime to its barest minimum in the state. We will have a training program for our ex freedom fighters, trained ex freedom fighters would be looked into and included into our programs including those who are not trained.

THERE ARE SO MANY ABANDONED PROJECTS LITTERED ALL OVER THE STATE, 500 BED HOSPITALS, 5 STAR HOTEL, ETC... WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN YOU COME TO POWER, WILL YOU COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS?

We will complete projects that have economic and social benefit to Bayelsa.

We will set up an Standardized Signal Management Process (SSMP) and there is the need that we have money before. We will bring i Bayelsan's who are experts, technocrats to come and build Bayelsa state together with us. Abandoned project is as a result of bad leadership.

The other day we went to Swali market, we noticed how bad the road is, the only road that leads to the epicenter of Bayelsa economy. People are dying in abject poverty and pains.

PEOPLE THINK YOUR CAMPAIGN IS ISSUE BASED AND NOT CAMPAIGN AGAINST PERSON. WHY IS THAT?

We are professionals like I said, and we do not engage in campaign of calumny. I admonished my team, social media team several times to respect our leaders and I'm glad they have adhered to every word I said to the latter.

Today, Bayelsa is the market because we play politics of hate. I have always said what binds us together is greater than what tear us apart. I have lots of respect for my governor, and whether you like it or notn he is my governor and an elder statesman. I have respect for Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri, as he was a speaker at a young age and if you observe carefully, we had the best days in the House during his tenure.

Let me also talk about the Civil Servants, I understand the pains they are going through, their welfare package is not even up to standard. We are saying we will pay N25,000.00 to Civil Servants as minimum wage, and gratuity to our retirees.

I have a target of 30,000.00 jobs, the youth is my target. Even the holy book says "remember your God in the days of thy youths." All over the world today, young people are doing great things. The facebook owner, even his Excellency, Buhari was 27 years when he became a petroleum minister of Nigeria, it is only a pity that they have devalued us to N3,000.00 and using us as campaign thugs here in Bayelsa.

A society that fails to take care of its young, is a failed society. Our leaders have failed us. God has really favoured Bayelsa at the federal level, we have produced a National Security Adviser, President and two (2) petroleum ministers. Yet, we have 60% out of school children, 98% unemployment rate.

   MOSES SIASIA AT RYTHM 94.7 STUDIO

                                         

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT?

We will carry out vocational skill training, we need to diversify our economy, build institutions that will train our young people, we will build skill and sport centers for our young ones.

We will makes education attractive by increasing Bursary to N30,000.00 and every student would be paid using the e-system.

In my administration, we will revive the reading culture in Bayelsa, by setting up quiz competitions when the winner is going to be given scholarship and the child will be made Acting Governor for a day.

We will build for new cities in four (4) years. We will build a beach at Akassa, we will make Oloibiri a tourist attraction, we will re-build Boro town and Aggey deep sea port.

Bayelsan's should go out there and say, this is what we want, they should go and vote on December 5. This election will be rig free, I am not joking, I hear some people are taking the electorates PVC numbers, we are deploying a lot of drones for this election. Obama knows I am contesting, the Queen of England is aware I am contesting. The international communities will be watching, they cannot rig this election. We aree begging our people to please secure their votes.

We should not leave our destiny in the hands of political jokers.

WILL YOU COLLECT LOAN?

No, I will not collect loan

WHAT IF THERE IS NO MONEY IN THE STATE'S TREASURY?

I would talk to my international partners who will gratitiously give us money, not loan. With all the loans that we have been collecting, what have we been able to achieve? How many people have flown fron the Bayelsa airport?

I am working with people wo can attract development to Bayelsa state.

I want to assure every Bayelsan that we are flagging off our campaign next week, we are going from community to community, ward to ward.

PDM is a movement, and I am on the spike of the movement for the liberation of Bayelsa state.

Our campaign office is open and they can call us on 07035751008 or 07082847626.

Thank you

Aluzu Ebikebuna A.
Social Media Coordinator for Moses Siloko Siasia Campaign Organization

Profile of MRS. IRENE DIGITEMIE OPUENE, DEPUTY GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT (PDM)

Profile of MRS. IRENE DIGITEMIE OPUENE
DEPUTY GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT (PDM)

Mrs. Irene Digitemie Opuene was born on the6th February 1960 at Minibie-Akassa  in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

She attended St. Matthews School, Egwema in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State from 1966 to 1972 for her First School Leaving Certificate and later proceeded to the Government Girls Secondary School, Bassambiri - Nembe for her West African School Certificate in 1977.  From 1979 to 1980 she was at St. John's College, Port Harcourt for her Teachers' Grade II Certificate and subsequently proceeded to the Rivers State College of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt where she obtained her National Certificate of Education (NCE) Mathematics/Economics in 1984.

A lover of education, Mrs. Irene Opuene also attended the University of Port Harcourt from 1987 to 1991 where she obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) (Education) degree in Mathematics in 1991. Not done yet with her studies, she was admitted to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt where she obtained an MBA degree in Banking and Finance in 1997.

An erudite, patriotic, hardworking and very dedicated woman, Mrs. Irene Digitemie Opuene started her working career as a Classroom Teacher at St. Luke's School, Nembe, Bayelsa State in 1980 and was posted in 1985 to Government Girls Secondary School, Nembe. She was there from 1985 to 1992 when she was transferred to Baptist High School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

On the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996, she moved to St. Judes Girls Secondary School, Amarata – Yenagoa and was in 1997 appointed Principal of Government Girls Secondary School, Nembe.

In 1999, at the advent of the forth republic, Mrs. Irene Opuene was appointed a Principal Legislative Officer at the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Yenagoa. During this period, she was the Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Bayelsa State House of Assembly Branch.

In 2001, Mrs. Opuene was posted to the Bayelsa State Liaison Office, Lagos as the Liaison Officer during the tenure of late Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha where she distinguished herself as a true representative of the Bayelsa people in the cosmopolitan city of Lagos.

In 2004, she was reposted to Yenagoa as the Chief Administrative Officer in the Governor's Office, Yenagoa and served as Secretary of the Public Service Pensions Board, Yenagoa. From 2005 and 2007, she was the Acting Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Training and Pensions Bureau, Yenagoa and later served as Secretary, Public Service Board from 2007 to 2010.

An experienced, honest, committed and hardworking civil servant, Mrs. Opuene was posted to the seat of power in the State as the Principal Secretary, Government House, Yenagoa and served from May 2010 to March 2012. She was afterwards, reposted to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure till September 2013 when she was posted to the nation's capital Abuja as the Director of the Bayelsa State Liaison Office (Bayelsa House) Abuja. She is now retired from the Bayelsa State Civil Service.

A Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM) since 2003, she has attended several courses, workshops and seminars in course of her long and successful career in the civil service. Some of these include Legislative Practice Procedure (1998); Workshop on Fire Prevention Management and Awareness for Civil Servants (1998); National Seminar on uncovering and preventing Fraud in Management and Pension Payroll and Wages (2005); Workshop on Government Policy and Reform Policy (2005); Workshop on Capacity Building for Senior Administrative Management Staff in the Civil Service(2006); Workshop on Contributory Pension Reform (2006) and Workshop on Information Security (2006) among others.

Early this year, Mrs. Irene Digitemie Opuene ran for the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the Peoples Democratic Party primary elections that produced Senator Ben Bruce as the candidate and subsequent election as Senator for Bayelsa East Senatorial District. She is now the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Movement (PDM) for the December 2015 Governorship elections in Bayelsa State which has Moses Siloko Siasia, the young, pragmatic, hardworking, focused and successful entrepreneur as the flag bearer.

A strong believer in Christ, she has, over the years, committed herself to the service of God, her State, Bayelsa and humanity in general.  She is happily married with children.

A CLARION CALL TO YOUNG NIGERIANS

NIGERIAN YOUTHS TO RAISE N500MILLION TO SUPPORT 35YEARS BAYELSA PDM GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE 'MOSES SILOKO SIASIA'

Dear Nigerian Young Compatriots,
            We bring you warm greetings and profound salutations from the constituency of young Nigerians. We salute your loyalty, determination and resilience in your resolve to uphold, pursue and promote those fundamental values, ethics and ethos that are proven to be building blocks for sharpening societies and building formidable Nations. Despite our long history of premeditated neglect of young people in Nigeria, we have kept faith and continually sustain hope in a renaissance of the Nigeria of our dreams.

It was John C. Maxwell, that said “To live a worthy life, meaningful life, a person must be part of something greater than himself”. After the tough, harsh and seemingly impossible battle of colonialism and violent oppression, our founding fathers together as one people began a journey at independence, a journey with a vision to create prosperity and build a country that is to be an envy of all Nations. The expedition of this great Patriots and Patriarchs of liberating Nigerian's from ignorance, stagnation, poverty, socio-economic and political exclusion has since become a mirage, with the young people at the receiving end.

Our experience as young people in Nigeria has been that of a history of generations of broken promises. We have seen hopes dashed, trust betrayed, opportunities mortgaged and steady steps towards development compromised. We have seen great dreams, vision and plans sacrificed on the altar of greed, parochialism, sectionalism and uncontrollable extremist tendencies. We have witnessed with rude shock the perversion of fundamental values of character, integrity, hard work, sacrifice and patriotism. The young is now left with a society that is best described as “without form and void”.

The great question is “where is the hope of the younger generation”? Where is our hope when we do not have fair employment policies? Where is our hope when we do not have quality education, where our graduates are said to be unemployable? Where is our hope when we are killed during employment processes (2012 Immigration Recruitment Massacre) without having justice? Where is our hope when we are falsely and unjustly accused and are left to rot and die in jails without justice? Where is our hope when our young brothers and sisters are left to the option of prostitution, armed robbery, militancy, insurgency and kidnaps for survival only because we have been abandoned, relegated, alienated and deprived of economic opportunities? Where is our hope when 10% of Nigerian's control the entire wealth of our country? Where is our hope when financial institution wickedly refuses to give loans to small businesses but give billions to their capitalist cronies without collateral and interest? Where is our hope when only the wealthy access good health care? Where is our hope when the young are used to fight all the wars, battles and die while the old sit to share the plunders of victories? Where is our hope when even in the current political dispensation of change which the youths solely initiated and established but are now disenfranchised and short-changed in the formation of an all inclusive government? Where? Where? Where? Young Nigerian's Where is our hope? One wonders why some youths still support the very generation that have consistently unleashed devastation with impunity on the young generation.

Solution
Firstly, we need a mental shift in Leadership Engagement. This focuses on a total recalibration of our psychological infrastructure on our concept of leadership. It must be focused on service, sacrifice, patriotism, modernity, innovation and love for humanity.

Secondly, the acceptance of the reality and necessity of a generational shift in leadership is pivotal. This is critical and most significant to the 21st century knowledge economy trends in leadership delivery. This emphasizes the strategic and deliberate injection of young creative minds in governance and the economic process. This key element emphasizes the charismatic leadership traits of strength, fresh ideas, new initiatives, relevant and modern approaches, speed in result delivery, and sophistication in respect to skills and talent, technological and knowledge superiority as a result of the 21st century knowledge economy.

It was Martin Luther King jr that said “the solutions to the problems of any generation lays in the young of that generation”

Recently, exploring the riches of historical intelligence, Professor Wole Soyinka elucidated in the most profound and clear manner how young Nigerian's in their various historical dispensations played strategic roles in re-engineering the socio-cultural, political and economic heritage of Nigeria. For instance, after the death of Herbert Macaulay, the great icons that led the struggle for Nigerian independence were in their 20s and 30s, apart from Zik that was 42. Awolowo was 37, Akintola was 36, Ahmadu Bello was 36, Balewa was 34, Okotie-Eboh 27 and Enahoro was 27.

In 1966, the first coup was led by: K Nzeogwu who was 29 years and countered by M Mohammed 28, T Danjuma 28, Babangida 25, Garba 23, Sani Abacha 23, and Yaradua 23, and brought into power Gowon 32, Ojukwu 33, Obasanjo 29, and Buhari 24.
Most of the military governors who governed the states under the successive military regimes were under 30 years. The brief democratic dispensation which interjected the military interregnums also saw some Senators and the House of Representatives in particular populated by members under 30. Under 30's were also not in short supply with appointments - we have examples of MT Mbu who became foreign affairs minister at 23 and Pat Utomi who became a federal adviser at 27 and so on and so forth.

It was Albert Einstein that also said “You cannot solve a problem with the same mindset that created the problem”

The generational shift in economic and political leadership in favour of young people is ongoing and yielding tremendous results around the world. Recently, the general elections in the United Kingdom saw the emergence of one of the youngest parliamentarian in British history, Mhairi Black, a 20 year Old University student and a Scottish National party candidate; she defeated a major Labor Party Leader Douglas Alexander, who serves as the Labor Party national campaign Coordinator and foreign secretary. In South Africa, the major opposition party (Democratic Alliance) recently elected the youngest opposition Party leader MmusiMaimane at the age 34. In Equatorial guinea, the President recently appointed the youngest National Security adviser at the age of 33, KanielaIng, USA 25 (State Senator) in the Hawaii state house of Representatives, JalindaArdern New Zealand 33 (member of parliament), MarietjeSchaake Netherlands 35, (European Parliament), Pierre LueDusseault Canada 23 (Member of Parliament), Wyatt Roy, Australia 24 (Member of Parliament) Australia,Alex B Morse USA 25 (Mayor in the city of Holyoke) Massachusetts, Anton Amade AbeleSweden 22 (Member Swedish Parliament), ProscoviaAlengotEromait, Uganda 21 (Member of Parliament) Uganda. This list of the emergence of young people in the corridors of power globally is endless and inexhaustible.

“The 21st century generation is surely a generation of the emergence of young global leaders”. (Ban ki moon, UN Secretary General).

It is on this noble and empirical premise that we implore all young Nigerian's irrespective of tribe, creed and race to support the candidature Moses Siloko Siasia, Chairman Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF), who has humbly decided to yield to the call of his people to run for the seat of the Governor of Bayelsa State. A state created in 1996 (19years ago) with over four (4) trillion naira statutory allocation received so far, yet pipe borne water is non-existent, commerce non-existent, critical infrastructure in shambles and at the state of hopelessness. Transportation, health and education are in the most deplorable condition. 75% out of school children, 90% youth unemployment, 0% Foreign  Direct Investment(FDI), high level of crime and criminality, and incessant kidnaps and absolute dictatorship. Despite the state’s ranking as one of the largest crude oil and natural gas deposits in Nigeria it has remain a pedestrian state with huge debt profile of over 300billion naira. A journey to Bayelsa will totally demystify what is really meant by decades of neglect. Bayelsans’ are living in abject poverty and squalor.

It was the Great Napoleon that said, “The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of good people”.

As a young Nigerian's, it is not enough for us as young people to harmonize and form partnerships for advocacy alone. We must synergies, harmonize, and form partnerships to participate in the political process because that is where our collective destiny as a people and as a Nation is decided.

This is a clarion call for all young people to use Bayelsa as a Litmus test to experiment their electoral power. The success of young Nigerian's in Bayelsa will spark an awakening and a revolution in future elections in other parts of Nigerian. It is time for young Nigerian's to make Nigeria work. It is an irresponsible generation that transfers their responsibility to the next generation. We will not transfer responsibility, we will take responsibility.

We also entreat all young patriotic and positive minded Nigerian's to give all the support that is required both morally, materially, professionally and financially for the success of this historic movement. We will not use stolen or looted funds to enthrone the people’s choice. We will use the peoples widows might (peoples meagre resources/money) to enthrone the people’s choice. As it’s popularly said “He that comes to equity must to equity with clean hands”. This is the only and surest way to hold our governments accountable.

I will end this little missive by this great words of inspiration from a great patriarch   “Life does not give humans what they deserve but what they demand and take from it”.

Our collective aspirations and vision as young Nigerian's cannot be given to us; it can only be taken by us together as a team and as a movement.  

Together we shall make Nigeria Great Again!


Signed
Dr Nuhu Atta
Executive Secretary, Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF)

BAYELSA STATE AND PARTY POLITICS

BAYELSA STATE AND PARTY POLITICS:

Introduction:
In view of the forth coming December 5 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa state, an assessment of the psyche generally of Bayelsan populace has become pertinent as to the determination of their readiness to embrace a positive leadership or their willingness to stick to the unfavourable party politics that has afforded them with so much to desire in terms of deriving the dividends of democracy from a supposedly constitutionally elected Executive. This has been stratified into the Comtenian and Spencer school, as some quarters believe the individual is who is inherent with the ideas while the bulk of others are still sticking to the group mentality, believing that having an identification with the centre or a particular party soothes and derive some sort of satisfaction. The former believes the individual is greater than the group while the latter believes the group transcends the individual and so, no individual is indispensable.

Democracy provides the opportunities for the people to freely exercise their voting rights in the selection of representatives who govern them. Democracy depends on parties to survive, since the structure of elections, right from citizens participation to candidates’ selection and presentation of competing political programmes is done by political parties and voting is carried out by the electorates based on the preferred obvious party on the ballot paper. It is on this note that political parties occupy a special place in the democratic equation in the state and the nation at large.

The result of examination undertaken revealed that Bayelsans care less. It also reveals that Nigerian political parties does not possess features of political parties such as ideology, party manifesto's, like-minded people as well as viable opposition (it's a two party system from what is obtainable). All parties are engaged in intra party conflict rather than embarking on programmes that would benefit the masses. The result of undemocratic conduct of political parties such as candidate’s imposition, unclear manifesto's as revealed in this paper, gave rise to assassination, intimidation, political violence inter alia that portrayed Bayelsa state and Nigeria as one of the most risky nation in the world. Such dogged conviction does not only portray an indictment on our educational sector for failure to discharge it's public responsibility, but the severity of our intellectual mal nourishment. However, the findings showed that the enlightened few of 30% of respondents agreed that money and class were the major factors that undermined or determined the position of candidates in Nigerian election, while 47% of respondents also agreed that the power of incumbency and godfatherism greatly determined the emergence of party’s candidates. Almost 70% of respondents agreed that tribalism, ethnicity, nepotism, greed and sectionalism were major factors that have caused party’s lack of internal democracy in Nigeria. The study concluded that party politics in the area of nomination, selection and elections have negative implications on democratic consolidation in Nigeria. Among other things, the study also concluded that lack of internal democracy within political parties as a limiting factor in Nigeria’s attempt to deepen democracy, sincerity, integrity, honesty, transparency, people-oriented and straight forwardness are sacred words and character traits of a
Government that are alien to our political parties who sometimes lack the stamina to call their erstwhile candidate to order after emerging winner of an election, such candidate is presented with a carte blanche opportunity who sees himself above the people, party, state, and law sometimes.

Sometimes, Bayelsan's to a discerning mind are bereft and void of reasonable justification as to why they are pitching their tent with a particular party. At times, aligning with the centre is sufficient to satisfy their myopic and alarming brain. Though, with the pitiable situation of Bayelsa state, Bayelsan's are yet to learn, with our inchoate democracy and the level of impoverishment and under-development that has assailed our very existence and almost at the verge of shaking life from us only recently, some anti-people elements have dared to declare out of the ignorance and a sheer lack of understanding of facts a particular party, an Ijaw party. Just to argumentum ad populum and gather sympathy votes from Bayelsan's who the said 'Ijaw party' refused to development for 6 years with an Ijaw man in power.

One sad commentary about our democratic experience is the wanton glorification of responsibility and irresponsibility as dividends of democracy. In saner climes, the performance of a Leader’s statutory obligations and Constitutional functions such as Staff welfare, Community welfare
and Institutional strengthening do not constitute achievements (or giant strides as we say here). It is a Leader’s capacity to craft and fashion out a vision that
will manifestly translate into the total liberation of his subjects from the interlocking clutches of poverty,
socio-economic exploitation, geo-political
domination, ethno-cultural dislocation as well as a neo-fascist enslavement implanted by past and present years of myopic and tyrannical leadership (the Bayelsa story for the past seventeen years) that constitute what is known as achievements in office. It is in line with this intellectual wavelength that Plato posited that “our object in the establishment of the State is the greatest happiness of the whole and not that of any class.” But sadly here, a Governor will gladly tell the whole world that some of his numerous achievements are payment of salaries (though belated), building of a glorified over-head bridge. It is tragic, indeed lamentably tragic that we are blessed with the Seriake of a Governor who has turned the Bayelsa
Civil Servants into civil slaves and the entire Bayelsans into the Willing who are led by the Unknowing and are doing the impossible for the Ungrateful and have done so much for so long, with so little that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. And now, the government has resolved into recruiting professional liars on daily basis giving out bogus and unverifiable information to feed the gullible and unsuspecting public. They insists they have built us a State in the Art schools, but how many of their children belong to any of the schools? Having mammoth turnouts in his Town-Hall meetings because it has resolved in doling out cash to Bayelsan's who he has subjected to perpetual poverty in their own land, flowing with milk and honey.

Yet, with the foregoing, the chunk of Bayelsan's are still gambling with their future, playing party politics in lieu of the credibility of the candidates. Two (2) out of the three (3) contestants are responsible for our dismal condition as a state and deserved to be lynched. One sold everything that was to obviate the state and it's Citizens the hardship they are faced with and the other built prison yards in lieu of Schools we voted for. Our Court (judiciary) is properly funded by the state because it is the readily place to haul my kinds who would make a fist to their obnoxious policies and tax laws. Playing into the psyche of Bayelsan's and appealing to their selfish interest is a way of garnering support for another four (4) years of slavery, imposition and political bondage for the people.

It is understandable that it is far too early to expect “giant strides” from a state that is just 17 years old, but the truth still remains that solid steps and actions imbued with the innate capacity to
engender qualitative development of the people and infrastructural resuscitation can be made in 17 years. A baby that cannot survive, learn the rudiments of manhood and be able to fend for himself at 17 years is only fit for an Orthorpaedics reclusion, and not the Creeks.

Oil rich Bayelsa, the glory of all lands,
has gone through a most excruciating journey for the past 17 years in the hands of intellectual blunt-leaders who
have only succeeded in perpetuating infrastructural decay and backwardness, thus presenting her as a standing example of an institutional irony, and can
ill-afford, the speeding antics of a snail, in its destined march to greatness.

The age-long aphorism and cliche of “moving the State forward” should be denounced for what it is, an empty,
stultifying clause that oozes deception. Owing precisely to the beguiling attractiveness of the spoils of office, our Leaders usually fixate on the metaphor
of propulsion, mistaking the image of motion with the idea of progress. Moving the State forward into what? Crises, chaos or crass corruption and insecurity? Only recently, the astronomous rate of crime is too much any state can bear, instead of our Countryman governor to be touring round the state in his bid for a re-election he should channel some of these resources to the state security outfit to curv the menace of kidnapping in the state as well as wanton destruction of lives and properties by these livid un-employed youths whose aged parents you have crassly refused to pay gratuity and a year and 7months salary. The state university (Niger Delta University) has purportedly been gentrified only in the news headlines, with students paying an alarming ammount of N120,000.00 for a session with poor infrastructure and inencourageable educating environment is another educational fraud, encouraged by the Restoration led government. Our recent history is replete with Leaders that have moved us forward into ineptitude, misery and unimaginable self-enrichment.

The time is right for Bayelsa to take that gargantuan stride from Party politics to issue based one, electing leaders based on their credibility and not on the platform which they stand. It is individual that owns the idea and not the party.

I say Bayelsa deserves better, a disassociation with every strings from the past and move onto something/someone new.

Bayelsa deserves a leader who is accountable, passionate and responsible.

We deserve Moses Siloko Siasia of People's Democratic Movement, the party with the torch logo.

Written by:
Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine
New Media Coordinator for Moses Siloko Siasia Campaign Team.

FROM THE STREETS OF AGIP HAWKING SACHET WATER AND ICEBLOCK TO THE CHAIRMAN/CEO OF A MULTI-BILLION NAIRA COMPANY AND NOW, A GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE.

FROM THE STREETS OF AGIP HAWKING SACHET WATER AND ICEBLOCK TO THE CHAIRMAN/CEO OF A MULTI-BILLION NAIRA COMPANY AND NOW, A GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE.

We are inspired by Moses Siloko Siasia's life:

Who says there is no light at the end of the tunnel? Then, you are yet to meet with Moses Siloko Siasia, the standard flag bearer of the gubernatorial race in Bayelsa state under the People's Democratic Movement (PDM). It was not a smooth ride for Moses, no, not at all. The road was rocky and thorny but with diligence, determination and focus, there is always light at the end of every tunnel.

Indeed, dreams do come true.

Moses lost his dad when he was barely an inchoate child, with his widowed mother all that he had left, only few would boast of an easier upbringing. At 11 years of age, he had to sell sachet water and ice block on the street to assist his mother and his othe siblings to surmount their predicament at that time. He was virtually a street vendor.

Moses Siasia was uncomfortable with poverty and in his determination to change that status; began as a teenage to be enterprising selling ICE BLOCKS in order to survive and assist his poor windowed mother. He also indulged in manual jobs and over time has gone on to build one of Nigeria’s most successful business enterprises-the MOSILO GROUP.

Moses in a statement said: "I saw poverty but I told myself I wasn’t going to give
myself to crime. I lived in an environment where we had no food, no toilet. I almost lost my life but God intervened. I looked after myself. 17 years ago, I was in the
streets of Port Harcourt hawking oranges and selling Ice block but, at that time, I told myself I wasn’t going to be subservient to my situation; I was going to work hard because I believed there is a deposit of potentials in me."

Could the story be thesame for every child who grew up in the slums and creeks of the impoverished Niger Delta region? How many people have had to give up on their dreams because they were simply asked to be realistic? With real life stories such as Moses's, lives and lives would be touched for the better in our state. Moses also stressed that it wasn't an easy ride at all, not for him or for any other person out there. In his words: "from that humble background- I washed rugs, planted flowers. Today, the story is different. I have built a
business of a group of companies, we have interest in various sectors, and I have employed many persons, mostly youths. Mosilo Group is a leading name in energy services, real estate, agriculture, marine services among others". Mind you, all these was made possible with a lean budget.

Having had his childhood in the Niger Delta region and experienced firsthand some of the sufferings of the people in that region, especially the young ones, Siasia was determined to change it and upgrade the lifestyle of the people, especially that of the young persons. Driven by this passion to help upgrade the psyche of the young people and provide a platform for self expression, Moses Siasia founded the Niger Delta Young Professionals (NDYP). This group was amongst other thing established to solve the identity crisis that confronted the young people of
the region through exposure to the global methods of doing things.

The NDYP became the group to organize the first ever Economic Summit for young people in Niger Delta region, which was hosted by Governor Godswill Akpabio in Akwa Ibom State. However, seeing a need to integrate and provide same opportunity for all Nigerian youths irrespective of region, Moses Siasia successfully orchestrated the metamorphosis of the NDYP into what is now known as Nigerian Young Professionals Forum, (NYPF) to create room for all Nigerian youths to get on board the platform and benefit from its numerous empowerment ventures.

The NYPF was founded amongst other things to empower young people, by creating jobs and encouraging them to take a more active role in politics and social economic issues. In his own words, Moses stated that "We started what is called the Nigeria Young Professional Group and, in two years, we are in 15 countries; we are the only youth group in Nigeria that is registered in the United States of America and United Kingdom and we are about finalizing our registrations with the United Nations." Today, NYPF has successfully established a network of young professionals from over 13 countries around the globe, with summits held in London, New York and many other cities. NYPF has a membership of over Ten Million Nigerian Young Professionals and is open to
everyone from all geo-political zones across Nigeria, including Young Nigerian Professionals living in Diaspora.

In 2014, Moses made a strong statement, he saw the marginalization of the Nigerian youths in politics, in leadership. They were relegated to the background and so In Moses words, "I founded the group to give voice to the youths. Some of the elite are not interested in the youth. They would not give the younger generation the chance to lead. They would continue to come up with strategies that would further undermine us and ensure that the youths do not speak with one voice". when his NYPF organized an International Youth Conference with the theme, “National Integration & the Quest for Purposeful Leadership" in Abuja on the 9th of
August 2014, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR), the Minister of Finance and Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and eight other Ministers were in attendance.

Moses Siasia, Having being raised in poverty, has shown tremendous interest in ameliorating the sufferings and plights of the less privileged. Over the years, in an individual capacity, Moses Siloko Siasia has provided jobs for numerous young Nigerian's, especially those from Bayelsa
State.

Siasia has an ongoing scholarship scheme funded from his private earnings, with the mandate to help as many a child as possible, who cannot afford the cost of education, to get an education. Siasia is determined to eradicate poverty from the lives of any young person he encounters. Moses is of the opinion that if as an individual he has provided a good life for numerous young Nigerian's, if entrusted with public resources he will do much more.

Siasia was in 2014 tipped to become one of Africa’s Economic Leaders by the Choiseul Institute for International Politics and Geo-economics, and in September 2015, he is nominated alongside Champion Igali as the only two individuals from Bayelsa as "People Who Inspire" by a Spanish Organization.

Having seen the suffering and heard the cry of Bayelsan's, Moses has decided to bring succour to the people of his homeland by vying for the position of a Governor in Bayelsa state. According to moses, "After consulting with my family and friends, and based upon the tremendous outcry from my home state for help, I have decided to run for the office of Governor of Bayelsa. For far too long, my people have suffered from political oppression! Despite being one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria, with an abundance of natural resources, Bayelsa has one of the highest unemployment rates in Nigeria. Our children do not have modern schools or tools to educate them. Our students abroad are stranded without resources to complete their education. Our infrastructure has been neglected resulting in dangerous impassable roads, lack of potable water,
and basic human hygiene. Our older citizens have been abandoned and left to die in poverty and poor health. Our young, internationally educated young
men and women have been denied the opportunity to run for office, and told that “the office of the Governor is not for boys”. Young citizens of Bayelsa who today seek change are being threatened and intimidated for speaking up against the current regime. Fear mongering and intimidation has no place in Bayelsa and the time has come to end this madness and take back our state from lying, thieving, self-serving politicians.

Considering his age, Siasia’s achievements are most
humbling. To think that he grew up in a state of squalor and he is just 35 years old with so much going for him, is mind-blowing. If the people of Bayelsa state must begin to experience the dividend of democracy, the new face of leadership must be embraced and Moses stands as that face of leadership that will bring about the total liberation of the State from the claws of bad leaders.

Aluzu Ebikebuna A.
New Media Coordinator, Moses Siasia Campaign Team.
07068639696

BAYELSA ELECTION AND THE POLITICS OF PROPAGANDA

A NEW HOPE FOR BAYELSA STATE

BAYELSA ELECTION AND THE POLITICS OF PROPAGANDA

Propaganda is part and parcel of conscientisation. Talk, they say is cheap. It is even cheaper when it is issuing from an unstable and desperate mind. And in the infantile emission of such cheap talk, the consequences or costs are neither considered nor adjusted to be in tandem with public good. For such people, if they can hew out political capital from such
indiscretion, then it would have served their nefarious agenda. There are certain times when silence is golden, especially if you do not have an enviable track record of your own.

Since our outgoing governor was handed down the herculean job of steering the state in trust for the good people of Bayelsans by Bayelsans on the platform of a party that was erstwhile, the largest party in Nigeria, in a bid to save face from the monumental mistake Bayelsans made in the last gubernatorial election, has thrown all cautions to the wind, the incumbent and his predecessor who is also a guber candidate have been busy in the market lately, recruiting professional liers to their fold to sway the mind of the gullible few and create an illusory impression in the minds of Bayelsans that a government who has failed to deliver the dividends of democracy to his people for the past years is suddenly a darling and an indefatigable sympathetic leader who holds his people close, like a bear hug. The same governor who addressed the Swali market women once and said "whether you vote for me or not, I will rig the election," three (3) weeks to election, some of us are now beginning to understand the responsibilities and duties of a governor. He just sandfilled the swali market road of recent and he is massively organizing Town Hall meetings, giving N500,000.00 for every Town Hall he visits, the same man who said he will not share money in his administration.  Propaganda they say is the sister of politics, the weapon of mass seduction because to inform is to influence.

Lately I have been reading comments, from friends and others, saying one thing or the other about the candidate of the other parties, some of these unverified claims (lies) have been said over time and now, it seems they are true. “One person’s propaganda is another person’s truth”.  On the surface I agree, but a deeper look at propaganda exposes a huge difference between what is, and what they want us to believe. If one is not careful, propaganda can lead to defamation of character as enshrined in section 374 of our Criminal Code. But that singular provision shows a legal laxity to the restrain of what these professional liers churn out of their mouth daily to feed the public's ear with. If people are made to swear to an affidavit before publishing or saying something about someone via any medium, then we'll have a plethora of criminal case of perjury in our courts and so many people would have been convicted already.

Yesterday, after going on a sensitization exercise to Swali Market, I missed members of my crew (Moses Siloko Siasia volunteer's team). I took a Tricycle (keke) to Imgbi junction where a saw a plethora of my age bracket gathered at a newspaper stand, I decided it was a good opportunity to sell my Principal's candidature. The mindset exhibited by my generations reeks callowness and infantility and is reflective of what you hear in different circles of APC and PDP supporters in the state. You hardly hear any meaningful articulation of what their party’s candidate is bringing to the contest, other than the fact that he has been in government for as long as anybody can remember, coming from the APC, you hear things like "Dickson must not return, he has eight (8) wives already, he wants to marry all our sisters." The PDP is not different, they proffer reasons why we should elect Dickson such as "Restoration must continue, we are tired of Operation Famoutamgbe (OFT)" Ironically, this fact, which their supporters consider a strength, is what most people think is one of their weaknesses – they have been part of the problems of the past, which the present generation and Moses Siloko Siasia the leader of the positive change movement is trying to correct.

They may be demonstrating what they were taught, being loyal disciples of their various Principals. But the Bayelsa I know is not a place where election can be won with propaganda. Our people may not have a long history of political and intellectual sophistication, but we are certainly not so politically uninformed as not to differentiate between what we hear and what we see. These political Goliaths are like a loose cannons, a disaster always awaiting to happen with no clear cut plan for the state. In what was orchestrated by some who are afraid of the aspiration of the PDM gubernatorial candidate, there was a little drama at the Government House yesterday in Bayelsa state where some unknown elements donning the customized garbs of the PDM went to the out going governor to pledge their loyalty to him, alleging that the incoming governor, Moses Soliko Siasia had withdrawn from the governorship election which is just in the offine is the height of baseless propaganda, it further goes a long way at showcasing how idle and bereft of novelty ideas our incumbent can get at times. A governor has more business to pursue than drilling hole in another party's ship. Some of us feel sorry for these parties the way they are carrying on with their propagandas and badmouthing because Bayelsans are not brought up in that manner. We are brought up to be civil, polite, humble and show respect to others. Decorum and propriety are among those things we imbibe as well as the teaching of the importance of unity and mutual understanding, no wonder Moses Siasia has always emphasized that what brings us together is greater than what tears us apart.

Moses Siloko Siasia have come to offer us the REAL CHANGE, with a clear cut plan on how to liberate our dear state, Bayelsans should go all out for the alternative come December 5. The people are jaded already and we want to try something new.

Aluzu, Ebikebuna Augustine
New Media Coordinator for Moses Siloko Siasia Campaign Team.

MOSES SIASIA HAS CHANGED THE PARAMETERS OF BAYELSA STATE POLITICS - Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine

MOSES SIASIA HAS CHANGED THE PARAMETERS OF BAYELSA STATE POLITICS.

The mise-en-scene of the December 5 election (5/12/2015) in Nigeria is a place no discerning minds would acquiesce for his inchoate progeny to be nurtured if one had the means to procure a better livelihood for his progenies. Bayelsa state, a state popular for its jewel below and yet so difficult to transform to the Dubai of Africa, with a population of not more than two million people, a particular man has a case with the anti-graft agency of 50 count charge bordering on stealing and money laundering, yet the people still wake up to hunger and starvation on a day to day basis. A state notorious for its alacrity of teenage pregnancy and under-development as you could see several bridges called monkey-bridges in the capital, leading to road-less and street-less houses and homes that immensely compare with the best ones anywhere. By the way, monkey-bridges are tiny “lanes,” for want of a better term, of tiny sticks or stilts the people make in order to get to their houses with no link-roads. Of course in the majority of places they are surrounded by swamps – in fact, you are not wrong to call them swamp houses or swamp homes. And the revolting swamp smell can make good blood bad blood! I am talking of Yenagoa of a civilised, modern world of now un-hollow people now made hollow by hollow leaders who preach the needful – the horrible word invented by stellar-less Stella – transformation agenda that transforms the masses further and further into the culture of penury and pauperisation. Hell! Bayelsa is a jungle.

Not too erstwhile, I was at a radio house where I shared some of the solutions to the challenges we Bayelsans are faced with, as a people. Because no one in his right mento compis would dare talk about the problems of the state again, we are jaded with the too many problems already and it is hightime the we began to proffer solutions to the many evils that has besetted and bedeviled us. We are not suffering from bad leadership, what we are suffering from as a people is far beyond our pensive understanding but the total basterdized and abuse of our psyche by the fortunate few who have decided to run our own state carte blanche. Thesame people we gave our mandate. Among the many respite suggested was the need for re-orientation and revaluation of our people as well and sensitization and reassessment of our processes. Now that the period of the public's rambunctious cry is gradually paving way for another electioneering process which has been characterized previously by political violence, intimidation, victimization and financial inducement, Bayelsans should take a moment to mull over some pertinent issues. Only recently, as a people, we have witnessed political parties go into the foray of character assassination, circumstantial ad hominem and committing the straw man's fallacy rather than proffering solutions and tendering plans on how to salvage our dear state from this pitiable condition as the legendary image of the Nigerian urban poor is still written on the faces of street urchins, okada-riders, civil servants, students, hawkers of wares, traders and sellers in Bayelsa state.

Not only have we been denied so many things as a people, we have also be denied fundamentally, our right to choose our leaders which is in contravention of Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, because I dare to say that an election characterized by the afore-mentioned attributes would be anything but peaceful. There is indeed, the need for a change. The call for this change have been made by concerned citizens who like the Biblical dream of St. Paul, have been calling out to an unknown but certain Moses to come to Bayelsa and deliver them, and Saturday (7/11/2015) definitely brought smile to the faces of these concerned demanders of change as they all witnessed a young vibrant and dynamic man who has never held public office before, nor embezzled public funds, neither has this young man made the rounds for soiling his hands with blood, or taking cocaine, leading the charge of the new order as he took his fizzled out but determined supporters to the streets of yenagoa in a rally seen to the opposition as a school parade, because they understand that the modern day saviour would not induce people financially even if the money was there to dole out to people to come out and support him, hence they erroneously thought the rally was just for the few righteous and sane ones in Bayelsa but to their greatest chagrin, the crowd was mammoth, and on the spike of that march was the deliverer himself, Moses Siloko Siasia, the face of the neo-politicking in Bayelsa. Moving away from the paradigm of character assassination, name calling, thuggery and intimidation politics that has gotten really deep to the sub-consciousness of these innocent Bayelsans, it would take sometime though, but with such an impressive rally like that witnessed two days ago, the city-cum-people of Bayelsa, no doubt will awaken to the neo consciousness. What the opposition should consider is that a determined and motivated few can perform wonders more than a docile and uninspired many as I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep, but I am afraid of an army of sheeps, led by a lion. Bayelsans keeps saying "we will eat their money, and vote our conscience."

The primitive attitude of Bayelsans was manifest on the faithful day but His Ecxellency was too dogged not to despair. He led his men to the streets with what he had, the little he could afford. Moses indeed have changed the parameters of Bayelsa state politics as electioneering and campaign period is no longer seen as a means to enrich one's self but a period that calls for re-assessing the governments performance and balancing the cost of voting with its benefits.

Indeed, beyond the vultures who has milked us dry as a people and waiting to feed on our remains so they can bury our cadaver's at the Hero's Cementary along the Sani Abacha Express way, there lies a young man in whose hands the future of our progenies and posterity is secured. One who has committed the requisite class struggle to see the needed change meets his people. Bayelsans should rally behind him because you do not supplant the old with the new by applying the old modus opernadi, hence you loose all credibility.

Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine