Chief Julius Bokoru, a former aide to ex-Governor Timipre Sylva, has criticised the Bayelsa Government’s 30th anniversary celebrations, describing the lavish ceremony as an “insult to the sensibilities” of residents.
Bokoru, former Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to Sylva, said the anniversary should provide an opportunity to assess the state’s development rather than focus on elaborate festivities.
Bayelsa was created on Oct. 1, 1996, to strengthen political representation and accelerate development in the oil-rich Niger Delta state.
In a statement, Bokoru said the anniversary should prompt questions about the state’s achievements, challenges and unfulfilled development potential after three decades.
“Bayelsa @30 ought to be a moment of honest reflection, not merely an occasion for pomp and pageantry,” he said.
He questioned why the state had yet to fully harness its oil, gas, agricultural, tourism and cultural resources to improve residents’ living conditions.
The state government unveiled a four-day programme featuring cultural displays, sporting events, a boat regatta, musical concert, anniversary lecture, praise night and dinner.
It also announced plans to display 30,000 pieces of cake at Peace Park in an attempt to secure recognition in the Guinness World Records.
Bokoru, however, questioned the priority attached to the celebrations amid reported infrastructure deficits, unemployment and economic difficulties confronting residents.
“Can we, in good conscience, spend so much money celebrating 30 years when communities across Bayelsa are still crying out for basic infrastructure, reliable access roads and economic opportunities?” he asked.
He said the anniversary should reflect improvements in employment, agriculture, rural infrastructure and living standards.
According to him, the focus should be on young people seeking jobs, farmers struggling to transport produce and communities lacking essential amenities.
Bokoru’s criticism comes amid calls by state leaders for greater reflection on Bayelsa’s development trajectory.
Deputy Governor Peter Akpe, while inaugurating the anniversary activities, acknowledged that the state was not yet where it ought to be, although progress had been recorded.
Governor Douye Diri had also called for “collective introspection” during a thanksgiving service ahead of the anniversary, stressing the need to accelerate development.
Bokoru said the government’s acknowledgement should encourage a more restrained celebration focused on assessing development outcomes and addressing outstanding challenges.
“Bayelsa cannot continue to celebrate potential. At some point, potential must become prosperity,” he said.
He called for greater investment in industries, infrastructure, education, healthcare and other sectors capable of improving residents’ quality of life.
The former aide cited the June complaint by residents of Amorokeni in Ogbia Local Government Area over inadequate basic infrastructure, including the absence of a good road.
He described the situation in parts of the state as “static and frozen in time”, arguing that its natural wealth had yet to translate into broad-based development.
Bokoru also questioned whether Bayelsa’s waterways, forests, cultural heritage and agricultural resources were being adequately developed to create sustainable economic opportunities.
He said the state needed a coherent, long-term development vision to translate its natural and human resources into jobs, wealth and improved living conditions.
“Celebrating Bayelsa should not simply mean celebrating government projects. It should mean celebrating what the average Bayelsan can now do, earn, build and aspire to because Bayelsa exists,” he said.
Bokoru, who resigned from the All Progressives Congress on Aug. 31, 2026, after years as one of its founding figures in the state, said his concerns transcended partisan politics.
He maintained that Bayelsans deserved stronger accountability, faster development and policies that translated the state’s potential into tangible benefits.
“The people of Bayelsa are not static. They are ambitious, intelligent and resilient,” he said.
“What has remained frozen is the pace at which we have translated our enormous potential into sustainable development.”
Despite his criticism, Bokoru expressed optimism about the state’s future, saying its development trajectory could be accelerated through appropriate leadership and a clear vision.
He urged political leaders, civil society groups, traditional institutions, professionals and young people to use the anniversary to initiate serious discussions about Bayelsa’s future.
“At 30, Bayelsa does not need another round of self-congratulation. It needs an honest conversation,” he said.
Bokoru urged stakeholders to define the kind of state they wanted to build by its 40th, 50th and 60th anniversaries.
He said a renewed commitment to development, accountability and inclusive prosperity would constitute a more meaningful anniversary gift than ceremonies or record-breaking displays.