The Deputy Director General, West Senatorial District, Center for Youth Development, Bayelsa State, Hon. (Engr) Lokiri Lawrence, received in audience Mr. Ayama Pius Kurotimi from Ogobiri Community in Sagbama Local Government Area and Miss Ebipade Ayaere Helena from Tamogbene Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area. Both recently graduated with First Class honors in Law from the prestigious Niger Delta University (NDU) at his office in the Secretariat Complex.
After interviewing both of them, Hon. (Engr) Lokiri Lawrence found it interesting to know that despite difficulties from family backgrounds and personal challenges, Mr. Ayama Pius Kurotimi maintained his first-class CGPA of 4.62 from 200level, while Miss Ebipade Ayaere Helena maintained her first-class CGPA of 4.56 from 300level till graduation for a 5-year course.
Bayelsa State has not produced a double first-class from Niger Delta University (NDU), Faculty of Law, since Barr Ebizi Eradiri set the record. The two First Class in Law graduates have started this feat and wish that if the government or any individual philanthropist can support their educational career, they are very willing and ready to further it to any level. The Law School program will resume by next year, February 2026.
Hon. (Engr) Lokiri Lawrence, in his response, congratulated the two brilliant youths of Bayelsa State on their rare academic feat, stating that this is not only a personal achievement but also a pride to Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta at large.
He promised to link them to the Governor of Bayelsa State, possibly to award Mr. Ayama Pius Kurotimi and Miss Ebipade Ayaere Helena with scholarships that will enable them to pursue their Law School program without financial strain. He also encouraged them to further their education up to the postgraduate level, stating that such recognition will serve as a strong message that Bayelsa truly values merit, brilliance, excellence, and hard work that can inspire others.
Hon. (Engr) Lokiri Lawrence stressed that education remains the strongest weapon with which we can empower our young people and secure the future of our dear state. He emphasized that scholarships are best used to reward and encourage academic brilliance, which is a testament to Governor Douye Diri’s ASSURED Prosperity Agenda.
He commends the Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency, Sen Douye Diri, for building a solid educational foundation by improving educational programs, providing modern learning tools, and creating the right environment for youths in Bayelsa State. That deliberately improved learning outcomes in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions and ensured every child in Bayelsa State receives a strong foundation in numeracy and literacy. He also supported the education of children with special needs as part of its inclusive education initiative.
