The former governor of Bayelsa state and immediate past minister of state for petroleum, HE Chief Timipre Sylva, like every other human being cannot be described as perfect as only God can be. However, it is proper to acknowledge what is due him. I am not unaware of the fact that many would misconstrue me on this piece even before reading the next line. Such persons are entitled to their freedom of thought.
Observing keenly, I have read the expression of some, appreciating the civil and polite disposition of HE, Chief Timipre Sylva as he responded to comments and questions. Borrowing from Peak milk’s ”It’s in you”; I venture to say it is in Chief Timipre Sylva.
Some may have forgotten or knew nothing about it. But Chief Timipre Sylva was the first occupant of Creek Haven (as Governor) to initiate and freely interact with Bayelsans on weekly radio program specifically for that…including online. While in the live radio program, Chief Timipre Sylva would take questions from all callers and reply as best he could without any form of disparaging Bayelsans.
The weekly interactive session with the public wasn’t what came after his administration as “Media Chat”. The difference between Media chat of Senator Dickson’s administration and that weekly interactive session with Bayelsans is that, while in the media chat Governor Dickson only interacted with selected journalists from selected media outfits (by way of questions and answers), Governor Sylva received questions from the listening audience directly and responded.
Nemo dat quod non habet is a while known legal statement which literally says “you cannot give what you don’t have”. Chief Timipre Sylva has this desirable disposition and, this is why I wasn’t surprised when he came out robustly engaging with the Bayelsans, mostly the opposition, on this platform and not minding the choice of words and comments. If he can do it as an incumbent, a sitting governor; why not?
During one of those weekly interactive sessions with Bayelsans, the moderator (I think he was the late media icon and King, HRM, Okpoitari Diongoli) was about cutting short a certain caller, maybe due to the choice of words or manner of question. But Chief Timipre Sylva (as Governor) stepped in promptly and said ” leave him, let him go ahead and express himself; let him talk”. Yes, that was a sitting governor, not minding the language and yet, never responded harshly too. This, you cannot take away from Chief Timipre Sylva…he has it in him.
I am glad that the Admin has deemed it necessary to, again, come up with operational guidelines on this platform; with a caveat that Tracknew won’t bear any liability…you own your statement completely. I am aware that some persons have been arrested, detained and prosecuted as a direct result of social media posts, not only in Bayelsa but in Nigeria and elsewhere.
If we cannot tolerate each other due to our political affiliations or what we are gaining and hope to gain personally; then we shouldn’t pretend to be one people. If Bayelsa state comes first, we cannot be so acidic in our reactions to a fellow Bayelsan.
Let me conclude with the words of Boma Erekosema “Country man, make we think oooh”.
