Are you from a community in Bayelsa (the Glory of All Lands,)? A land so blessed, yet many families still struggle to benefit the gift of God in their environment. Imagine if our communities had the liberty to own and manage our lands, resources and culture. How much stronger would our towns, villages, and families be? Today, you are sent to take the good news of intercultural liberty to your community and their neighbors for them to prepare to manifest the greatness that God put in each community at the coming Tour of Liberty starting in November. This good news intercultural liberty is the belief that:
“there is something great in every community and culture, and so, they all deserve the liberty to own, modify and use their cultural, human and natural resources to prosper and to manifest their greatness to their communities, nations, continent and the world. And that the four institutions of public regulation (government, religion, academia and mass media) are only made to support these communities and their members to manifest their greatness.”
So, your people are not made just to depend, survive and endure, but to prosper and manifest abundance to other people in Bauchi, Nigeria, Africa and the world. This Tour of Liberty will lead to the discussion and institution of private property rights in a Restart National Conference for each community or individual to own and control their land and resources (cultural, human and natural resources). For, despite government beautification of the environment, as long as the communities and individuals lack control of their lands and resources for socio-industrial growth, they are still under neo-colonial bondage.
Why Bayelsa Matters: Bayelsa, created on October 1st, 1996, is a riverine, oil-rich state with Yenagoa as its capital and 8 local government areas. Bayelsa communities are surrounded by creeks and mangrove swamps, which are great natural resources to be used wisely. These communities are the ancestral home of the Ijaw (Izon) people, blessed with vibrant subgroups Ogbia, Nembe, Epie-Atissa, and many more. Their festivals like the boat regattas, fishing feasts, masquerades, and storytelling traditions are treasures that can be harnessed to showcase their greatness to the world. These are not just “events” they are part of our identity and wealth.
Some of their resources include
● Cultural Wealth: boat regattas, Lake Efi fishing festival, masquerades, coastal rites, and stories that can inspire books, movies, and tourism.
● HUMAN WEALTH: By 2024, Bayelsa has about 3.7million vibrant and highly creative people, many of whom are and can train to become professional farmers, teachers, fishermen, students, leaders and experts in various fields. And some prominent people from Bauchi who can influence this socio-industrial liberation process and prosperity for Bauchi people include: Goodluck Jonathan, Ben Murray Bruce, Alison Diezani Madueke, Timi Alaibe, Douye Diri, Timaya, Timi Dakolo, Timipre Silva, Dakore Egbuson,
● NATURAL WEALTH: Bayelsa state covers about 21,000 square kilometers of land. Much of the lands are fertile for agricultural ventures like oil-palm, rubber, coconut, ginger, rice, sugarcane, citrus, pineapple, bananas, plantain, yam, cassava, potatoes, maize and pawpaw. They also have normal trees like bread fruit, kola-nut, bitter-kola, and even timber trees like Iroko, mahogany, iron wood, walnut, opepe, Afara, Ogea, Sangha, Abura, Silk cotton tree, red mangrove, teak, Melina and neem. Being close to the sea they venture into fisheries, and beaches.
Many of the communities in Bayelsa have large deposits of crude oil and natural gas.
When families and towns retrieve ownership of their lands and resources, they can:
● Invest in education and both large and medium scale food industries.
● Renegotiate equitably partnership with investors on aquaculture, tourism, oil, and gas.
● Preserve culture on their own terms and benefit from it.
Wondering what Private Property Rights Can Unlock?
● Local jobs and industries.
● Cultural hubs, museums, and tourism packages.
● Prosperous and dignified inheritance for the future of Bayelsa children.
With this, the people of Bayelsa can move from endurance to abundance.
The Tour of Liberty (Starting in November) This tour will:
1. Bring conversations about intercultural liberty to villages and towns across Bayelsa.
2. Support communities in planning frameworks for land titles, cultural IP protection, and community trusts.
3. Connect people with ethical investors, legal experts, and cultural entrepreneurs.
It’s not about cutting off government or churches, but about making sure these institutions truly serve the people.
A Final Call
Bayelsa people are not meant to merely survive, we are meant to prosper and share abundance with Nigeria and the world. So take this message to your chiefs, youth leaders, ministers, market women, fishermen, teachers, and families. Tell them:
“Our land, our waters, and our culture are gifts. With freedom to own and utilise them, Bayelsa will rise.”
Written by Josephine Nkwor
