Rivers at 50: We are now enjoying the fruits of liberty- Gov. Wike

Gov. Nysome Wike of the Rivers State on Thursday said the State was created to liberate the people from the forces of deprivation, oppression and domination.

Wike said this while inaugurating the Golden Jubilee Celebrations Committee at the Government House in Port Harcourt

“Many of us who are now enjoying the fruits of liberty may not truly appreciate what it meant to be dominated, dispossessed, deprived, exploited and oppressed in your own land.

“These were brought on Rivers people by the dominant social and political tendencies of the time.

“Before Rivers State was created, our people could not find schools in their neighbourhood, hospitals to treat the sick, Universities to educate their children, decent jobs to earn income and good roads to their communities,’’ he said.

The governor noted that since the creation of Rivers State on May 27, 1967, the state had attained greater heights and surmounted development challenges.

“For 50 years we have lived and toiled together in pursuit of the vision of our founding fathers who put in and sacrificed everything, including their lives, to ensure the creation of this beautiful State,’’ Wike said.

“Although we are not where we should be within the matrix of where we want to be, we still have a lot to celebrate and thank God for the 50 years of our existence.

“Besides, after 50 unbroken years on a journey, it is proper for us to take a little moment to retrospect on the progress already madem.

“We are to use this period to also examine our prospects and set our eyes on the next era of the march to progress with optimism’’.

He said the committee was expected to organise and galvanise the people to collectively mark the first 50 years of the creation of the state.

The committee comprises of 151 members with Chief Ferdinand Anabrabra as Chairman, Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN) as Alternate Chairman and Dr Jacob Beredugo as Secretary .

They were, among other functions, mandated to prepare the budget and logistics required and to raise funds for the celebrations.