Bayelsa is a state in the

South South The South-South is one of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. It designates both a geographic and political region of the country's eastern coast. It comprises six States of Nigeria, states – Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross-River State, Cross Ri ...

region of

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, located in the core of the

Niger Delta The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitic ...

. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from

Rivers State Rivers is a states of Nigeria, state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria, Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo State, Im ...

, making it one of the newest states in the federation. The capital,

Yenagoa Yenagoa is a Local Government Area and capital city of Bayelsa State, Southern Nigeria. It is located at the Niger-Delta region of the country at coordinates . The LGA has an area of 706 km2 and an estimated population of 798,466 at 2024. ...

, is susceptible to high risk of annual flooding. It shares a boundary with

to the east and

Delta State Delta is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South (Nigeria), South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State, on 27 August 1 ...

to the north across the Niger River for 17km and the

Forçados River The Forçados River (originally Forcados) is a channel in the Niger Delta, in southern Nigeria. It flows for approximately and meets the sea at the Bight of Benin in Delta State. It is an important channel for small ships. The Forçados River sp ...

for 198km, with the waters of the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

dominating its southern borders. It has a total area of . The state comprises eight local government areas:

Ekeremor Ekeremor is one of the eight local government areas (LGAs) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It borders Delta State and has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Bonny. Its headquarters are in the town of Ekeremor in the northeast of t ...

Kolokuma/Opokuma Kolokuma/Opokuma is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kaiama. Much of the area of the LGA is occupied by the Bayelsa National Forest. It has an area of 361 km and an estimated population ...

Nembe Nembe is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Nembe in the east of the area at . The people of Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw Councils of Bayelsa State have bemoaned their neglect by oil companie ...

Ogbia Ogbia is a traditional Kingdom and Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The headquarters of both the Traditional Kingdom and Local Government is located in Ogbia Town at . Ogbia Kingdom is made up of fou ...

Sagbama Sagbama is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Southern part of Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sagbama. Part of the area of the LGA lies within the Bayelsa National Forest. It has an area of 945 km and an estimated popu ...

Brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...

and

Southern Ijaw Southern Ijaw is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Southern part of Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Oporoma (or Osokoma) in the north of the area at . The area has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Benin ...

. Bayelsa state is regarded as the least populous state in Nigeria with an estimated population of over 3,700,000 as at 2024. Being in the Niger Delta, Bayelsa State has a

riverine A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it run ...

and

estuarine An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

setting, with bodies of water within the state making the development of significant road infrastructure, quite difficult. The state is the primary and ancestral home of the Ijaw people, from where migration took place to other Ijaw settlements. The languages of the

Ijaw Ijaw may refer to: *Ijaw people The Ijaw people, also known as the Izon people, are an ethnic group found in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, with primary Population, population clusters in Bayelsa State, Bayelsa, Delta State, Delta, and River ...

(

, Nembe, Epie, central Izon) are widely spoken in Bayelsa State, along with Isoko and

Urhobo Urhobo may refer to: *Urhobo people, of Nigeria *Urhobo language Urhobo is a South-Western Edoid language spoken by the Urhobo people of southern Nigeria. It is from the Delta State, Delta and Bayelsa State, Bayelsa States. Phonology Urhobo has ...

. The state is also the ancestral home of the

Urhobo people The Urhobos are a people located in southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger Delta. They are the major ethnic group in Delta State. The people of this ethnic group speak the Urhobo language. Their population is approximately 7 million. Th ...

in the Sagbama local government area. As a state in the oil-rich Niger Delta, Bayelsa State's economy is dominated by the

petroleum industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of hydrocarbon exploration, exploration, extraction of petroleum, extraction, oil refinery, refining, Petroleum transport, transportation (often by oil tankers ...

. The state is the site of

Oloibiri Oilfield Oloibiri Oilfield is an onshore oilfield located in Oloibiri in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, and was the first to be discovered in that country. It is located about east of Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta. Oloibiri field is about and ...

, where oil was first discovered in Nigeria, and as of 2015 the state was estimated to produce 30-40% of the country's oil. The state has the largest gas reservoir (18 trillion cubic feet) in Nigeria. Though it is the site of one of the largest

crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...

and

natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...

deposits in the country contributes to local economic development, the state remains plagued by rampant poverty as well as pollution stemming from

oil spill An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into th ...

History

During the 20th century, demanding a new, majority-Ijaw state to be drawn in the

Region became common. Between 1941 and 1956, numerous Ijaw nationalist organizations supportive of an Ijaw-majority state in Southern Nigeria were founded.

Isaac Adaka Boro Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro (10 September 1938 – 9 May 1968) was a Nigerian nationalist and military officer of Ijaw heritage. Born in Oloibiri on 10 September 1938 to Pepple Boro, he is widely regarded as an early advocate for the rights of min ...

, a prominent Ijaw rights activist during the 1960s who was born in

Oloibiri Oloibiri is a small community in Ogbia LGA located in Bayelsa State, in the eastern Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The inhabitants of Oloibiri community are mainly fishermen and farmers. It is the first place that oil was discovered in Nigeria. ...

, attempted to proclaim a "Niger Delta Peoples Republic" in 1966. Bayelsa State was created out of

on 1 October 1996 by the

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha (; (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military dictator and statesman who ruled Nigeria with an iron fist as military head of state from 1993 following a palace coup d'état until his death in 1998. Abacha's seiz ...

military government. Its name was derived from the first few letters of the names of the major local government areas from which it was formed:

LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa LGA (YELGA) and Sagbama LGA (SALGA). On 20 November 1999, the Nigerian military committed what is now referred to as the

Odi massacre The Odi massacre was an attack carried out on November 20, 1999, by the Nigerian Armed Forces against the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State. The attack came in the context of an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta over indigenous r ...

. The death toll remains disputed to this day, though

Nnimmo Bassey Nnimmo Bassey (born 11 June 1958) is a Nigerian architect, environmental activist, author and poet, who chaired Friends of the Earth International from 2008 through 2012 and was executive director of Environmental Rights Action for two decades. He ...

, executive director of Environmental Rights Action, claims that nearly 2500

civilian A civilian is a person who is not a member of an armed force. It is war crime, illegal under the law of armed conflict to target civilians with military attacks, along with numerous other considerations for civilians during times of war. If a civi ...

s were killed. In response to

environmental degradation Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...

in the state caused by the

oil industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest volume products ...

, movements such as the "Rise for Bayelsa" campaign have emerged to push for protecting the local water supply. In 2019, the Bayelsa State government launched the first formal inquiry into the crisis of oil pollution in the state.

Economy

Bayelsa State has one of the largest

and

deposits in Nigeria. As a result,

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...

production is substantial in the state. Even though Bayelsa State is well-endowed with natural resources, the state "enjoys very minimal dividends from its oil wealth due to the structural inequities in the national revenue allocation system in the practice of

fiscal federalism As a subfield of public economics, fiscal federalism is concerned with "understanding which functions and instruments are best centralized and which are best placed in the sphere of decentralized levels of government" (Oates, 1999). In other word ...

in the country".

Geography

Bayelsa has a riverine and estuarine setting. Many communities are almost (and in some cases) surrounded by water, making them inaccessible by road. The state is home to the

Edumanom Forest Reserve The roots of Edumanom Forest Reserve trace back to 1970 when it was singled out as one of the proposed Forest Reserves by the Rivers State Government, a compilation encompassing 11 distinct regions. At that time, the Governor of Rivers State, actin ...

, in June 2008 the last known site for

chimpanzees The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close relative the ...

in the Niger Delta. Other important cities besides

include

Akassa Akassa, is an Ijaw town at the southernmost tip of Nigeria in Bayelsa State where the Nun River estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean. It has a lighthouse that has stood since 1910, Akassa Lighthouse. The proximity of Akassa to the Atlantic ha ...

, Lobia, Wilberforce Island (the location of the Bayelsa Airport), Amassoma and Ogobiri (the host communities of the

Niger Delta University Niger Delta University (NDU) is in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State in the southern part of Nigeria. It was established in 2000. It is a Bayelsa state government-funded university. In 2002, It was established by Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, the ...

(NDU), Eniwari,

Aliebiri Aliebiri is a community located in Ekeremor Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It is one of the communities affected by yearly floods A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that subm ...

, Anyama-Ogbia, Anyama-Ijaw, Peretoru,

Twon-Brass Twon-Brass, previously known simply as Brass or Brasstown, is an Ijaw community on Brass Island in the Nun River estuary of Southern Bayelsa State, Nigeria, in the Brass Local Government Area. Twon Brass was found in the year, 1895 The traditio ...

, Egwema-Brass,

Kaiama Kaiama is a Local Government Area and town in northwestern Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kaiama. Description Kaiama LGA has an area of 6,971 km and a population of 124,164 at the 2006 census. The postal code o ...

, Odi,

, Okpoama,

Oporoma Oporoma is a community located in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa State Bayelsa is a state in the South South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from ...

, Korokorosei, Otuan, Koroama, Okolobiri, Obunagha, Ogboloma,

, Olugbobiri, Peremabiri, Ekowe, and Swali. The

Akassa Lighthouse Akassa Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Akassa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It was established in 1910. It is about 60 metres tall and its view spans across the Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders o ...

has stood since 1910.

Climate

Bayelsa has a

tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...

with yearly

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

of , which is 0.82 percent lower than Nigeria's averages. The state typically receives about of rain and has 296.16 rainy days (81.14% of the time) annually. The Bayelsa region experiences tropical monsoon weather. All year long, there are high temperatures and a lot of rain. With an average

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

of 82% and a UV-index of 6, it is dry for 47 days out of the year. Bayelsa State has mostly received the effects of

climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...

due to environmental degradation and high levels of

carbon emissions Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate chan ...

Environmental issues

Bayelsa State has been described as one of "most polluted places on Earth after decades of oil spills that have hurt farming and fishing."

Soot pollution

This is a black hazardous

carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, (), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word "carbonate" may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate group ...

substance that pollutes the area due to its illegal burning of crude oil (locally called Kpo-fire). This

carcinogen A carcinogen () is any agent that promotes the development of cancer. Carcinogens can include synthetic chemicals, naturally occurring substances, physical agents such as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, and biologic agents such as viruse ...

ic chemical causes illnesses such as

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

, skin irritation,

allergies Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...

respiratory tract infection Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are infectious diseases involving the lower or upper respiratory tract. An infection of this type usually is further classified as an upper respiratory tract infection (URI or URTI) or a lower respiratory tract ...

s, eye problem, etc. Its effect is also meted on the environment as it causes

air pollution Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...

soil pollution Soil contamination, soil pollution, or land pollution as a part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xenobiotic (human-made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It is typically caused by industrial activit ...

water pollution Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of Body of water, water bodies, with a negative impact on their uses. It is usually a result of human activities. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and ...

which has led to the death of both plants, humans and animals.

Flooding

This is a common annual problem in Bayelsa because it is located on the coast of the

. The rise of seawater is the major cause. The flooding has affected many communities, properties and human lives. Almost all areas in Bayelsa state are affected by flooding but

and

areas of Bayelsa state are more prone to flooding as it affects these areas yearly. Poor town planning is another major cause of flooding in Bayelsa State. As of August 2022, the state was stricken with a flood, displacing over 1.3 million people and destroying livestock and properties.

Oil spillage

This is one of the major environmental issues in Bayelsa State due to the activities of major oil companies.

Oil spillage An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into th ...

has affected farmlands, aquatic life and the health of the people. Almost every day, Udengs Eradiri is informed of another oil spill in Bayelsa state, in the Niger Delta. He said Bayelsa used to be green, you could go to a farm or go fishing and have a very impressive harvest. You would spend hours in the water and have a handful of fish. Today, he added, you can spend the whole day without catching a glimpse of a fish. Another major environmental issue in Bayelsa state is air pollution (SOOT). Today, many people in Bayelsa state lament that they cannot breathe due to the exposure of emissions of soot, a hazardous black

amorphous carbon Amorphous carbon is free, reactive carbon that has no crystalline structure. Amorphous carbon materials may be stabilized by terminating dangling-π bonds with hydrogen. As with other amorphous solids, some short-range order can be observed. Amo ...

that has almost completely polluted the air in the areas. However, stakeholders in the affected areas had in 2018 reportedly initiated a campaign with the common refrain; "Save Rivers from this soot of death", in the

Rivers state Rivers is a states of Nigeria, state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria, Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo State, Im ...

region.

Natural resources

Bayelsa State's

natural resource Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural value. ...

s include:

Mineral raw materials

Natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...

Crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...

Salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

Agro raw materials

Cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...

* Coco-yam * Plantain *

Timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

Maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

Rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

* Yam *

Sugar-cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in suc ...

Oil palm ''Elaeis'' () is a genus of palms, called oil palms, containing two species, native to Africa and the Americas. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. Description Mature palms are single-stemmed, and can gro ...

Religion

The Catholic Church comprises parts of Bomadi Diocese (1991) under Bishop Hyacinth Oroko Egbebo (2009), a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Benin City.

Transport

Major roads include the

Expressway 17 km north from Yenagoa to join A2 the Elele-Alimini-Patani East-West Rd east to Rivers State at Mbiama and northwest across the

to Delta State by the 850 m bridge (2014) at

Patani Pattani (or Patani in Malay spelling) may refer to: Places Continental Asia * Patani (historical region), a historical region in the Malay peninsula, in Thailand and Malaysia. * Pattani Province, modern province in southern Thailand ** Pattani, ...

. Waterways are essential for transport as many communities are not accessible by road. Bayelsa Airport on Wilberforce Island opened in 2019, with international flights approved in 2021.

Languages

The major language spoken is

with dialects such as Kolokuma,

. Other languages include Epie-Atissa, and

. Like the rest of Nigeria,

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

is the

official language An official language is defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as, "the language or one of the languages that is accepted by a country's government, is taught in schools, used in the courts of law, etc." Depending on the decree, establishmen ...

. Languages of Bayelsa State listed by LGA:

Notable people

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Diepreye Solomon Peter "D.S.P." Alamieyeseigha (16 November 1952 – 10 October 2015) was a Nigerian politician who was the first civilian List of Governors of Bayelsa State, Governor of Bayelsa State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 9 December 2 ...

, former Nigerian politician and governor of Bayelsa State *

Diezani Alison-Madueke Diezani K. Agama (born 6 December 1960) is a Nigerian politician who was the first female president of OPEC. She became Nigeria's minister of transportation on 26 July 2007. She was moved to Mines and Steel Development in 2008, and in April 201 ...

, former Minister of Solid Minerals, Transport and Petroleum resources * General Owoye Andrew Azazi, Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria), Chief of Defense Staff under President

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo (; ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian former army general, politician and statesman who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 200 ...

and National Security Adviser under President

Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (born 20 November 1957) is a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. He lost the 2015 presidential election to former military head of state General Muhammadu Buhari and ...

Noah Sarenren Bazee Noah Joel Sarenren Bazee (born 21 August 1996) is a German professional footballer who plays as a right winger for club Arminia Bielefeld. Club career Sarenren Bazee grew up in Walle near Celle, where he played for several clubs. In 2011, he mo ...

, professional footballer who plays for

Bundesliga The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany and the highest level of the German football league system. The Bundesliga comprises 18 teams ...

side

Hannover 96 Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 (), is a German professional association football, football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years between 19 ...

* Major Isaac Adaka Boro, Nigerian Civil War hero (Nigerian Army) *

Timi Dakolo Timi Dakolo (born January 20, 1981) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and music producer. He emerged winner of the inaugural season of '' Idols West Africa'' in 2007. Accompanying his victory was a recording contract with Sony BMG, in addition to ...

, musical artist * HRM Edmund Daukoru, Nigerian Minister of State for Energy, former Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in 2006 *

Henry Seriake Dickson Henry Seriake Dickson CON (born 28 January 1966) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He has been the Senator representing Bayelsa West since 2020 in the 9th National Assembly. He was the governor of Bayelsa State from 14 February 2012 to 14 F ...

, former governor and politician * King Alfred Diete-Spiff, former governor of Rivers State, HRM *Senator

Douye Diri Douye Diri (born 4 June 1959) is a Nigerian politician who has served as the governor of Bayelsa State since 2020. He was the senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District from 2019 to 2020 in the 9th National Assembly. Early lif ...

, businessman, politician and lawmaker; governor of Bayelsa State *

Timini Egbuson Timini Egbuson is a Nigerian film actor. He is known for his roles in the TV series ''Tinsel'' and now in other Nigerian home videos. Biography Timini was born in Bayelsa State in the south-south region of Nigeria and is the younger brother of ...

Nollywood Nollywood, a portmanteau of Nigeria and Hollywood, is a sobriquet that originally referred to the Nigerian film industry. The origin of the term goes back to the early 2000s, traced to an article in ''The New York Times''. Due to the history ...

actor *

Dakore Egbuson-Akande Dakore Egbuson-Akande (born Dakore Omobola Egbuson; 14 October 1978) is a Nigerian actress. She is an ambassador for Amnesty International, Amstel Malta and Oxfam of America. Biography Dakore Omobola Egbuson was born in Bayelsa State as the firs ...

Nigerian actress *

Tamara Eteimo Tamara Eteimo (born July 24, 1987) also known by her stage name Tamara Jones, is a Nigerian R&B singer-songwriter and Actor. Since her Nollywood film debut in 2011, right after she won the seventh edition of the '' Next Movie Star'' reality sho ...

, also known by her stage name Tamara; from Angiama, Southern Ijaw local government of Bayelsa state; R&B singer-songwriter and actress * Dan Etete, Minister of Petroleum Resources *

Finidi George Finidi George (born 15 April 1971) is a Nigerian professional football coach and former footballer who played as a winger. After making a name for himself at Ajax in the Netherlands – being a leading figure in a team which won eight major ti ...

, Super Eagles player *

Daniel Igali Baraladei Daniel Igali (born February 3, 1974) is a Nigerian-Canadian wrestler. He won Canada's first ever Olympic gold medal in wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics and remains Canada's only male Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. Wrestling ...

, Canadian Olympic gold medalist and world wrestling champion *

Ernest Ikoli Ernest Sissei Ikoli (1893–1960) was a Nigerian politician, nationalist and pioneering journalist. He was the first editor of the Daily Times, the president of the Nigerian Youth Movement, and in 1942, represented Lagos in the Legislative Council ...

, journalist and pre-independence freedom fighter * Dr. Goodluck Jonathan GCFR GCON, 14th president of Nigeria *

Heineken Lokpobiri Heineken Lokpobiri (born 3 March 1967) is a Nigerian politician who is the minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil). He previously served as minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development from 2015 to 2019, and as Senator represe ...

, Minister of State for Agriculture, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) *Senator

Ben Murray-Bruce Benedict Murray-Bruce (born 18 February 1956) is a Nigerian business magnate and politician. He is the founder of Silverbird Group. A member of the People's Democratic Party, he was elected to the Senate of Nigeria in March 2015 where he rep ...

, represented Bayelsa East Senatorial District at the National Assembly; from Akassa in Bayelsa State of Nigeria * Dr. Eruani Azibapu Godbless, businessman, politician and former Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health. * Ebikibina Ogborodi, acting registrar of NECO *

Gabriel Okara Gabriel Imomotimi Okara (24 April 1921 – 25 March 2019) was a Nigerian poet and novelist who was born in Bumoundi in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The first modernist poet of Anglophone Africa, he is best known for his early experimental ...

, novelist and poet * Chief Melford Okilo, 1st governor of Rivers State, former Senator, former Nigerian Minister * Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting managing director of

Niger Delta Development Commission The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is a federal government agency established by former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2000, with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. In Septemb ...

* Ebinabo Potts-Johnson, born in Bayelsa state; model and actress *

Samson Siasia Samson Siasia (born 14 August 1967) is a Nigerian former professional football striker and the former head coach of the Nigeria national team from 2010 to October 2011. He was reappointed in 2016. On 16 August 2019, FIFA banned Siasia from all ...

, Super Eagles player and coach *

Timipre Sylva Timipre Marlin Sylva (born 7 July 1964) is a Nigerian politician who served as the minister of state for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria from 2019 to 2023. He previously served as governor of Bayelsa State from 2007 to 2012. Early life and back ...

, former governor of Bayelsa state, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources *

Timaya Inetimi Alfred Odon (born 15 August 1980), known by his stage name Timaya, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter. Being from Odi, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Timaya is known for combining Nigerian pop with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, and Soca music, s ...

, musical artist * Patience Torlowei, fashion designer and artist

Diaspora

Due to massive overseas scholarship programs implemented by the old

in the 1970s and recent Bayelsa State governments, large numbers of Bayelsa professionals reside in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. This is part of the general

brain-drain Human capital flight is the emigration or immigration of individuals who have received advanced training in their home country. The net benefits of human capital flight for the receiving country are sometimes referred to as a "brain gain" whereas ...

trend affecting many African communities.

Education

The major tertiary institutions in Bayelsa state are: * Bayelsa Medical University * Federal Polytechnic Ekeowe * Federal University Otuoke *

College of Education *

* University of Africa Toru Orua

Local Government Areas

Bayelsa State consists of eight local government areas: *

Politics

The state government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state House of Assembly. The Capital city of the state is

Electoral system

The electoral system of Bayelsa state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of the State's local government Areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas.

References

External links

Bayelsa State Government Homepage

Bayelsa State at OnlineNigeria.comExperience Bayelsa Arts and Culture / Visitors GuideBayelsa Council for Arts & CultureAdaka Boro Centre

Azaiki Public Library, Yenagoa
{{Portal bar, Nigeria States of Nigeria States and territories established in 1996 1996 establishments in Nigeria