Bayelsa is a state in the South South 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. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. The capital, Yenagoa, is susceptible to high risk of annual flooding. It shares a boundary with Rivers State 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 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, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Yenagoa, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama,

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. 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 and estuarine 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 ( Ogbia, Nembe, Epie, central Izon) are widely spoken in Bayelsa State, along with Isoko and Urhobo. The state is also the ancestral home of the Urhobo people 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 state is the site of Oloibiri Oilfield, 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 and natural gas 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 Niger Delta 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, a prominent Ijaw rights activist during the 1960s who was born in Oloibiri, attempted to proclaim a "Niger Delta Peoples Republic" in 1966. Bayelsa State was created out of Rivers State on 1 October 1996 by the Sani Abacha 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 death toll remains disputed to this day, though Nnimmo Bassey, executive director of Environmental Rights Action, claims that nearly 2500 civilians 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, 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 crude oil and natural gas 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 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, in June 2008 the last known site for chimpanzees in the Niger Delta. Other important cities besides Yenagoa include Akassa, Lobia, Wilberforce Island (the location of the Bayelsa Airport), Amassoma and Ogobiri (the host communities of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Eniwari, Ekeremor, Aliebiri, Anyama-Ogbia, Anyama-Ijaw, Peretoru, Twon-Brass, Egwema-Brass, Kaiama, Nembe, Odi, Ogbia, Okpoama,

, Oporoma, Korokorosei, Otuan, Koroama, Okolobiri, Obunagha, Ogboloma, Sagbama, Olugbobiri, Peremabiri, Ekowe, and Swali. The Akassa Lighthouse has stood since 1910.

Climate

Bayelsa has a tropical monsoon climate 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.

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 substance that pollutes the area due to its illegal burning of crude oil (locally called Kpo-fire). This carcinogenic chemical causes illnesses such as lung cancer, 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 infections, 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,

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 Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Yenagoa 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 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 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 region.

Natural resources

Bayelsa State's natural resources include:

Mineral raw materials

* Natural gas * Crude oil *

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 *

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 * Oil palm

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 Isaac Adaka Boro 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 Forçados River to Delta State by the 850 m bridge (2014) at Patani. 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 Ijaw with dialects such as Kolokuma, Nembe. Other languages include Epie-Atissa, and Ogbia. Like the rest of Nigeria, English 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, former Nigerian politician and governor of Bayelsa State * Diezani Alison-Madueke, 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 and National Security Adviser under President Goodluck Jonathan * Noah Sarenren Bazee, 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 * Major Isaac Adaka Boro, Nigerian Civil War hero (Nigerian Army) * Timi Dakolo, 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, former governor and politician * King Alfred Diete-Spiff, former governor of Rivers State, HRM *Senator Douye Diri, businessman, politician and lawmaker; governor of Bayelsa State * Timini Egbuson, Nollywood actor * Dakore Egbuson-Akande Nigerian actress * Tamara Eteimo, 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, Super Eagles player * Daniel Igali, Canadian Olympic gold medalist and world wrestling champion * Ernest Ikoli, journalist and pre-independence freedom fighter * Dr. Goodluck Jonathan GCFR GCON, 14th president of Nigeria * Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) *Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, 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, 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 * Ebinabo Potts-Johnson, born in Bayelsa state; model and actress * Samson Siasia, Super Eagles player and coach * Timipre Sylva, former governor of Bayelsa state, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources * Timaya, musical artist * Patience Torlowei, fashion designer and artist

Diaspora

Due to massive overseas scholarship programs implemented by the old Rivers State 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 trend affecting many African communities.

Education

The major tertiary institutions in Bayelsa state are: * Bayelsa Medical University * Federal Polytechnic Ekeowe * Federal University Otuoke * Isaac Adaka Boro College of Education * Niger Delta University * University of Africa Toru Orua

Local Government Areas

Bayelsa State consists of eight local government areas: *

* Ekeremor * Kolokuma/Opokuma * Nembe * Ogbia * Sagbama * Southern Ijaw * Yenagoa

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 Yenagoa.

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
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