Diepreye Alamieyeseigha
Former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha died on Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital at 62.
Bayelsa and other Niger Delta states were thrown into mourning at the weekend, following the sudden death of the first civilian governor of the state, who reportedly died of cardiac arrest.
Alamieyeseigha was said to have developed health complications after returning from an undisclosed hospital in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE), for medical checks.
Unconfirmed reports said he could not complete his treatment in Dubai after hearing of his extradition request by the United Kingdom (UK).
Acting paramount ruler of the Bayelsa community, Chief Sharp Sogo, said the residents were shocked by the former governor’s death.
He likened the community’s reverence for the late Alamieyeseigha to that of a god.
Sogo said: “When the sad news filtered into this community, everybody was not happy. Boys, girls, men and women cried. He was one of the best leaders we had in this community. He was just like a father and grandfather to everybody.”
The monarch said the late Alamieyeseigha had his last outing in the community when he was invited by his political associates and community leaders to plan for the December 5 governorship election.
He said the former governor was a rallying point and a voice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which relied on him to win the election.
Sogo said: “We can’t count the values he added to this community. They are too many to mention. Without him, there couldn’t have been Amasomma. He brought the university and built the roads. Everybody took him like a god.”
The monarch said Alamieyeseigha died without fulfilling some of the promises to the community.
He said: “It was obvious he was not through with the community yet. He promised that a shore protection project would be completed and many other things would be done to further develop Amassoma. We will greatly miss him.”
Sogo added that the community leaders would plan a befitting burial for Alamieyeseigha, adding that the community would work with the state government.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Esueme Kikile, on Sunday, said Alamieyeseigha died of complications arising from high blood pressure and diabetes which affected his kidney.