Wage, Diri, Bayelsa, Palliatives
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri
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Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has revealed how his faith in God earned him the sobriquet “Miracle Governor”.

Speaking at the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area (KOLGA) Annual Day of Thanksgiving held in Sampou, his community, on Friday, January 17, 2025, Diri disclosed how in 2020, a senior citizen of Nigeria invited him to Abuja and advised him to perform certain rituals if he wanted to be governor.

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The governor, however, said he turned down the offer.

Diri told the crowd at the gathering that the senior citizen flew in some marabouts from Senegal to perform the rituals.

Diri disclosed that when he bluntly rejected the offer, the man demanded a refund of the money spent to transport them into the country, saying he had to pay him the sum of $10,000.

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He explained that his “unshaken faith” in God made him decline the advice to look elsewhere for help, saying God, against all the odds, proved that He is always faithful.

He emphasised the need for politicians to learn from his experience and put their trust in God rather than in man

The governor added that the KOLGA people have reasons to be thankful to God given the level of development they have witnessed, and thanked the council for giving the thanksgiving day a legal backing through legislation.

Governor Diri also expressed gratitude to Apostle David Zilly Aggrey, the convener, and those who have sustained the programme.

His words: “I thank God and also thank Apostle David Zilly Aggrey because he started this event. And because his prayers were heard, God made it possible to bring me in and today, it is by law that all Kolokuma/Opokuma people can gather to praise God.

“Let me reveal to you why it is important to thank God and have faith in Him. Sometime ago, a senior citizen of this country invited me to Abuja and asked me to perform certain sacrifices but I declined. I told him my faith in God will not allow me to do it. He got angry and told me I would never become governor.

“He told me that he had spent $10,000 to bring the people for the sacrifice and asked for a refund, which I obliged.

“When the Supreme Court’s pronouncement came, the man was shocked and could not call me. Sadly, he passed on after some time.

“The story I have narrated was witnessed by my deputy and a friend in Abuja as both of them accompanied me to visit the senior citizen.

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“Kolokuma/Opokuma people have every reason to thank God. As a state, we do not want anybody to be harmed in the name of politics because we do not know who God has destined for greatness. So I call on all of us in the political game to be very civil and recognise that there is God who rules in the affairs of man.”

Speaking at the event, the chairman of Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area, Tariye Lelei, said the people of the area have reason to thank God for the gift of a governor.

He said it was in recognition of the goodness of God in their lives that the local government passed a legislation legalising the thanksgiving on January 17 annually.

The Star

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