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 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 to the north across the Niger River for 17 km and the Forçados River for 198 km, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean 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 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 spoken are Ijaw, Ogbia, Nembe, Epie, along with Igbo, 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 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 spills.

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: Brass LGA, Yenagoa LGA and Sagbama LGA.
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 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 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 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, Amassoma and Ogobiri, Eniwari, Ekeremor, Aliebiri, Anyama-Ogbia, Anyama-Ijaw, Peretoru, Twon-Brass, Egwema-Brass, Kaiama, Nembe, Odi, Ogbia, Okpoama, Brass, 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 of, which is 0.82 percent lower than Nigeria's averages. The state typically receives about of rain and has 296.16 rainy days annually.
The Bayelsa region experiences tropical monsoon weather. All year long, there are high temperatures and a lot of rain. With an average humidity 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 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. This carcinogenic chemical causes illnesses such as lung cancer, skin irritation, allergies, respiratory tract infections, eye problem, etc. Its effect is also meted on the environment as it causes air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution 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 Atlantic Ocean. 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. 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

The Catholic Church comprises parts of Bomadi Diocese under Bishop Hyacinth Oroko Egbebo, 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 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.
Languages of Bayelsa State listed by LGA:
LGALanguages
BrassAbureni, Southeast Ijo, Ogbia, Kugbo
EkeremorIzon
Kolokuma OpokumaKolokuma
NembeAbureni, Nembe, Ijaw
OgbiaAbureni, Southeast Ijo, Odual, Ogbia, Oruma
SagbamaBuseni, Igbo, Isoko, Izon, Ogbah, Okodia, Urhobo
Southern IjawSoutheast Ijo, Izon
YenagoaEngenni, Epie-Atissa, Izon, Ekpeye

Notable people