29 years old, Duke Surveyor Timipa, an indigene of Dukegbene community in Opuama Kingdom, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, has completed a distance of about 100 Kilometers in 20 hours by sea, to celebrate the victory of Chief, David Lyon, winner of the just concluded gubernatorial election in the state.
Timipa, told newsmen shortly before he started the paddling of a local canoe mainly used by old folks for fishing, from Olugbobiri to Yenagoa, the city capital that he vowed to paddle the canoe no matter how many days it will take him, if the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the governorship election in the state.
Timipa, who began his cruise at about 9:30 am, said his dreams will be half achieved when he gets to Yenagoa, adding that he believes in the capability of the governor-elect to deliver on his campaign promises, and ensure development get to the downtrodden.
Speaking to journalists, at his terminating point, the Ox-lake pavilion “I believe development will be felt in all sectors of the state, what am doing today signifies the end of when our people use to paddle canoe from our distant communities either for fishing or trade to the capital city, we know since he is one of us he knows the pains of the people, roads will get to our communities and link with Yenagoa.
The traditional means of using canoe for long-distance journey is gone, all the villages in Opuama kingdom will get roads ”
Timipa, who carried four litres of water, bread and dried fish as his basic requirement for the long cruise also said, ‘‘I started the journey in the morning, and at night when I was tired I rested at Oporoma, the Local Government council headquarters and I continued again on Wednesday evening’’.
According to him, “I want to use this opportunity to urge the youths in the state to embrace the incoming administration, we have to cooperate with the Governor-elect to achieve all we have been craving for because David Lyon, is the people’s choice and he will impact positively in our lives”
On tourism, ‘‘we have so many potentials that will earn the state so much and increase our Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) and also sell the state to the outside world. The Governor will encourage tourism’’.
In his brief, the leader of the delegation, Commander Mark Agada, Leader ward 13, Opuama Kingdom, said from 1999 to date Southern Ijaw has been suffering and today a young man vowed to honour David Lyon personally using a hand pulling canoe to Yenagoa, the state capital.
Agada, said with the high current in the sea the young man was able to paddle through for David Lyon.
This historical sojourn indicates that he is standing in the gap for the whole people of Southern Ijaw to end long suffering of using canoe to travel down such a long distance. He suffered on behalf of the people with assurance that the governor-elect will build roads and other means of land transportation will be provided.
