FROM ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State was thrown into a sober mood yesterday, as Governor Douye Diri led a five-kilometre walk in Yenagoa to mourn his late Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who died last week at the age of 60.
The walk, which drew an overwhelming crowd of residents and government officials, became a tribute to the departed deputy governor and a moment of collective grief for a state still coming to terms with his sudden death.
Dressed mostly in black T-shirts bearing Ewhrudjakpo’s image, thousands of Bayelsans converged early in the day and marched through major streets of the state capital in honour of the deceased deputy governor.
The exercise was organised, following Governor Diri’s call during the 177th meeting of the State Executive Council, on residents to participate as a way of celebrating the life and service of his late deputy.
The walk commenced from the city centre and ended at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, where participants gathered for a brief address by the governor.
Several top government officials joined the governor, including the comptroller-general of Nigeria Customs Service, who attended as a special guest, as well as the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, and other lawmakers.
Also present were the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Nimibofa Ayawei, Head of Service, Dr Ebiye Sawyer, political appointees and a large number of civil servants.
Addressing the crowd, Governor Diri described the death of Ewhrudjakpo as painful and difficult to accept, noting that the loss had left a deep void in the government and state.
He recalled that his late deputy was a strong supporter of the administration’s policies and programmes, including the weekly walk initiative, which he actively participated in from its inception.
According to the governor, Ewhrudjakpo never opposed initiatives aimed at improving governance and the wellbeing of Bayelsans, but instead worked tirelessly to ensure their success.
Diri said the late deputy governor’s life showed that what mattered most was not how long one lived, but the impact made on the society and the people served.
The governor urged Bayelsans to sustain the culture of regular physical exercise beyond the mourning period, particularly during the yuletide, saying it would promote better health and honour the legacy of his late deputy.
