Bayelsa is one of the states in the South-South region of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, located in the core of the

Niger Delta The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitical ...

region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from

Rivers State Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa Ib ...

, making it one of the newest states in the

federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

Yenagoa Yenagoa is a Local Government Area and capital city of Bayelsa State, southern Nigeria. It is located at the southern part of the country at coordinates . The LGA has an area of 706 km² and a population of 352,285 at the 2006 census. Th ...

is the capital city of Bayelsa State with most parts to have fallen within the high-risk of floods, suspects to occur annually. It shares a boundary with

to the East and Delta State to the west, with the waters of the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

dominating its southern borders. It has a total area of 10, 773 km2. The state comprises eight Local

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

Areas. they are

Ekeremor Ekeremor is one of the eight local government areas (LGAs) in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. It borders Delta State and has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Bonny. Its headquarters are in the town of Ekeremor in the northeast of t ...

Kolokuma/Opokuma Kolokuma/Opokuma is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kaiama. Much of the area of the LGA is occupied by the Bayelsa National Forest. It has an area of 361 km and a population of 77,292 a ...

Nembe Nembe is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Nembe in the east of the area at The people of Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw Councils of Bayelsa State have bemoaned their neglect by oil companies ...

Ogbia Ogbia is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Ogbia in the south of the area at . It has an area of 695 km and a population of 179,926. It is well known for its hi ...

Sagbama Sagbama is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Southern part of Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sagbama. Part of the area of the LGA lies within the Bayelsa National Forest. It has an area of 945 km and a population of ...

Brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...

and Southern Ijaw. The state shares borders with Rivers State, of which it was formerly part, and Delta State.

Ijaw Ijaw may refer to: *Ijaw people The Izon people or Izon Otu, otherwise known as the Ijaw people due to the historic mispronunciation of the name ''Izon'', are an ethnic group majorly found in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with significant populatio ...

, language is widely spoken in Bayelsa State also Isoko and Urhobo speak within their ancestral towns in the state. It is also the ancestral home of the Urhobo people in the Sagbama local government area. The state is the smallest in Nigeria by

population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...

of the 2006 census, as well as one of the smallest by

area Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape A shape or figure is a graphics, graphical representation of an obje ...

. Being in the

region, Bayelsa State has a

riverine A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

and

estuarine An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...

setting, with bodies of water within the state preventing the development of significant road infrastructure. As a state in the oil-rich Niger Delta the Bayelsa State's economy is dominated by the

petroleum industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The larges ...

. The state is the site of

Oloibiri Oilfield Oloibiri Oilfield is an onshore oilfield located in Oloibiri in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, about east of Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta. Oloibiri field is about and lies in a swamp within OML 29 Oloibiri Oilfield is named afte ...

, where oil was first discovered in

, and as of 2015 was estimated to produce 30-40% of the country's oil. The state

nicknamed A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

“Glory of all Lands” has the largest gas reservoir (18 trillion cubic feet) in

. Though being the site of one of the largest

crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...

and

natural gas Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...

deposits in the country contributes to local

economic development In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and o ...

, the state remains plagued by rampant poverty as well as

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

stemming from

oil spills An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into th ...

. Politics Douye Diri is the governor of Bayelsa State, while Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo the Deputy Governor of the State.

Location

Bayelsa is one of the states in southern part of Nigeria, located in the core of Niger Delta region. Bayelsa was carved out from Rivers state, making it one of the newest states in Federation. Bayelsa shares a boundary with Rivers state to the East and Delta state to the West, with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean dominating its Southern borders.

History

During the 20th century, demands for a new, majority-Ijaw state to be drawn in the

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 1960's who was born in

Oloibiri Oloibiri is a small community in Ogbia LGA located in Bayelsa State, in the eastern Niger Delta region of Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal ...

, attempted to proclaim a "Niger Delta Peoples Republic" in 1966. Bayelsa State was created out of Rivers State on October 1, 1996 by the

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military officer and politician who ruled as the military head of state of Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. He seized power on 17 November 1993 in the last successful c ...

's 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:

LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa LGA (YELGA) and Sagbama LGA (SALGA). On November 20, 1999, the Nigerian military committed what is now referred to as the

Odi massacre The Odi massacre was an attack carried out on November 20, 1999, by the Nigerian military on the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State. The attack came in the context of an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta over indigenous rights to ...

. The death toll remains disputed to this day, though

Nnimmo Bassey Nnimmo Bassey (born 11 June 1958) is a Nigerian architect, environmental activist, author and poet, who chaired Friends of the Earth International from 2008 through 2012 and was executive director of Environmental Rights Action for two decades. H ...

, Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action, claims that nearly 2500

civilian Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not "combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, b ...

s were killed. In response to

environmental degradation Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment (biophysical), environment through depletion of resources such as quality of air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; an ...

in the state caused by the

oil industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The larges ...

, 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

and

deposits in Nigeria. As a result,

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...

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 (and in some cases) surrounded by water, making them inaccessible by road. The state is home to the

Edumanom Forest Reserve The Edumanom Forest Reserve is an area in the Niger Delta region of South East Nigeria, that is home to some of the last chimpanzees in Nigeria. It covers part of the old Nembe Kingdom, which is now divided into the Nembe and Brass local government ...

, in June 2008 the last known site for

chimpanzees The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close relative the ...

in the Niger Delta. Other important cities besides

include Akassa,

Lobia The black-eyed pea or black-eyed bean is a legume grown around the world for its medium-sized, edible bean. It is a subspecies of the cowpea, an Old World plant domesticated in Africa, and is sometimes simply called a cowpea. The common commer ...

, Amassoma (the home of the

Niger Delta University Niger Delta University (NDU) is in Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State in the southern part of Nigeria. It was established in 2000. It is a Bayelsa state government-funded university. In 2002, It was established by Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, then ...

), Eniwari,

, Aliebiri, Peretoru,

Twon-Brass Twon-Brass, previously known simply as Brass or Brasstown, is a community on Brass Island in the Nun River estuary of Southern Bayelsa State, Nigeria, in the Brass Local Government Area. The royal Chief is Alfred Diete-Spiff. The town is on th ...

, Egwema-Brass,

Kaiama Kaiama is a Local Government Area and town in northwestern Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kaiama. Description Kaiama LGA has an area of 6,971km and a population of 124,164 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the a ...

, Odi,

, Okpoama,

, Oporoma, Korokorosei, Otuan, Koroama, Okolobiri, Obunagha, Ogboloma,

, Olugbobiri, Peremabiri, Ekowe, and Swali. The Akassa Lighthouse has stood since 1910.

Languages

The main language spoken is

with dialects such as Kolokuma,

, Epie-Atissa, and

. Like the rest of Nigeria,

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

is the

official language An official language is a language given supreme status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically the term "official language" does not refer to the language used by a people or country, but by its government (e.g. judiciary, ...

. Languages of Bayelsa State listed by LGA: Izon-tubos

Environmental Issues

Soot pollution

This is a black hazardous

carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...

substance that pollute the area due to its illegal burning of crude oil(locally called Kpo-fire). This

carcinogenic A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substan ...

chemical causes illnesses such as

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

, skin irritation,

allergies Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derma ...

respiratory tract infection Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are infectious diseases involving the respiratory tract. An infection of this type usually is further classified as an upper respiratory tract infection (URI or URTI) or a lower respiratory tract infection (LRI ...

s, eye problem etc. Its effect is also meted on the environment as it causes

air pollution Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different types ...

soil pollution Soil contamination, soil pollution, or land pollution as a part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xenobiotic (human-made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It is typically caused by industrial activity ...

water pollution Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, so that it negatively affects its uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water ...

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 sea water 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

Southern Ijaw Southern Ijaw is a Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Southern part of Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Oporoma (or Osokoma) in the north of the area at . The area has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Benin. ...

and

areas of Bayelsa state are more prone to flooding as it affects these areas yearly. Poor town planning is another major causes of flooding in Bayelsa State. As of August 2022 the state was stricken with flood, resulting to the displacement of over 1.3 million people destroying live stocks and properties.

Oil spillage

This is one of the major environmental issue 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 everyday, 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 farm or fish and have a very impressive harvest. You would spend just some hours in the water and you 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(SOOT). Today, many people in Bayelsa state lament that they cannot breathe due to the exposure of emissions of soot, a hazardous black

amorphous carbon Amorphous carbon is free, reactive carbon that has no crystalline structure. Amorphous carbon materials may be stabilized by terminating dangling-π bonds with hydrogen. As with other amorphous solids, some short-range order can be observed. Amor ...

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 Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa Ib ...

region.

Notable people

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha (DSP) (16 November 1952 – 10 October 2015) was a Nigerian politician who was Governor of Bayelsa State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 9 December 2005. Background Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was born on 16 Novem ...

, was a former Nigerian politician and Governor of Bayelsa State *

Diezani Alison-Madueke Diezani K. Alison-Madueke (born 6 December 1960) is a Nigerian politician and the first female President of OPEC. She was elected at the 166th OPEC Ordinary meeting in Vienna on 27 November 2014. She became Nigeria's minister of transportation o ...

, Minister of Solid Minerals, Transport and Petroleum resources * MC Aproko, stand-up comedian *

Owoye Andrew Azazi Owoye Andrew Azazi (1 February 1952 – 15 December 2012) was a Nigerian army general who served as National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, was Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Nigeria, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS). Befo ...

, Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria), Chief of Defense Staff under President

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, , ( ; yo, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́ ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its pres ...

and National Security Adviser under President

Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (born 20 November 1957)Lawson Heyford, ''The Source'' (Lagos), 11 December 2006. is a Nigerian politician who served as the President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. He lost the 2015 presidential election to fo ...

. *

Noah Sarenren Bazee Noah Joel Sarenren Bazee (born 21 August 1996) is a German professional footballer who plays as a right winger for club Arminia Bielefeld. Club career Sarenren Bazee grew up in Walle near Celle, where he played for several clubs. In 2011, he ...

a professional footballer who plays for

Bundesliga The Bundesliga (; ), sometimes referred to as the Fußball-Bundesliga () or 1. Bundesliga (), is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of the German football league system, the Bundesliga is Germany's primary footba ...

side

Hannover 96 Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 (), Hannover, HSV or simply 96, is a German professional football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years betwe ...

. * Isaac Adaka Boro, Nigerian Civil War hero (Nigerian Army) *

Timi Dakolo Timi Dakolo (born January 20, 1981) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and music producer. He emerged winner of the inaugural season of '' Idols West Africa'' in 2007. Accompanying his victory was a recording contract with Sony BMG, in addition to ...

, musical artist *

Edmund Daukoru Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru (born 13 October 1943) is a former Nigerian Minister of State for Energy and was Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2006. He became the Amayanabo, or traditional ruler, of ...

, Nigerian Minister of State for Energy and was Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in 2006, HRM *

Henry Seriake Dickson Henry Seriake Dickson (born 28 January 1966) is a Nigerian politician and a Lawyer. He is the Senator representing Bayelsa - West in the 9th National Assembly. He was the Governor of Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria from 14 February 2012 to 14 F ...

, former governor and politician *

Alfred Diete-Spiff Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff (born 30 July 1942) was the first Military Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria after it was created from part of the old Eastern Region, Nigeria. He held office from May 1967 until July 1975 during the military administr ...

, former governor of Rivers State, HRM *Senator

Douye Diri Douye Diri (born 4 June 1959) is a Nigerian politician and Governor of Bayelsa State, Governor of Bayelsa State. He was the senator representing Bayelsa Central senatorial district of Bayelsa state at the Nigerian 9th National Assembly. Early li ...

is a businessman, politician and lawmaker. He is the current governor of

Bayelsa State Bayelsa is one of the states in the South-South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. Yenag ...

. *

Tamara Eteimo Tamara Eteimo (born July 24, 1987) also known by her stage name Tamara Jones, is a Nigerian R&B singer-songwriter and Actor. Since her Nollywood film debut in 2011, right after she won the seventh edition of the '' Next Movie Star'' reality sho ...

also known by her stage name Tamara from Angiama, Southern Ijaw local government of Bayelsa state. She is a Nigerian R&B singer-songwriter and actress. *

Dan Etete Dan Etete (born 26 January 1945) aka Chief Dauzia Loya Etete, was the former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum (1995–1998), under the regime of Gen. Sani Abacha's 1995 and was convicted as a money-launderer in the year 2007. Biography Dan Etete ...

Minister Minister Petroleum resources *

Finidi George George Finidi (born 15 April 1971), known as Finidi George, is a Nigerian professional football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of Nigeria Professional Football League club Enyimba F.C. As a player, he played as a right ...

, Super Eagles player *

Daniel Igali Baraladei Daniel Igali (born February 3, 1974 in Eniwari, Bayelsa State, Nigeria) is a Canadian freestyle wrestler who is an Olympic gold medallist. He lives in Surrey, British Columbia. Wrestling career As captain of the Nigerian wrestling tea ...

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

Olympic gold medalist and world wrestling champion *

Ernest Ikoli Ernest Sissei Ikoli (1893–1960) was a Nigerian politician, nationalist and pioneering journalist; he was the first editor of the Daily Times. He was the president of the Nigerian Youth Movement and in 1942, represented Lagos in the Legislative C ...

, journalist and pre-independence freedom fighter *

, former President of Nigeria *

Heineken Lokpobiri Heineken Lokpobiri (born 3 March 1967) is a Nigerian politician who was elected Senator in April 2007 on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform in Bayelsa State, for the Bayelsa West constituency. He is currently the Nigerian Minister of St ...

, Minister of State for Agriculture *Senator

Ben Murray-Bruce Benedict Murray-Bruce (born 18 February 1956) is a Nigerian business magnate and politician. He is the founder of Silverbird Group. A member of the People's Democratic Party, he was elected to the Senate of Nigeria in March 2015 where he rep ...

represents Bayelsa East Senatorial District at the National Assembly. From Akassa in Bayelsa State of Nigeria. * Ebikibina Ogborodi, acting registrar of NECO *

Gabriel Okara Gabriel Imomotimi Okara (24 April 1921 – 25 March 2019) was a Nigerian poet and novelist who was born in Bumoundi in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The first modernist poet of Anglophone Africa, he is best known for his early experimental ...

, novelist and poet *

Melford Okilo Melford Obiene Okilo (30 November 1933 – 5 July 2008) had a long and distinguished career as a politician in Nigeria from the start of independence in 1960 until shortly before his death in 2008. He was a member of parliament (1956–1964) and ...

, governor of Rivers State * Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting managing director of

Niger Delta Development Commission The Niger Delta Development Commission is a federal government agency established by Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2000 with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. In September 2008, Preside ...

Ebinabo Potts-Johnson Ebinabo Potts-Johnson (born 1988) is a Nigerian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Universe 2007 and has represented her country in the Miss Universe 2007 competition in Mexico City on 28 May. She ...

was born in Bayelsa state, she is a model and actress. *

Samson Siasia Samson Siasia (born 14 August 1967) is a Nigerian former professional football striker and the former head coach of the Nigeria national team from 2010 to October 2011. He was reappointed in 2016. On 16 August 2019, FIFA banned Siasia from all ...

, Super Eagles player and Coach *

Timipre Sylva Timipre Marlin Sylva (born 7 July 1964) is a Nigerian politician, he is a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, and the current Nigeria Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. Early life and background Sylva was born in Brass, Bayelsa ...

, former governor of Bayelsa state, current Nigeria Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. *

Timaya Inetimi Timaya Odon (born 15 August 1980), better known by his stage name Timaya, is a multiple award-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter. He hails from Odi, Bayelsa state, South-South Nigeria. He is fondly called the Egberi Papa 1 of Bayels ...

, musical artist * Patience Torlowei, fashion designer and artist

Diaspora

Due to massive overseas scholarship programs implemented by the old

in the 1970s and recent Bayelsa State governments, large numbers of Bayelsan professionals reside in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. This is part of the general

brain-drain Human capital flight is the emigration or immigration of individuals who have received advanced training at home. The net benefits of human capital flight for the receiving country are sometimes referred to as a "brain gain" whereas the net cost ...

trend affecting many African communities.

Education

The major tertiary institutions in Bayelsa state are: *

* Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education * College of Health Sciences * School of Nursing * Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science *

Bayelsa Medical University Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) is located in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in Nigeria. Faculties * Faculty of Clinical Sciences * Faculty of Health Sciences * Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences * Faculty of Sciences Faculty of Clinical Sciences ...

University of Africa Africa University is a "private, Pan-African and United Methodist-related institution." It has over 1,200 students from 36 African countries. It is located 17 km northwest of Mutare, Zimbabwe. It grants bachelor's, master's and PhD degre ...

* Federal Polytechnic Ekeowe * International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality * Federal University Otuoke

Local Government Areas

Bayelsa State consists of eight local government areas: *

References

External links

Bayelsa State Government HomepageBayelsa State at OnlineNigeria.comExperience Bayelsa Arts and Culture / Visitors GuideBayelsa Council for Arts & CultureAdaka Boro Centre

Azaiki Public Library, Yenagoa
{{Portal bar, Nigeria States of Nigeria States and territories established in 1996 1996 establishments in Nigeria