Bayelsa At 30: Diri Unveils Four-Day Celebration With Drums, Carnival, Boat Regatta And Special Awards To Mark 30 Years Of Statehood
By Passman Akpos
YENAGOA, BAYELSA — The Bayelsa State Government has unveiled a four-day programme of activities to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State, with celebrations scheduled to begin on Monday, September 28, 2026.
The anniversary, tagged “Bayelsa@30: Celebrating Legacies,” will feature cultural activities, sports, musical performances, exhibitions, a public lecture, praise session, street rally, boat regatta and an anniversary dinner with special awards.
Governor Douye Diri is expected to lead the state in marking three decades of Bayelsa’s existence, with the programme designed to highlight what the government describes as the state’s progress and development since its creation.
The celebration will commence on Monday, September 28, with an Ijaw Language Awareness Campaign at 10am at the Banquet Hall, followed by sporting activities at the Sports Complex by 4pm.
On Tuesday, September 29, the programme will move to the streets of Yenagoa and Oxbow Lake for a floats/street rally, cultural carnival and boat regatta, beginning at 8am.
A Bayelsa Musical Concert will also hold at Oxbow Lake by 4pm on the same day.
Activities will continue on Wednesday, September 30, with a lecture and exhibition scheduled for 9am at the Banquet Hall, followed by Bayelsa Mega Praise at the Sports Complex by 4pm.
The four-day anniversary programme will climax on Thursday, October 1, with an Anniversary Dinner and Special Awards at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, beginning at 4pm.
The state government said the anniversary events are open to members of the public.
The Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Professor Nimibofa Ayawei, had, on behalf of Governor Diri, invited political office holders and government officials to participate in the activities marking the 30th anniversary.
The celebration is expected to provide an opportunity for residents, political leaders, traditional institutions, cultural groups and other stakeholders to reflect on Bayelsa’s journey since its creation on October 1, 1996, while celebrating personalities and institutions considered to have contributed to the state’s development.
The anniversary programme is being promoted under the hashtags #BayelsaAt30 and #BayelsaCelebratingLegacies.
