Posted by By CHIDI OBINECHE on
Pa Salo Alamieyeseigha, father of embattled Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has denounced those behind the current travails of his son, describing them as ‘evil men.'
Pa Salo Alamieyeseigha, father of embattled Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has denounced those behind the current travails of his son, describing them as ‘evil men.'
The ageing man is also confident that they will ultimately fail, despite the impeachment.
In an interview with Daily Sun in his modest house in Amassona, Bayelsa State, Pa Salo decried the harassment being meted out to his son and urged that he be left alone to achieve his fullest potentials. He speaks highly of his son, who he says is gifted, intelligent, fair-minded, brave, generous, humble and has a star from childhood" that guides him through the labyrinth of life.
The old man went down memory lane, drawing inspiration from his son's childhood days to reinforce his belief that no harm will come to him.
The interview, in his native Ijaw language, through an interpreter is translated to English as follows:
Papa, what do you like most about your son, Diepreye?
He is very brilliant, brave, humble, generous and kind.
When you had him, did you have any inkling that he will become this great? Everybody is talking about him now in Nigeria.
I can't talk about that, because I am not God. It was God that gave him to me. I did not know he will be governor, and you know it is God that made him governor, not a human being . It is also God that will remove him. But let me tell you that when he was small, he was doing certain things that showed that one day, he will be governor. He had the star and it was from God. The star started shining early. You cannot take away somebody's star.
But some people are alluding to Egbesu and not star especially, in the way and manner he escaped from London?
Don't mind them. There is no such thing. He has always had a shining star. God has always been with him. Is there anything greater than God?
What about the Federal government's harassment?
All the allegations against my son are false. They are just piling up pressure, using force and falsehood on him. But his star will see him through. He is an innocent man and God will always fight for an innocent man. Those who, in secret, plan against him will fail.
In terms of performance, I know you are old, but do you think he has done well?
My son has tried. The state was not like this before he became governor. If you go to the sea, you will see what he has done. If you go to the forest, you will see what he has done. On land, everywhere, in Amassona and other villages, you will see his works. Can they also deny him those ones? This world, ha!
What are the things you remember him for in his growing up years?
I married four wives. When he was growing up, he used to give us things equally. He used to give the four wives and their children, the same token he gave to his mother. No discrimination. He didn't discriminate. He is a special child and has always done special things. As a child, he would go to the river, kill fish and bring them home for everybody. He would share them out equally to everybody including my other wives and their children. He was fair and kind. And he took that attitude to government.
What made you see him as brilliant?
He was brilliant. In his school days, he never brought trouble home. He never fought with other children. He was always coming first in class in the primary and secondary schools.
What do you say about his current travails?
He has never encountered this kind of problem before from childhood. That is why I am surprised. He has lived his life without troubles.
The Federal Government is just applying pressure all over to diminish his worth and reduce him in the eyes of the people. They want to scandalise his name and bring him to shame before the people who love him. All his life, he has never faced this kind of ordeal. But I still hope in God and in his star, which has ever been bright, that he shall overcome this evil plan of his enemies.
I know they won't succeed. You cannot take away somebody's star just like that. All the things they are saying he did are false. They concocted them in their rooms and have been fighting to get people believe them.
If they say they won't leave him alone, God will fight for him. The people that are saying that he stole are the ones stealing. They are the ones who are not running the country well.
They are the ones that are causing and inflicting hunger on the land. They are the ones the people are angry with. Not my son. My son loves the people. He works for the people. He understands them, and they love him also. When he came back, you needed to have been here to see how people were running about, rejoicing. Why were they rejoicing? It is because they know the things they are accusing him of are false.
How will you cope if they succeed in removing him and sending him to jail?
That is nonsense. I said earlier that they would not succeed. Are you saying that there is no God? Are you saying that this special child with a bright star will succumb to pressure from the evil ones? I am confident that nothing will happen to him. Let me take this opportunity to warn them to leave him alone. These people are those who don't like good things. The people know and I repeat, they will fail.
Look at me now. I am an old man. He has been a wonderful son. The kind of son any father will be proud of. Whatever happens to him, happens to me because of the affinity between father and son. If they say they will not leave him alone, God will free him for us.
• Tomorrow: Alamieyeseigha's mum speaks