Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Azibaloalari Nelson is dead.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Azibaloalari Nelson is dead.
He died Saturday evening in a ghastly motor accident that occurred at about 5pm at Rumuji town along the East- West road, Rivers state.
Nelson a five time Commissioner and one of the co-ordinators of the Special Niger Delta Consultative Forum being held in Yenagoa was returning from Port Harcourt when he met his untimely death.
His death has already thrown the entire Yenagoa into mourning as people are yet to come to grips with his demise.
According to investigations, Nelson was dispatched to Port- Harcourt Saturday morning to resolve an issue of breach of security in the official residence of the first family in Rivers State and was rushing back to met up and be part of the Communiqué drafting committee of the forum when his car had an accident.
Eyewitness account said Nelson‘s car had earlier overtaken the car conveying the Governor's ADC before they overtook him at Emohua. His car was said to be following that of the Governor's ADC and attempted to dodge hitting an Okada when he lost control of the car and it somersaulted severally after which he and another occupant of the car died on the spot while his police orderly sustained serious injury and was rushed to the hospital.
Some of the participants of the forum who were returning to Port- Harcourt met his corpse at the scene of the accident and immediately informed the Bayelsa State government of the sad event.
Some youths were immediately dispatched to go and bring his body to Yenagoa in a white Hilux bus before it was transferred to an ambulance and brought to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC Yenagoa.
Sympathisers, including Governor Goodluck Jonathan and other top government functionaries who were among the first callers at the hospital fought hard to control their emotions when they saw the corpse of the Commissioner.
As at the time of filing this report, his body was being prepared for embalmment as the mortuary was already full.
Nelson from Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State was a former member of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC and lecturer in the Department of Geography, University of Port- Harcourt before former governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha appointed him as a Commissioner in 2001.
He was until his appointment as Commissioner for Information under Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Commissioner Special Duties Bayelsa East Senatorial District. He would be remembered for his role in resolving age-long crisis that has torn apart communities in his district.
The latest before he left his post was the settlement of the 8 years-war between Epebu and Emadike community.