Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
The author of the celebrated book, ‘The Riddle of the Oil Thief‘, HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo, is set to launch two more books on issues concerning oil degradation in the Niger Delta region.
Several top traditional rulers, military top brass and captains of industries are expected to grace the event.
The two news books include, ‘Once A Soldier’ and ‘The African Voice’.
The double book launch, which holds on Tuesday, in Yenagoa, will have Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State as Special Guest of Honour, while Dr. Godknows Bolade Igali, will be the Chairman of the event.
While Chief Eminent Wayles of Wayles De Wayles Group is the Chief Launcher.
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King Dakolo, who had a pre-launch chart with journalists, on Monday, said the books were all public interest books which, he believed, would help inform the world.
The book, ‘Once a Soldier’, according to the author, is an autobiography.
He said the book traced his birth and childhood days in his mother’s community of the oil-rich Otuabagi in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to the monarch, “‘Once a soldier‘ is the story of my life, a story of a typical Niger Delta person; it is a story of a typical Nigerian youth.
“It starts from my birth at Otuabagi where the first commercially viable oil was drilled in 1956. That is my mother’s community.
King Dakolo, who grew up in an area of oil infested activities including his primary, secondary and University studies later joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), in Kaduna State.
“Behind my school was Okrika peninsula and it tagged the refinery jetty. So for all these years we were distracted by humming of ships coming to collect crude oil at the Jetty.
“When I was through with my Primary school, I went to GSS Ogbia. It was then located by the first oil well location area. That was Shell Nigeria operational headquarters at the time.
“They left that spot during the civil war, abandoned their premises during the war and that formed our secondary school.
“So, I met the atrocities of the oil industry still fresh at the time.
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“In my innocence, I went everywhere I want to go. I saw the Aerodrome, the tank farm, I saw bust pipes; I saw everything that was left behind after the civil war.
“After my secondary school, I went to the then Rivers State University (RSU) Port Harcourt for a while , went to University of Port Harcourt for a while and then went to the NDA for a while as well .
“After my time at the NDA, I met a particular season which was the 1990 coup. My elder brother, Capt. Perebo Dakolo, participated in it. Some call it Gideon Okar Coup of 1990. For those who were conscious at that time, I was a very senior Cadet officer at that time” King Dakolo said.
On the book ‘The African Voice’, he said it was a pan- Africanist peace of work which locates Africa’s post colonial predicament which has made most Africans poor because of the script written by the colonialists .
“The imperialists came here to initiate something that made them rich even when they have gone.
“The book is trying to wake the African intelligence and leadership” added King Dakolo, who insisted that “the books are meant to wake us up from the slumber and for the world to.be better informed.
“Why people who are not in charge of us are in charge of our lives”.
Further attributing the issue of oil theft to foreigners, the monarch noted that, “those you see carrying Jeri cans in the Niger Delta are victims of the thief
“The real thieves are the foreigners”.
He advocated that “”il thievery and oil theft will only end when Nigerians get to know who are the oil thieves.”
He disclosed that over four hundred guests were expected to grace the event which is also expecting two world class, first traditional rulers, including the Pere of Kabowei Kingdom in Delta State, the Pere of Akugbene also from Delta State and most of the first class Kings in Bayelsa State are expected at the event.
Some others are the Ogbia study group, members of the Ijaw National Congress, Writers Association in Bayelsa state , 30 Army generals from Abuja, the FOC Central Naval Command, AOC Mobility Command, Commander 16 Brigade, and the Commander NNS Soroh, the President of 38 Regular Course, Maj.-Gen. Solomon Odonwa who was a one-time Defence Attache in New York will be the one of the book reviewers and a host of others.
