History of Bayelsa State

Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw; however, like the rest of Nigeria, English is the official language. The state was formed in 1996 from part of Rivers State and thus, it is one of the newest states of the Nigerian federation.

Economy
Bayelsa State has one of the largest crude oil and natural gas deposits in Nigeria. As a result petroleum production is extensive in the state. However, the majority of Bayelsans live in poverty. They are mainly rural dwellers due to its peculiar terrain and lack of adequate transportation, health, education or other infrastructure as a result of decades of neglect by the central governments and petoleum prospecting companies. This has been a large problem in the state since its creation and successive state governments have not been able to address and repair the issue. The state, as a result, has an almost non-existent commerce. Successive state governments have, however, embark on various industrial projects (even venturing into the oil and gas sector), and "poverty-alleviation" programs to reverse this situation.
The local population engage in fishing on a subsistence and commercial level. The Bayelsa State government is otherwise the main employer of labor in the state.

Geography
Bayelsa has a riverine and estuarine setting. A lot of her communities are almost (and in some cases) completely surrounded by water, hence making these communities inaccessible by road.
Other important cities besides Yenagoa include Akassa, Amassoma (the home of the Niger Delta University), Twon-Brass,Okpoama-Brass, Kaiama, Nembe, Odi, Ogbia, Oporoma and Sagbama.

Notable natives
Notable sons of Bayelsa State include veteran novelist and poet, Gabriel Okara; pioneering Nigerian journalist and pre-independent freedom fighter, Ernest Ikoli; Nigerian Civil War hero, Major Isaac Adaka Boro (Nigerian Army) and Canadian Olympic gold medalist and world wrestling champion, Daniel Igali. The First Bayelsan to attain the Rank of a full general and become the chief of army staff and is the current Chief of Defence staff General Owoye Andrew Azazi. Others include revolutionaries and martyrs of April 22, 1990 Captains Perebo Dakolo and Harley Empere (Nigerian Army); former Governor of Rivers State, HRM Alfred Diete-Spiff (now king of the city of Twon-Brass, Nigeria); the current vice-president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan. A young Bayelsan, Timi Dakolo, nephew of Captain Perebo Dakolo, won the first ever Idols West Africa competition in May, 2007.
Due to massive overseas scholarship programs implemented by the old Rivers State in the 1970s and recent Bayelsa State governments, large numbers of Bayelsan professionals reside in Europe and North America. This is part of the general brain-drain trend affecting many African communities.

Administrative divisions
Bayelsa is divided into eight Local Government Areas:
Brass
Ekeremor
Kolokuma/Opokuma
Nembe
Ogbia
Sagbama
Southern Ijaw
Yenagoa