Glad Tidings! As Timipre Sylvia Celebrates Another Beautiful Year

In a turn of events, the kind that is rarely seen in Nigerian political space, the elite and grassroots alike have taken to celebrating with loud cheers the 57th birthday of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Marlin Sylva. A man who has won the hearts of his people, Sylva’s birthday is one of the few days in any year that even political rivals agree on something.

This year’s celebrations are no different. Folks have already begun to send their goodwill messages to the former Bayelsa governor, Timipre Sylva. All of a sudden, folks are making it a point of duty to chant “For he’s a jolly good fellow” in the most sonorous of melodies. For those who follow political matters less resolutely, Timipre Sylva has been in the centre of national administration since 2004. During this time, the Bayelsan was the special assistant to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. In 2007, Sylva succeeded Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (who went on to be President) as the governor of Bayelsa. Unsurprisingly, Sylva’s ascension to gubernatorial heights was met with opposition on many fronts, but that did not deter him.

Sylva’s persistent spirit and candidness have endeared him to many people. Thus, it was not surprising that President Buhari appointed him petroleum minister and met little resistance.

So good is Timipre Sylva with the majority of power brokers in the country that the South-South Emerging Leaders’ Forum (SELF) has reportedly noted that it is to Sylva’s credit that the long-awaited Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) (which is targeted at transforming everything related to petroleum resources in the country to sustainable exponents of economic growth and development) was passed by the National Assembly.

This is evidenced by the fact that the passing of the bill came a few days before the minister’s birthday as if to cement his exploits in the Ministry. Indeed, what better way to measure one’s worth than the accolades from friends and rivals?