Diri Offers Scholarship, Job to Children, Wives of Late Supporters

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has granted scholarship up to university level to children of the four supporters of Bayelsa Queens Football Club who died in a road accident a week ago.

The governor also directed immediate employment for their wives while anyone that is not employable be empowered by the state government to set up a business.

He directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to liaise with Office of the Secretary to the State Government to immediately effect the pronouncement.

Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as having given the directives on Saturday during the funeral service for the deceased at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.

Eze Igali 38, Kurotimi Igali 36, Clement Diripigi 34 and Philemon Ogidi 38 lost their lives in an auto crash last Sunday on their way to Asaba to support the state’s female team playing the final game of the Super Six playoff.

Diri said they were promising youths who died in active service to the state.

He said: “We join the Igali, Diripigi and Ogidi families to mourn these four young men of Eniwari and Fonibiri communities, all in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of our state.

“They gave their best to the state. They contributed their quota towards the development of Bayelsa and they died in active service.

“These young men embarked on that trip to bring victory to Bayelsa and to make the image of our state soar higher. Unfortunately, they lost their lives in the process.”

Speaking on behalf of the Igali family, Ambassador Boladei Igali said while they cannot question the will of God over the tragedy that befell the family, it will not deter them being one of the biggest sporting families in the country.

Dr. Igali thanked the governor and the state government for the support since the incident occurred.

Igali, who was a former Federal Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, urged Bayelsans to continue to pray for the families at this difficult time as well as for those still hospitalised as a result of the accident.

The remains of the four youths were on Saturday interred at the Azikoro cemetery in Yenagoa.