Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has called on the State of Israel to demonstrate to the world that it is indeed a Godly nation, describing it as a dependable force in global affairs.
The governor made the charge
while receiving the Israeli Ambassador, Mr. Uriel Palti in Government House Yenagoa.
Dickson said it was imperative for Israel to lead by example and demonstrate to the world that it is indeed a Godly nation.
He said, “Israel as a nation loved by God should also know their God. Israel should lead by example to demonstrate to the world that it is indeed a Godly nation and it must rally other nations of the world to show forth God’s abiding love and faithfulness to a world plagued by terror and evil.”
He continued, “You have a lot of experience. Your history teaches you how to confront terrorism. Your history teaches you resilience; you are what you are today by the grace of God and the goodwill of humanity.
“These are virtues and experiences that Israel should deploy to assist other nations, who want to leverage on its vast experience and resilience in tackling issues of terrorism and related vices. That is why I said earlier that Israel is indeed a force for good in our world.“
Dickson expressed the hope that “Nigeria will continue to explore these virtues as we move on”
Stating that his state was currently partnering with some Israeli businessmen in the area of agriculture, Dickson described Bayelsa as a peaceful and preferred investment as well as tourism destination in the continent.
In his remarks, Ambassador Palti condemned the act of terrorism, especially the kidnap of over 200 schoolgirls in the North eastern part of the country.
He called for their immediate release, assuring the government of the support of the state of Israel at putting to an end the acts of terrorism in the country.
The envoy lauded Governor Dickson for his developmental strides in the state, expressing the willingness of his home country to collaborate with Bayelsa in the area of security and other sectors of the economy.
He disclosed that the leadership of his country is looking forward to receiving Governor Dickson on a visit this year.
Later, at an event tagged, “Celebrating Israel in Bayelsa,” Governor Dickson and his wife, Rachel was presented with two different awards by the visiting Israeli ambassador and his team. The governor was awarded with the title, “Jerusalem Ambassador while the wife was presented with the Mother in Israel in Bayelsa Award.
Performing the investiture, Ambassador Palti explained that the awards were given in recognition of the love the first family of the state has for Israel.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State