The first democratically elected governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, who just departed, unknown to many, spent the last days of his life in agony.
Genuine peace literally eluded him prior to death taking him away. In fact, since escaping from the United Kingdom in September 2015, after being arrested for alleged money laundering; re-arrested, tried, jailed and granted pardon by former President Goodluck Jonathan, the man, in spite of his cheerful appearance outside, wasn’t really a happy man. Problems of all shades and colors just wouldn’t leave him alone.
Beside the snide remarks trailing him as an ex-convict, the tale that he disguised as a woman before fleeing UK equally worried him immensely. Which was why he used every opportunity he had to deny that.
The story was not any better at the home front. His wife, Margaret, though unconfirmed, is allegedly battling cancer. Sometime in October 2014 also, one of his sons, Oyamieyifa, died under questionable circumstances in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. And before he could get over that, another, Tombra, and his wife, Chikodi, went into a messy divorce drama characterized by shocking allegations of infidelity. As a matter of fact, the high society wedding lasted only 7 months before collapsing, and no father will be happy about that.
All these, no doubt, affected Alamieyeseigha’s health and ultimately led to his death on Saturday, October 10, 2015, at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, in Rivers State. We were told that Alams suffered a cardiac arrest, then went into a coma, from which he never recovered, especially with the hint that plans are afoot to have him extradited again to stand trial for money laundering in the United Kingdom.
YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine investigation uncovered that even before now, Alamieyeseigha had had issues with his health. ‘Remember that it was while going for treatment or returning that he was arrested then abroad? As a matter of fact, this was not long after undergoing a major operation in Germany or so. He was arrested before his surgery could heal properly.
‘The stress from that, coupled with the fact that the wound festered didn’t help matters. Then, having arrived Nigeria, he was picked up again and convicted. Then, granted freedom and all that. All these things took a huge toll on his health. And remember also that as he was battling all these, family challenges were surfacing here and there. All these apparently made him become hypertensive. Then, the cardiac arrest, slipping into a coma and dying’.
Aged 63, Alamieyeseigha, a retired Airforce officer, was born on November 16, 1952 and he governed Bayelsa between 1999 and 2005. A colorful character in his days as a governor, his closest colleagues then were ex-governors James Ibori of Delta State and Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State.
His burials plans were yet to be announced as at the time of filing this story. Although one insider said it might be after the governorship election in Bayelsa which is currently the most talked about issue in the state right now. Alamieyeseigha was a major supporter of the incumbent, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, who is gunning for a second term. He belonged to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. His major contender, Chief Timipre Sylva, a former governor of the state, is of All Progressives Congress, APC.