BAYELSANS SAD OVER DEATH OF LIONEL JONATHAN

Chief Lionel Jonathan-Omo Late

The news about the death of one of the illustrious Sons of Bayelsa State, Chief Lionel Jonathan-Omo plunged many Bayelsans, Rivers, and people all over the country and beyond into the dept of sorrow.In Yenagoa the Bayelsa State capital it was a day of sorrow to many when the news spread like wild fire that the man of many colours, the man who had played key roles in Rivers and in Bayelsa state and  beyond, who had made himself a father to many, a brother to many and a friend of-course to many had just past on without notice to anybody.
It was a rude shock to many especially those who knew him and who had dealings with him.
Chief Lionel Jonathan-Omo came to political limelight when he came out of law school and became a defender of those oppressed in his environment.
To those who had cases that required the services of a lawyer, but could not afford, he stepped in as a Human Right Lawyer either to take his client on bail at the Police station or even go to the Courts to defend his clients if need be without collecting legal fees.. That bold initiative was the starting point of his political career which endeared him to the masses; especially to the youths.
That informed the gatherings of people at his country home in Ogbolomabiri Nembe, his maternal home. Lionel, shortly called Lio by his admirers  whose father Jonathan was Chief Egbelu in Bassambiri Nembe always remained open to all that came to him from the both sides for one thing or the other, thus making his country home a beehive of activities.
Due to his popularity, when political activities resumed during the Military Presidency of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's advocacy of a two political party system, Lionel Jonathan took advantage and formed a political pressure group called Isongufuro, with which he entered the National Republican Convention [NRC] and became a star in the political camp of the Chief Rufus Ada George for Governor Campaign Organization in Rivers state/

Barrister Lionel Jonathan was not at all a bench warmer in the political family of the Governor Ada Georges administration, hence at the victory of the election, he was appointed the Director General of Agriculture in the State.
After the Military era and after the creation of Bayelsa State and bifurcation, when the nation was set for the 4th Republic politics, Lionel Jonathan was the choice by the Governorship candidate of the All Peoples Party [APP], Chief Francis Dokpolagha as his Running mate
.After loosing the election to Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha, Lionel Jonathan was honourably appointed Commissioner of Environment and later Commissioner of Agriculture in the State.
He demonstrated the gift of a visionary leader by maintaining a policy of carrying his followers or supporters along  at every level of his rise.Due to his contributions at home, he was elected to occupy  the highly respected Chieftaincy stool and title of Chief Omo in the Nembe Council of Chiefs in Ogbolomabiri.
Chief Lionel Jonathan-Omo was a man of ideas aimed at creating wealth and prosperity not only to himself, but to as many as he could accommodate in his ship of entrepreneurship. To this end, he went into business and came out with the establishment he called "Achievers Farm" at the  Igbogene  axis of the State capital, Yenagoa, which he turned to a farm village, a tourist centre, a centre for sports activities public enlightenment, a holiday resort, and a melting point for political leaders etc.
Chief Jonathan-Omo was a one time Chairman of Yenagoa Chambers of Commerce, who himself had a number of investments that made him a business mogul of his time, having Achievers bakery, having a market of his own to promote commercial activities within and outside the state, all of which popularized the lecturer of Law at the University, the business man and the political colossus in his right to have the honor of becoming the Deputy Chairman of the Chief Timipre Sylva for Governorship of Bayelsa State in the 2015-2016 election under the platform of the All Progressive Congress [APC]
Chief Lionel Jonathan Omo;s death gave a rude shock to the author of this piece, Chief Otonye Evans Tubonah, Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of Golden Pen, as it did to others which suspended Golden Pen from coming out with a breaking news  because the medium was devastated and could not in anyway concentrate, the publisher had said.