Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said that rather than get angry, criticism from the pulpit challenges him to perform better.

Governor Diri stated this on Sunday night during the 2025 Easter Cantata, held at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, Yenagoa, in response to the admonition of the guest minister and Bishop of the Ogbia Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Matthew Obaze.

In his sermon, Bishop Obaze advised the governor not to be distracted by praise singers, who have their own agenda and could derail his vision for the state.

In response, Diri revealed that he was afraid of pastors as the pulpit confers on them the freedom to speak truth to those in position of authority.

He said while his administration had recorded significant achievements in various sectors, there was still room for improvement.

The Bayelsa helmsman commended the Anglican cleric for his frank admonition, noting, however, that he was not surprised as they both had come a long way from the days he was involved in Ijaw activism.

His words: "There are two groups of persons you must be afraid of as you dare not challenge them. One are referees and the other are pastors. When pastors are in the pulpit, if you are the president, senator or governor, they have the freedom to criticise you.

"I believe that it is a way of telling us to work more. There is no time that any of us will claim to be perfect. No matter what we have done, we can still do more. So, my dear people of Bayelsa, I know we are trying our best but there is still room for improvement.

"I hosted selected Christian leaders at my country home today (Sunday). A few of them spoke and rather than criticising me very hard, they went to the reality of what we are doing in terms of infrastructure development and human capacity building. So, I felt, maybe, we were trying.

?But, here we are this night and we are hearing the other side of it. This time, from an Anglican Bishop. We have known for years and he understands where I am coming from. That is why my politics is different. That is why I do not play politics with development, of thuggery or encouraging drug abuse by our youths.?

During his sermon, Bishop Obaze acknowledged the achievements of the governor but advised him not to be carried away by praise singers, who, according to him, might be doing so for selfish reasons and not out of patriotism.

The cleric urged the governor to retrospect on the ideology that brought him into politics and follow that path.

While emphasising that there was still much to be done, he said the dreams of the founding fathers of the state should be pursued to enhance its development.

He equally implored political appointees to imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ's sacrificial living to engender development of the state.

He said: "Your Excellency, go back to the root of your vision and know exactly what you are supposed to be doing. You have commissioners, advisers, friends, traditional rulers and clergymen giving you advice. They have their own motives but let not that distract you from what God wants you to do.

"The founding fathers of this state require you to govern sacrificially. What you have done is just a little and you have much more. So, do not be distracted by those saying you are trying."

Present at the programme were the Senator representing Bayelsa Central, Dr. Konbowei Benson, representative of the Ilaje/Eseodo federal constituency in Ondo State, Hon. Donald Ojogo, former military governor of the old Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and his wife, state lawmakers, members of the state executive council, top government functionaries as well as clergymen among others.

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