About the founder

Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation•About the founder
About the founder

Senator Henry Seriake Dickson CON

All indices appear to have prepared His Excellency, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, for a remarkable life of selfless public service. He exemplifies uncommon courage, takes on challenges by the scruff of the neck, and leads his team and constituents toward achieving targets and goals. His guiding principles throughout his years of public service include a clear and achievable agenda, the courage to stand for what is right—even at great political cost—his capacity to lead and manage himself and his strategically selected team, compassion for the people he serves born out of a clear understanding of their issues, a commitment to the development of the Ijaw nation, and total reverence for God Almighty. A prolific speaker and a leading voice in Nigeria for political change and reform, he advocates for environmental justice and is a known supporter of women’s rights and youth inclusion in government.

His unrelenting advocacy and campaign for an egalitarian Nigeria, as well as his push for true federalism, have earned him the moniker of “Champion of Restructuring.”

As a member of the Nigerian Senate, representing Bayelsa West, Senator Dickson has made significant contributions to legislative processes and policy formulation. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and Ecology, where he champions environmental sustainability and advocates for policies that address climate change challenges. His leadership in this role emphasizes the importance of ecological preservation and the need for innovative solutions to combat environmental degradation.

In addition to his political work, Senator Dickson is the founder of the prestigious Hensard University, where he has awarded full scholarships to 300 students. Driven by his passion for the environment, he established the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and the Center for Climate Change and Ecological Research, further demonstrating his commitment to education and environmental stewardship.

Childood

Born on the 28th day of january 1966 in Toru-Orua Town of Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Nanaye Dickson of Ofua, he is a descendant of the King Kpadia royal House of Tarakiri Kingdom. He is also a descendant of the renowned Obu warrior family 0f Orua, celebrated for their Valour, bravery and sense of honour. The Obu family tfaces its ancestry to the Oba Fidipote ruling House in Ijebuland, Ogun State, Nigeria. Governor Dickson is thus a descendant oof the Oba Fidipote ruling house and a Prince of Ijebuland.

Education

Dickson attended Kolobiriowei Primary School Toru-orua from 1972 to 1978 where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate and proceeded to Government Secondary School, Toru-Ebeni in 1978 to 1983 where he got his West African School Certificate (WASC/GCE). He was House Prefect and Deputy Senior Prefect (Boys) of his school.

A life time commitment to matters of law and order began when he joined The Nigeria Police Force in 1986. In 1988, he gained admission into Rivers State University of Science and

Technology, Port Harcourt to study law where he graduated with LL.B ( ONS.) in 1992.

He then proceeded in 1993, to earn his Bachelors in Law (B.L.H0NS) from the Nigeria Law School Lagos whereupon he was called to the Nigerian Bar the same year.

Upon his graduation from the law school in 1993, he was appointed a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1994 whereupon he proceeded to Nigeria Police Academy, Kano for Officer Training. It was in the course of his training that he voluntarily withdrew his service after close to a decade of policing, to practice Law.

 

Upon his graduation from the law school in 1993, he was appointed a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1994 whereupon he proceeded to Nigeria Police Academy, Kano for Officer Training. It was in the course of his training that he voluntarily withdrew his service after close to a decade of policing, to practice Law.

As a lawyer, he worked with SERENA DAVID DOKUBO & CO as an Associate Solicitor from 1994 to 1995 and moved to ALUKO & OYEBODE, a prominent Law firm in Lagos, also as an Associate Solicitor between 1995 and 1996. He founded SERIAKE DICKSON & CO in Port Harcourt and later Yenagoa and became its Managing Solicitor from 1996 to 2006.

Appointment & Election

He was elected pioneer Publicity Secretary, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Yenagoa from 1996 to 1998. He was elected the State Chairman, Alliance for Democracy (AD) 1998 to 2000 where he led the party to victory producing the Senator representing Bayelsa West, a Member of the House of Representatives representing Sagbama-Ekeremo Federal Constituency and three Members of the State House of Assembly from Brass Local Government. These victories stand out because they were the most outstanding acomplishments recorded by the AD outside the South west at the time.
 
In recognition of the achievements, he was elected National Legal Adviser of the Alliance for Democracy and served in that position between 2000 and 2002.
 
 

He was equally elected National Legal Adviser of the foremost Pan-ljaw Socio-Cultural and Political group, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and served between 2001 and 2003. He became a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), Nigeria Bar Association between 2004 and 2006.

 
He was also the founding Secretary of the Great Committee of Friends (The Green Movement) in 2005. The Green Movement was and remains a notable political tendency of patriotic and committed Bayelsans, desirous of development.
 
In january 2006, Dickson was appointed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for justice of Bayelsa State (2006 t0 2007) by the then Governor, Dr. Goodluck Ebele jonathan GCFR, who was to become President of the Federal republic of Nigeria.
As Attorney General, he was a member of the Body of Benchers, member, Council of Legal Education and Vice Chairman of the State Advisory judicial Service Commission amongst others.
 
Consistent with his attitude of impacting positively, he initiated a lot of Casting reforms in such areas as the welfare of judicial personnel, employment of law graduates as state counsels, and creation of departments and agencies to streamline the work of the ministry. Two reforms rte initiated and outstanding till date were the first and only publication oï the laws of Bayelsa State and the appointment of state counsels to undertake prosecution of criminal cases in Magistrate Courts across the state thereby freeing the police from that task for which the state and national bar
association wrote letters of appreciation commendation. These accomplishments are cited in legal circles till today. lt is to Governor Dickson’s Credit that holding charges have been expunged from the administrative and justice system of bayelsa state
 
As a result of the positive impact he made on the people and based on his long years of committed service to the state and the Ijaw nation at large, Dickson was elected in 2007 as member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State in the House of representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja.
 
In the House, it soon became obvious that you can not hide a lamp under a bushel as he was appointed Chairman, House Committee on justice and member of several committees including Defence, National Security, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs etc.
 
He effectively represented his people, kept the executive on its toes through oversight functions, moved critical motions on the floor and brought serious national issues to the front burner of the Green Chamber. As the Chairman, House Committee on justice, he had the responsibility of leading oversight on the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, the Nigerian Law school, Legal Aid Council and also the Law Reform Commission and treaty obligations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as human rights issues. In all of these, he carved out his responsibilities with dedication and patriotism.
 
 

Accomplisments

Back home in his constituency, the people were full of admiration for his work and returned him to the House of Representatives in April 2011 where he now chaired the House Committee on Special Duties. He is the first member of the House of Representatives from his senatorial district, Bayelsa West Senatorial Dictrict, to be reelected to serve for a second term.
At the National Assembly, he sponsored/co- sponsored several bills, which include.
 
1. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
2. The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
3. The Political Parties (Internal Democracy) BiII, 2008.
4. The Constitution Alteration Bill, 2010.
5. The Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act (Amendment) Bill 2009.
6. The Evidence Bill, 2009.
7. The Kidnapping and Hostage Taking (Prohibition) Bill, 2009.
8. He also played a prominent role in the enactment of the following bills.
9. The Freedom of Information Bill, 2007.
10.The Court Ordered Elections (Streamlining of Tenure of Office) Bill, 2008.
11. The Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2009.
12. Transmission of power by a President or Governor amendment Bill (section 145), 2010
 
One of Honourable H.S Dickson’s moss important efforts at the National Assembly was the amendment of the Evidence Act, 2009, the first ever of such amendment since 1954 from which several articles and books have been written in his honour.
 
Many of the bills he spearheaded or made critical inputs into provided the framework for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act.
 
The Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson is a member of the governing Board of visitors to the Lincoln University, United States of America, member of the Westminster Africa Business Group, United Kingdom House of Parliament.
 
He is a member of the International Bar Association, member Oh the Chartered Institute 0f Arbitrators United Kingdom (Nigerian Chapter) member of the Nigeria Bar Association nd member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
 
On February 11, 2012 the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson answered the clarion call of Bayelsians, ran for election and was overwhelmingly elected governor and sworn in on February 14 2012 as the fourth Governor of Bayelsa State. He then unveiled the Restoration Agenda whose thrust is the rapid development of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nstion
 
Widely acknowledged for hiS dogged commitment to the cause of peace, progress and development which galvanized the fulfillment of his campaign promises the Honourable Dickson was on january 11, 2016 re-elected Governor after a fiercely contested election and has become the first Governor of Bayelsa State since her createion to successfully complete two terms.
 
His pace in office has been breath-taking, his reach all encompassing. This is undoubtedly the outcome of being well prepared for the office. He has changed the governance culture of Bayelsa State, emphasizing that to aspire for office is to have a commitment to a life of selfless service and sacrifice.
 
He has Sent over 100 bills to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly BSHA, including the State Transparency Law, thanksgiving Law and the Judicial Autonomy Law for which he has received commendations from the Attorney General of the Federation.

Other achievements

For the first time he made education free and compulsory in Bayelsa State for students in primiary and secondary schools. The introduction of compulsory boarding schools in the 15 newly built model boarding schools, including the flagship Ijaw National Academy which has in total over 12,000 students on full srholürship over 10% of the beneficiaries are drawn from Ijaw communities in five states of Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Delta.
 
Similarly, the boarding school system also covers over 25 constituency secondary schools built by Dickson administration. To sustain this Initiative, he introduced the Bayelsa State Education Development Trust Fund a scheme barked by law where all Bayelsans contribute a token monthly.
 
Being a strong believer in human capital development, the Governor Dickson led administration, has awarded scholarships to over 400 Masters and 250 doctoral degree students in top class universities in the world, including the Lincoln University.
 
The Governor’s massime investment in education has paid off as the state whirh was once at the bottom in the banking of secondary education in Nigeria has leaped frogged to be among the top five leading States in the country.
 
The Dickson led restoration government also established the prestigious University of Africa, Toru-Orua, the Bayelsa Medical University in Yenagoa amongst others to take rare of the teeming population of students in need of world class tertiary education. These institution are affiliated to several world class universities and run on the sustainable fee paying model.
 
To sustain the robust education policy of restoration government, Governor Dickson has by law established the Higher Education Students Loans Scheme.
 
Governor Dicksons’s passion for education has made Bayelsa the educational hub and epiccenter of human capital development in Niger Delta especially with the establishment of the several institutions of learning. In all, over N90 Billion has so far been spent on education.
 
Under Governor Dickson Bayelsa assumed the status of the safest state in the Niger Delta and one of the safest states in Nigeria. He was able to achieve this remarkable fear just by deliberate and determined deployment of the combination of legislation, policy, decisive, and clear-headed leadership. This revolution extends to the health sector where his administration built major health facilities in the state capital as well as in all the other seven Local Government Areas. The establishment of the world class Bayelsa diagnostic Centre Bayelsa, Specialist Hospital Bayelsa, Drug mart and most importantly the establishment of the Bayelsa Health Insurance, Compulsory contributory scheme which is one of the most suaessful in the country, providing services to over 150 000 families who have enrolled.
 
This scheme has made qualitative health care aaessible and affordable especially t0 the rural dwellers. In addition, functional health centers and residential quarters for medical staff have been built in each of the 105 politiral wards in the state. Worthy of mention is the deliberate policy aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality, where every pregnant woman in the state receives a monthly token from conception till delivery provided they get registered and captured in any of the primary health centers in the Local Government Areas and carry out their routine antenatal rare. This initiative has received national acclaim and have become a model for other states in the federation. Governor Dickson’s investment in critical infrastructure has grately transformed the entire landscape of the state. The ambitious infrastructural projects undertaken by his government not just in the state capital but arross the entire length and breath of the state has seen most communities now connected by road and bridget.
 
 
 
These were communities that were hitherto inaccessible to motorists Governor Dickson’s unprecedented investment in infrastructure is not only to modernize the capital city but mainly to open up the state to investors and to attract businesses. Hence, the construction of the Bayelsa International Airport, which ranks as one of the biggest in the country and with the capacity to aaommodate some of the world’s biggest cargo and passenger planes — The Boeing 747-8 with an almost 900, 000 pound maximum take off weight. The completion of the Ogbia/ Nembe road, the linking of the central senatorial district through the advancement of the Oporoma road, the link of the Bayelsa west senTorial district through the advancing of the Sagbama/ Ekeremof road and the New Yenagoa city project the latest in the collection of infrastructural development and the first Government Reserved Since the creation of Bayelsa.
 
Governor Dickson has undertaken the courageous step of reforming the Bayelsa State Civil Service resulting in a reduction in the wage bill from over N6b when he assumed office to about N3.9b today. In this regard, he gave an executive order, directing the automatic employment for first class graduates of Bayelsa and so far, over 1500 Bayelsa scholars including PhD, MBBS, Masters, First class graduates and other qualified graduates have been recruited info the states civil service.
 
He holds the traditional titles of OLOKODAU of Orua, OGBOGBO OLOTU of Oguan, AdaLa the 1st of Kolokoma/0pokuma, Edi 1 of Ogbia, Twon-lbe Toloumobo of Brass eock of Ijaw Nation Ekwueme 1 of Ndi-lgbo (Bayelsa) amongst others.
 
He is also a member of notable cultural organisations like the Sekiapu Club of Opume, Nemde, Brass, Kaladari and is aptly, popularly called ofrumapepe (The Great white Shark which braves the ocean when the tempest is highest).
 
Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State has yet received another Chieftaincy title, The ‘Ama-Ebimowei Keni of Amassoma’ for his numerous contribution to the development of the state especially Amassoma community.
 
In recognition of his selfless public service and administrative acumen, he was conferred with an honourary doctorale degree in Public Administration by Ekiti State University, Ado- Ekiti in 2016. In recognition oï his advocacy for the protection and preservation of the environment , he was awarded an honourary doctorale of Environmental Management by the Cross River University of Technology, Calabar. He was also awarded a honourary doctorale degree in International Relations by the Maryam Abacha American University, Maradi in Niger republic.
 
The Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson is an honorary citizen of the States of Georgia and South Carolina in the United State of America. He was presented a key to the City 0f Stonecrest, Georgia, as well as a humanitarian award by Trinity International University of Ambassadors, USA in 2017.
 
In recognition of his purposeful leadership and selfless service to Bayelsa State, the Ijaw Nation and Nigeria in general, serveral media organizations have voted him the Governor of the year, 2017 in different categories. They include AIT, Silverbird TV, Leadership Newspaper, Vanguard Newspaper, The Nation Newspapers and still counting!
 
Governor Dickson has carved a niche for himself as a man of peace and conciliator. Little wonder that five National Chairmen of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP including the incumbent Chairman, have consecutively appointed him the Chairman of the party’s Reconciliation Committee. He currently serves as Chairman of South-South Governor’s forum co chairman, Southern Nigeria governors forum and chairman, PDP governors forum,
 
In that capacity, he has deployed his contacts, networks, sagacity and persuasive skills to effectively manage the PDP crisis and reconcile feuding forces!
 
The Honourable Henry Sefiake Dickson is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, the chairman/Founder of the
 
Henry Seriake Dickson foundation 
Goldcoast Dickson Memorial Cancer centre 
Henry Seriake Dickson Institute
Dickson Seriake Wrestling Classic 
Dickson Seriake football tournament
 
He is happily married with children. His hobbies include Golfing, Swimming, Reading, jogging, Wrestling, Boxing, Squash and Badminton.