Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has described the late former Military Administrator of the state, Navy Capt. Omoniyi Caleb Olubolade (rtd), as a true indigene of Bayelsa because of his love and commitment to the state and its people.
According to a press release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Daniel Alabrah, Olubolade, who served as the third Military Administrator of Bayelsa from June 27, 1997, to July 9, 1998, died on May 15, 2025, at the age of 71.
Speaking at a service of songs in his honour at St. John Military Protestant Church, Bonny Cantonment, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, Governor Diri recalled Olubolade’s landmark projects, including the Samson Siasia Sports Complex at Ovom, the Ekeki motor park, and civil servants quarters at Ovom, describing them as enduring legacies.
Diri, who noted that Olubolade marked his 70th birthday in Yenagoa last year, said the late Naval officer remained connected to Bayelsa long after his service. As part of the state’s 30th anniversary celebrations, Diri announced that the civil servants quarters built during Olubolade’s tenure would now be known as the Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade Civil Servants Quarters.
“Some say Olubolade is from Ekiti, but today I say he is from Bayelsa too,” Diri declared. “He served with dignity, passion, and love. For us, this is a state burial for one of our own who contributed immensely to our growth and development.”
In his tribute, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, represented by Rear Admiral Ayodeji Olugbode, described Olubolade as a diligent officer whose death was a great loss to the military and the nation. PANDEF National Chairman, Amb. Boladei Igali, also paid homage, calling him “a man of many parts” who would be dearly missed.
The event drew a high-powered Bayelsa delegation, including Dr. Gloria Diri, former First Lady Dr. Patience Jonathan, traditional rulers, members of the state executive council, legislators, and other dignitaries.
