Former Bayelsa State Governor and current Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, has reiterated the importance of education, describing it as the best investment for human capital development and empowerment.
Senator Dickson made this assertion while receiving a doctoral degree certificate from his younger brother, Dr. Moses Oruaze Dickson, at his country home in Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He emphasized that education is the most potent force to combat poverty and improve the quality of life for citizens.
Reflecting on his tenure as governor, which spanned eight years, Dickson noted that he was deliberate and strategic in his educational policies. According to him, these policies transformed the education sector in Bayelsa State and laid the foundation for sustained human capacity development.
“Today, I am very excited that my younger brother, who is like my first son, Dr. Moses Oruaze Dickson, has officially presented his PhD degree to me. It is not only historic but very emotional for me,” the former governor remarked.
He expressed pride in his family’s achievement, highlighting the significance of having the first PhD holder from their humble background. He added that he has consistently encouraged and supported his siblings to pursue quality education, believing that “charity begins at home.”
“Like others, I have always supported and encouraged him to reach for the skies in his educational pursuit. Education is key to human capacity development. It is the driving force of any society desirous of development, and I have never pretended about my love for education even after leaving office as governor,” he said.
Senator Dickson, who is also the founder of Hensard University, Toru-Orua, a private institution, urged his younger brother to continue breaking new grounds in academics and legal practice. He assured Dr. Moses of his continued support and encouraged him to aim for greater professional milestones, including becoming a professor or a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
“Let me remind you again what I have always told you for years: you should go to the depth of the sea and fish; you should learn to fish in deep waters and not to be fishing with the crowd in shallow waters looking for small fishes and crayfish. With this PhD, you should go out to the world and conquer the field of academics and legal practice,” Dickson advised.
In response, Dr. Moses Oruaze Dickson expressed gratitude and revealed that he completed his PhD programme at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom last year. However, he chose to delay the public announcement until he had the opportunity to present the certificate to his elder brother.
“I decided to keep the news private until today because I wanted my elder brother, who has always supported and encouraged me, to be the first to receive the certificate,” he said.
The event underscored Senator Dickson’s enduring commitment to education as a catalyst for personal and societal advancement, a value he has upheld both during and after his tenure as governor.