2
Sola Shittu
Seriake Dickson, Senator representing Bayelsa West, on Monday declared that serving with honesty in Nigeria’s public sector is a daunting task, shaped by suspicion, propaganda and sweeping generalisations.
Dickson, who has spent about two decades in public service at both state and federal levels, made the remark in Abuja while responding to a Transparency in Leadership Award conferred on him by the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness at the National Assembly.
Reflecting on his years in office, the former Bayelsa governor described the public service environment as one where officials are frequently “painted with the same brush,” regardless of individual conduct.
“It is not easy in this country to serve with honesty within the public realm,” he said. “It is a tough environment to serve in a society filled with propaganda, blackmail and misrepresentation.”
Dickson’s public service trajectory spans his tenure as Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Bayelsa State between 2006 and 2007 under then Governor Goodluck Jonathan. He was subsequently elected to the House of Representatives in 2007 to represent Sagbama–Ekeremor Federal Constituency, a position he held until 2012. He later served two terms as Governor of Bayelsa State before winning election to the Senate in 2020 to represent Bayelsa West.
Drawing from what he described as practical governance experience over the years, Dickson said he navigated the pressures and cynicism that often trail public office by adhering to a personal creed anchored on service to humanity and accountability before God.
Despite what he called a “polluted public space,” he insisted that integrity in public life remains possible.
“From my own experience, there are honest Nigerian public officers. There are hardworking and patriotic Nigerians. They may be few, but they exist,” he said.
The senator urged civil society organisations and advocacy groups to deliberately seek out and recognise such individuals across institutions, including those frequently subjected to public criticism.
“If you look closely, even in institutions that are often criticised, including the judiciary, you will find honest, hardworking judges, magistrates and justices,” he said.
He extended the same argument to the Nigeria Police Force, noting that his own background in policing shaped his approach to governance.
“The police is heavily criticised. By the way, I was once a policeman myself. That is why I was firm on law and order as a governor. I worked to restore sanity in my state, flushed out criminals, and addressed not only crime itself but also the root causes of crime and criminality,” he added.
Dickson maintained that while public cynicism may be widespread, broad-brush condemnation of institutions discourages upright officers and undermines efforts to build a culture of transparency.
He called for sustained recognition of ethical leadership as a way of reinforcing positive examples in governance and strengthening public confidence in democratic institutions.
