Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Akpe, delivered a deeply personal testimony on Sunday when he opened up about the crushing poverty his family endured during his childhood, revealing that his father once spent over five hours travelling by foot and canoe to beg relatives for school fees of just N110.

The emotional account was shared during a special thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Redeemed Christian Church of God regional headquarters along Sani Abacha Expressway in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Akpe, who is also a regional pastor in the RCCG, told the congregation that despite the severe hardship his family faced, his father remained stubbornly determined to give him an education. He recounted how relatives would sometimes offer as little as N20 or N30 after hours of pleading, barely enough to cover what was needed. The family lived in a zinc house at the waterfront, and at one point, some of his siblings voluntarily skipped an entire academic year so that financial resources could be pooled together for his school fees. He also disclosed that his father was once publicly humiliated in the community, being tied up at the centre of the village over unpaid debts until help arrived.

“The pressure was so much, but my dad was determined to send me to school,” Akpe told the congregation in an emotion-laden voice. He described his journey from those humble beginnings to the office of deputy governor as a direct reflection of divine faithfulness, likening his life experience to the biblical account of Jacob at the Jordan River in Genesis 32.

He noted that the family’s fortunes began to change only after they embraced the Christian faith.

Akpe was sworn in as Bayelsa Deputy Governor in February 2026, following the death of his predecessor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who passed away on December 11, 2025. Before his appointment, he had served as Chief of Staff to Governor Douye Diri.

A native of Sagbama Local Government Area, Akpe holds a doctorate in educational management and planning from Rivers State University and previously lectured at the Niger Delta University.

Governor Diri, who also spoke at the thanksgiving service, disclosed that the process of selecting a new deputy had subjected him to intense personal and spiritual pressure. He said divine direction and the prayers of men of God ultimately led him to Akpe, noting that after nearly six years of working with the late Ewhrudjakpo, any replacement had to be a near-perfect fit. Diri also dismissed swirling speculation that his choice was influenced by a reported family connection to Akpe, insisting that the appointment was driven entirely by competence and capacity.

Distinguished guests at the service included the governor’s wife, Dr Gloria Diri, Senator Konbowei Benson representing Bayelsa Central, and several members of the House of Representatives.