One quintessential lady you cannot fail to talk about when it is about the entertainment and hospitality business in Bonny Local Government Area is Lady Girly Belema Bristol. She is the CEO of the very popular entertainment hotspot, Girly Spice in Bonny. Aside that, she is a reggae enthusiast and politician who has impacted lives through her business and good naturedness.

She spoke to Kristina Reports publisher/editor-in-chief, Godswill Jumbo on diverse issues. Below are excerpts of the interview.

 

What has the business been like?

 

There is no business that doesn’t have challenges but by the grace of God I try to see how I can tackle every challenge that comes my way. As you continue to do something you begin to learn new things too. For any kind of business anybody wants to do I think you should have passion for that business because it is the passion that will drive you further.

 

Girly Spice has organised more reggae concert and events than any other entertainment outfits why the emphasis on Reggae?

 

I’m a reggae person, I love Bob Marley so much. Reggae is one of the things that draws me close to Bobo Pepple.  I like to promote anything that has to do with reggae.

 

This weekend you are pulling the whole of bonny down here for your event what are we expecting?

 

(This interview was conducted before this event) This Saturday is 11th May at Girly Spice and we are celebrating Bob Marley a legend, his music is so inspirational. We are expecting everybody to come let’s celebrate Bob Marley together.

 

How many people from Bonny have been part of this event?

 

Yes, many people are so excited about it because every year they come out with reggae colours, they are social people. They like to flow with the trend.

 

As somebody who has been a strong player in the political environment, do you think Bonny LGA has got its fair share from Nigeria?

Not at all. For me, I still think that Bonny is really behind because despite LNG, Shell, Mobil, etc, the only thing we enjoy is light. If not, nothing else not even from Rivers State government. Look at the Bonny National Grammar School they are trying to renovate, up till now that project has not been completed. The Bonny waterside in Port Harcourt is still not completed; too many problems on our waterways nothing good, and yet Bonny is giving so much. Very few Bonny graduates work in LNG but what Bonny has mostly from LNG are casual jobs. It’s so bad.

 

What impact has NDDC been making in this Kingdom? Has NDDC given back what is commensurate with what they get from Bonny?

 

No, not at all. I was made to understand that the health centre is being renovated by NDDC. Why renovation? NDDC can bring down the building and give us something better but it is so surprising they are doing renovations. To think of it, right now NDDC is being run by APC government, which I feel that Bonny is supposed to achieve more as there are very committed APC leaders in Bonny. They should draw something more to Bonny. For this NDDC, I won’t blame Wike for it nor Buhari, I will blame our APC leaders.

 

There is a lot of capital flight from Bonny. Should this be a trend in Bonny?

 

For me if I have the opportunity of being a chairman or member of the House of Assembly or House of Representatives people will be surprised. I will invest a lot. Bonny has one of the best beaches in the world but nothing is happening. Come home and invest, don’t be scared, even when you die you would be brought back to the village. Food and drinks give a lot of money because of the outsiders here. Someone can invest here. There is no Coca-Cola depot and because of that it is very expensive. There are a lot of things to do but people are scared of investing here.

 

Don’t you think the security challenges on the waterway is what causes it?

 

Yes, it does, but whether we like it or not we must still come to our home. It is not everyday that sea pirates attack but even at that let us endeavour to come home.

 

What can the local government, traditional leaders, stakeholders do to attract investment?

 

The government to ensure that the peace in Bonny continues so that it will attract investors to come in. if, as a local government chairman, you can bring at least one investor it will be good; although the local government chairman says he wants to finish the market.