Henry Seriake Dickson was born on the 28th of January 1966 in Toru Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He began his formal education at Kolobiriowei Primary School, Toru Orua, where he obtained the First School Leaving Certificate in 1978. Thereafter he was admitted into Government Secondary School, Toru-Ebeni where he served as House Prefect and later Deputy Senior Prefect. He passed out of secondary school in 1983.
In 1986 he joined the Nigerian Police as a Constable and later gained admission into the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, to study Law.
He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, in 1993 and was accordingly called to the bar in the same year.
During his years in legal practice, Seriake Dickson was actively involved in the Nigerian Bar Association. He was the first publicity secretary of its Yenagoa Branch from 1996 to 1998. He was also a member of the National Executive Committee from 2004 to 2006. His adventure into full-time politics began in earnest with the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He served as the Bayelsa State Chairman from 1999 to 2000 and later, National Legal Adviser from 2002 to 2002. Seriake Dickson later joined the All Peoples Party, APP, in 2003 when it was transforming to the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP.
In January 2006, he was appointed Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Bayelsa State. As a build up to the 2007 general elections, he voluntarily resigned his appointment as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in 2007, to contest the election to represent Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives where he served as Chairman of the Committee on Justice.
In 2011, however, he decided to contest the election for the Governorship of Bayelsa State. He campaigned widely and won the election and was duly sworn in as the fourth democratically elected Governor of Bayelsa State on February 14, 2012.
As a believer in transparency and accountable governance, he used his first term to ensure the development of the state. He ran an inclusive government composed of seasoned politicians and well-trained technocrats working in admirable synergy.
Mr. Dickson sent over thirty bills to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly for passage including the Annual Thanksgiving Bill (providing for a special Thanksgiving Day in the state), Bayelsa Income and Expenditure Transparency Bill (which supports the monthly Transparency briefings of Bayelsa income and expenditure; for which failure to comply is an impeachable offence), the Electronic Surveillance Bill (to support the enhanced security and crime fighting prowess of security agencies in the state).
A man of peace and philanthropy, dedicated to service, Seriake Dickson is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. He is also a member of the External Board of Governors of the Prestigious Lincoln University, USA; Honorary Member, Westminster Business Council of the United Kingdom Parliament; Member Nigerian Bar Association and the International Bar Association. He also holds numerous traditional titles in Ijaw land and other parts of Nigeria.
Mr. Dickson lives a visibly simple and humble life. A caring husband and father, he is happily married to Dr. (Mrs.) Rachael Dickson and is blessed with children. He is an avid reader of books, an enthusiastic sportsman, a lover of history, heritage and the arts.
