By Eric TENIOLA

BETWEEN 1960 and 1966, Nigeria operated the regional arrangement. However, between 1967 and 1996, the country had to be split into thirty-six States. The first state creation exercise was undertaken by the regime of Yakubu Gowon, a general, in 1967. Prior to his ascension to power,  Aguiyi Ironsi, a general, was Nigeria’s first military Head of State. 

He dissolved the four regions in the country and subsequently created twelve States on May 5, 1967. Six States were carved out from the former northern region. These were: the North-Western State, the North-Eastern State, Kano State, North Central State, Benue-Plateau State and Kwara State.

The former Western Region was split into two States: Western State and Lagos State. The former Mid-Western Region became the Mid-Western State, while the former Eastern region had three new States carved out: East Central State, Rivers State and the South-Eastern State.

Another state creation exercise took place in 1976 following the ouster of Gowon in a military coup led by Murtala Mohammed, a general.
On assumption of office, Mohammed created the following States: Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Imo, Niger, Ogun and Ondo, bringing the total number to nineteen from the original twelve States created by Gowon. It took another eleven years (1987) for State creation exercise to be undertaken in the country. That was under the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, a general (1985 – 1993).

In 1987, Babangida created two States, Akwa Ibom and Katsina. He also created nine additional States in 1991. These were: Abia, Enugu, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Osun, Kogi, Taraba and Yobe. Akwa Ibom was carved out from Cross River State, while Katsina State was created from Kaduna State. Similarly, Adamawa and Taraba States were carved out from the former Gongola State, and Enugu State out of Anambra State, while Edo and Delta States replaced the old Bendel State.

Also, Yobe State was created from Borno State, and Jigawa out of Kano State, while Kebbi and Osun States were carved out from Sokoto and Oyo States respectively. Kogi State came from Kwara and Benue States.

Altogether, there were thirty (30) States by 1991. Sani Abacha, a general, became Nigeria’s next military Head of State in 1993 after ousting the Chief Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government (ING). Due to stringent agitations for more States, Abacha set up the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) which recommended, among other things, the creation of new States. On October 1, 1996, he created six additional States namely, Ebonyi (from Abia and Enugu States), Bayelsa (from Rivers State), Nasarawa (from Plateau State), Gombe (from Bauchi), and Ekiti (from Ondo).

The movements for the creation of states in Nigeria can be traced back to 1937 when Nnamdi Azikiwe  advocated in his book THE POLITICAL BLUEPRINT OF NIGERIA, a federal form government for the country and the division of the country into eight constituent units based on geographical configuration.

Azikiwe was later joined by Chief Obafemi Awolowo who, in a book, PATH TO NIGERIA FREEDOM published in 1947, proposed a re-division of Nigeria into fen federating units with ethnic, linguistic and cultural affinity as the basis. However, Awolowo writing in 1966 seemed to have modified his stand when he shifted ground and advocated a division of the country into eighteen states—nine in the North and nine in the South based on linguistic and cultural affinity as well as economic viability of states in the federation.

Awolowo’s submission at that time was that the COR state with the population of 717,000 Ibibio; 435,000 Annang; 428,000 Ibo; 251,000 Ijaw; Ogoni 156,000 and Efik 75,000. He alerted that the genuine cause of the minorities in the then Eastern Region should be created.

Chief Awolowo re-echoed this demand on May 1, 1967 in Ibadan at a meeting of Western Region Leaders of Thought on the need for the creation of more states especially COR state meaning Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers states. He told the meeting on that day, “We have been told that an act of secession on the part of the East would be a signal in the first instance for the creation of the COR state by decree which would be backed, if need be, by use of force”.

In 1963 as a result of the 1962 Western Region Crisis the pressure for the state creation which resulted in subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in the former Western Region, the Mid-West Region (now Edo and Delta states), was created out of the then Western Region. The creation of the new Region tended to have intensified and encouraged the demands for the creation of more states in other parts of the country as we have witnessed over the years.

In his May 27, 1967 broadcast, Gowon declared, “This is why the first item in the political and administrative programme adopted by the Supreme Military Council last month is the creation of states for stability. This must be done first so as to remove the fear of domination. Representatives drawn from the new states will be more able to work out the future constitution for this country which can contain provisions to protect power of the states to the fullest extent desired by the Nigerian people.”

Although there is no magic formula for determining the optimum number of states in any federation, certain specific criteria must be spelt out if the entire exercise of State-Creation is to be conducted in a rationale and fair manner.

Any meaningful exercise in State-creation has to be guided by specific and well-defined political consideration. First, there is the need to maintain and strengthen our federal system of government which must continuously reduce suppression and discord in every new step taken. In our earnest attempt to redraw the political map of Nigeria and satisfy the legitimate yearnings and aspirations of the generality of our people, we must guard against the proliferation of States which will not only reduce states to glorified local governments, but more importantly enable the federal government to become stronger, through which process the country may inadvertently revert to a unitary system of government.

Although the creation of new states would bring states government closer to the people thereby making government particularly at the state level, more accountable and more efficient each new state must be in a position to function effectively in a federal structure where the constituent units are usually coordinated and mutually independent.

In applying this political consideration to the present exercise in states creation however, we must remember that the United States of America with fifty States and Switzerland with twenty-five cantons have adhered strictly to the principles of federalism. What is more, both the Constitution and revenue allocation systems have clearly defined the structural, functional and relationships between the various levels of government in Nigeria.

Secondly, there is the need to promote peace and political stability in the country. Today, the issue of State creation is so crucial and fundamental that peace and stability cannot be guaranteed without some action taken about it. Apart from the ever-increasing desire to attract more revenue, political and other appointments and patronage from the federal establishments, the state creation promoters are vigorously envisaging the successful emergence of a political structure that shall perpetually disallow any ethnic group to hold a position which can enable it to dominate all the others put together.

State creation exercise must be sufficiently related to the needs and aspirations of the various groupings in Nigeria. The continued agitations for creation of more states is a direct result from bad government—leadership and discriminatory policies of the various state governments.

Indeed, even if the National Assembly was to make every hamlet in this country a state, there would continue to be demands for more so long as there is a corrupt, autocratic and purposeless government or government or governments particularly at the state level.

The basic motivation in the demands for states creation is the promotion of accelerated and balanced economic development. States creation, it is often argued, makes for the greatest possible diffusion of economic power which in itself guarantees even development. It is also often asserted that some demands are masterminded by few selfish individuals with the hope of becoming big fish in small waters if and when the new state is created.

Be that as it may, certain specific dimensions of economic viability constitute relevant considerations in any sensible exercise in state-creation.
The proliferation of states, for instance, may lead to high administrative cost and acute shortage of high and middle level manpower particularly in the less developed areas of the country.

The present economic trend in the country, the low revenue generating capabilities of the existing states and their heavy dependence on statutory grants from the federal government call for caution and calm assessment of Nigeria’s, economic and political potentialities in the area under consideration.

There are some areas that should have become states by now judging by their past history. I have in mind Ijebu, Ogoja, Anioma, Ghari, Tiga, Okura, Lautai, Ngaba, Katagum and several areas. Tiga state should have composed of Bebeji, Gwarzo, Rano, Tudun-Wada and Rogo, all in Kano state, while Ghari state should have composed of Kazaure, Bichi and Dambatta also in Kano state.

Okura state should have composed of Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Idah, Ofu and Omalla while Katagum state should have composed of Shira, Gamawa, Misau, Katagum and Jama’re. Njaba state should have been created from Imo state. Lautai state should have composed of Ringim, Kaugama, Garki, Gumel, Maitagari, Hadeija Keffin-Hausa and Birniwa.

Ibadan state should comprise of the present eleven local government areas. Ibadan is the largest metropolitan area in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano. The city has 11 LGAs. Egbeda, Ibadan North, Akinyele, Ibadan Northeast, Ibadan Northwest, Ibadan Southeast Ibadan Southwest, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole and Ona-Ara.

With a population of 3.1million and a land area of 3,850 square kilometres (2013), Ibadan city is the largest metropolitan geographical area in West Africa, housing almost half of Oyo State’s population (45 percent). From around 60,000 in the early 1800s Ibadan population grew to 200,000 in 1890, and to a million by 1930, the population is projected to reach 5.6 million people by 2033.

Anioma state was advocated many years ago. I remember in 1979, Senator Nosike Ikpo along with Chief Martin Nwoseh, Chief Michael Agbamuche, A. N. Iduwe and G.N. Nwechue, submitted a strong worded memorandum to the National Assembly. Senator Ikpo was a friend and lobbied his colleagues then for the creation of Anioma state. At that time, Anioma comprised of four local governments areas—Ndokwa, Ika, Aniocha and Oshimili. His argument was that the creation of Anioma state would enhance the participation of the Igbos in a more united Nigeria.

As of today, most of the provinces created by the British have become autonomous states except Ogoja and Ijebu. Remo was of course grouped under Ijebu Province while Abeokuta has since become a state capital. Some of these old Provinces have been split into states. Take for example Ondo Province had four divisions namely Ekiti, Okitipupa, Ondo and Owo. Now the old province has been split into two states, Ekiti and Ondo.

The old Calabar Province consisted of Ikot Ekpenne, Uyo, Eket. Now province had become two states—Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom. Even the old Benue Province comprised of Lafia, Nasarawa, Wukari now has two states—Benue and Nasarawa states.

The only exception in the old Western Region, is Ijebu Province—that has not been granted an autonomous state. So, the demand for Ijebu state is needful. If other Provinces can become autonomous states, why not Ijebu?
Before he died, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Ọba Sikiru Kayọde Adetọna , Ogbagba II, not only canvassed for unity among the Ijebu and Remo people, but he also canvassed for the creation of Ijebu state. It is now left for the leaders of Ijebu and Remo to press on for the legitimate demand of Ijebu state.

The demand for states creation and restructuring should be part of the agenda of the next President of Nigeria. The first task will be to amend the Constitution, so that these issues will be better handled than the tight grip in the 1979 and 1999 Constitutions introduced by the military.

The 1979 Constitution made adequate provision for steps to be taken before states could be created. They are contained in Section 274 of the suspended Constitution.

The same provisions are contained in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution. Let’s face it, these provisions are insurmountable hurdles and they have been exploited since 1999, by the political class, especially by those who have occupied the positions of Deputy Senate President and deputy Speaker of the house of Representatives for financial gains.

All that should be done by the next elected President is to amend the Constitution so as to lower these hurdles that have made it impossible for states to be created and restructuring equally impossible and other issues. That should be the task of the next President of Nigeria.

Teniola, a former director at the Presidency wrote from Lagos.