STATE CREATION IN NIGERIA IS 100% ANTI- FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE

I am not against State Creation in Nigeria. Infact, it is one thing and only thing that has brought development to the grassroots in Nigeria. Without State Creation, the timidity and backwardness of such areas as: Zamfara, Kebbi, Yobe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Taraba, Kogi, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Ebonyi, would have been horrible.

But on a closer look at the State Creation, sharply reveals skewness and unfederal character. No two or more States should be rejoined. Those advocating for it are calling for anarchy. Rather than joining two or more States to balance inequality, more States should be created in regions marginalized. While doing this, care must be taken to avoid marginalization of some dialects or tribes.

Each region should have EIGHT STATES EACH. In Creating States, the truth must be made to bear on, highly and not just marginalized, areas. Some areas are so highly marginalized more than others even within the existing States now that unless State Creation, the lords of the States would continue calling the shots, deepening the marginations of the hapless “hated” dialects and enclaves even within the same tribe in the same State.

Without fear or favour, without any shade of inclination, with all paraphernalia of activists outspokenness, I submit that the following peoples and areas are highly marginalized in the following States despite their being in the majority:

-Ngwa People of Abia State
-Oke-Ogun People of Oyo State
-Ogoja People of Cross River State
-Ogoni and Kalabari People of Rivers State
Mambilas or Kaka tribe of Taraba State
-Yelwas of Ogun State though they are in the minority when compared with other ethnic dialects in the State

- Amana People of Southern Borno State
- The Seven L.G.As. in Southern Bauchi, that is the Toros and Tafawa Balewa Areas

- Southern Benue People (Apa State owners)
- Gbaji People of Abuja as owners of Abuja City. Whereas we cannot create Abuja State, Gbaji People should constantly be given Ministers of Federal Capital Territory which Hausa-Fulani have been occupying. Abuja is never Hausa-Fulani land, but Gbaji land. If Hausa-Fulani could produce FCT Minister, then Berom, Tiv, Ijaw, Efik, Toro etc could produce it. If not, let it be “exclusively” reserved for the land.

Each of those big and clearly in-the- majority people marginalized should have their own States BEFORE others in their regions to primarily balance inequality. These States to be EXPRESSELY created are:

1) ABA STATE
2) OKE-OGUN STATE
3) MAMBILA STATE
4) AMANA STATE
5) OGOJA STATE
6) APA STATE
7) CONFLUENCE STATE
8) ZARIA STATE
9) ANIOMA STATE
In Nigeria, these Eight States MUST BE CREATED to stop marginalization and emasculation of a vast area of people in the States they find them selves. Ngwa People are by extreme far, the majority in Abia State. Yet, they occupy less than 5% of the work force of the State. You may not believe it, but I am an activist of no inclination, but the truth. Visit Abia State and check their records. Ask any body living in Abia State, especially people who are not from the State. Ngwa people may be the largest ethnic Dialect in Nigeria (recall Dialect is Clan not Tribe). Yet, a part from State Creation, it maybe difficult to balance inequality in Abia State to favour Ngwas. The only time Ngwa man has been allowed by fellow Igbos to be Federal Minister of Nigeria since 1965 after Jaja Wachukwu is now in the person of Emeka Wogu-the Labour and Productivity Minister despite their being, by extreme far, the largest ethnic Dialect if not in Nigeria, clearly in Igbo land. Do not make mistake to think that I am from Ngwa, and so, I am talking in their favour. I am a human rights activist whose primary constituency is war against injustice wherever man is found.

Let us go over to Cross River State. Ogboja People are in the clear majority in the State. They have been marginalized since the creation of South Eastern State in 1967 despite their being in the majority in the State. From Calabar to Ogoja is 5- hour drive. You may not believe it. They are detached from happenings in Calabar as the State Capital. They are very large like the Ngwas. So, why not give them Ogoja State?

Let us go to Ogoni People of Rivers State. Since the creation of Rivers State in 1967, no Ogoni man has been allowed to be Governor of Rivers State. Infact, no pure river-rine man has ruled Rivers State except Diette Spiff in 1967 under the Military. Let Ikwere people have Blue River State or Mainland State so that Ogoja and Kalabaris have Rivers because both tribes are large enough to be a State.

Let us go to Delta State. All the apparatuses or Power are in the hands of South and Central People exclusively, despite the capital is in Anioma land. Anioma People have one hegemony and cultural heritage, and they are large enough. So, why not create ANIOMA STATE to let this vast territory off the hook of marginalization in Delta?

Let us go over to Oke-Ogun people of Oyo State. Like the Ngwas of Abia State and Ogojas of Cross River State, Oke-Oguns of Oyo State are in clear majority in the State. Since the creation of Oyo State in 1967, no Oke-Ogun man has been allowed to govern the State. They may be calling them all sort of names to justify their marginalization by Ibarapas, Oyos, Ogbomoshos etc. Why not create OKE-OGUN STATE and let these people off the hook of marginalization in Oyo State. I may not be from Oke-Ogun, but I am fighting against injustice any where it is found in the globe so far as man is dwelling there.

Let us go over to Confluence Town of Lokoja. The Igalas do not allow any other tribe to have a breathing space in Kogi State. The people of Okun, Okene, Egbiras, Ajaokuta are large enough to be in their own State called CONFLUENCE STATE and be off the hook of Igalas. I may not be from Okene or Egbira. I stand against injustice wherever it is found in the globe.

Let us go over to Apa State of Benue State. The Tivs are large enough to be alone. Since the creation of Benue State in 1976, Tiv people have been solely dictating the pace, thus relegating Edomas and Egedes to the excruciating background. So, why not create APA STATE since Idomas and Egedes are large enough to be a State? You may say I am from Idoma, I may or may not, but I fight against injustice wherever I find it in the globe.

Let us go over to Mambila State of Taraba State. Mambila Plateau is occupied by the Kaka Tribe if Taraba State. It borders Sekki Local Government Area to the South and Cameroon to the North. It is clearly the highest peak in Nigeria and one of the highest in Africa. One thing peculiar to Kaka tribe is that they indwell the Mountain-Top as against other tribes in the highlands like Beroms, Afizeres and Anagutas of Jos Plateau. Infact, Mambila Plateau is the same geographical weather with temperate regions. It is ever cold with rarely sun being sighted in the horizon. You may stay in Mambila Plateau for days or weeks without sighting the sun. It is ever cold in Mambila Plateau. You have to be in jacket constantly, unless you are doing exercise, you rarely perspire. Unlike the Ngwas of Abia State, Oke-Oguns of Oyo State, Apas of Benue, Egbiras/Okenes/Ajaokutas of Kogi State or Ogonis of Rivers State or Aniomas of Delta State, the Kaka People of Mambila Plateau are NOT marginalized in Taraba State. Infact they occupy key positions in the State and are severally employed in Taraba State Ministries. But the only snag is that from Gembu the Capital of Sarduana L.G.A. of Mambila Plateau to Jalingo the Capital of Taraba State is 8-9- hour drive, the distance between Enugu to Suleja or Southern Kaduna. There is no justification for them being in the same State because of distance. Mambila People are completely detached from governance of Taraba, though not marginalized outrightly. They should have a State of their own because from the end of Sarudana L.G.A. bordering Cameroon to the descent of the Mountain is 3- hour drive. So, any thing done in Jalingo is alien completely to Mambila Plateau People. So, the best bet for the thickly populated Kaka tribe of Mambila Plateau is the creation of MAMBILA STATE if not for any other thing, to bring Governance nearer to the people of Mambila Plateau. How ever you look at it, you cannot travel 8-9 hours before you get to your State Capital. Under any guise, it is not justifiable. You may say I am from Kaka Tribe. It is good because somebody must be from Mambila Plateau.

Let us go to Amana State of Borno State. Since the creation of Borno State in 1976, no other tribe other than Kanuri has ruled the State. It is only being just to create AMANA STATE to give the whole vast territory a fresh air of relief. Recall that from Southern Borno town of Biu to Maiduguri is 5- hour drive. Five hours to get to your State Capital? So, which ever way you look at it, AMANA STATE should be created.

Let us go to Zaria State of Kaduna State. Marginalization was clearly written on the face of Southern Kaduna People before the emergence of Governor Yakowa. It took the upgrade of Nemadi Sambo to the Office of Vice President to create room for a Southern Kaduna man to be Governor since 1976 creation of the State. So, to avoid problem, ZARIA STATE should be created for Hausa-Fulani because Zaria is purely a Hausa land. The Hausas should go their way and manage themselves.

There are others who are marginalized, but are not large enough to own their own States. They should be constitutionally made to belong to the rulership cader of the State. Since the creation of Ogun State, the Yelwas of Ogun West have been marginalized and criminalized and denied governance. Though they are not big enough to form their own State, they should be made to govern Ogun State.

The people of Onitsha in Anambra State are castrated and caged by Anambrarians. Any criminal act at Onitsha is blamed on them without necessary proof. They are made to bear the brunt of any malfeasance in Anambra State. It is all a matter of giving a dog a bad name to hang it. So, equity will bear on Anambra State only and only when Onitsha man is allowed to rule Anambra State.

SO WE, SUMMARIZE THE ARGUMENT BY CALLING FOR EXPRESS CREATION OF THE FOLLOWING STATES IN THE FOLLOWING REGIONS OF NIGERIA:

Region States on equality No. of States to be created Most important States to be created for Equity
South East 8 3 Aba State and any 2 others
South-South 8 2 Ogoja and Anioma States
South West 8 2 Oke-ogun and any 1 other
North East 8 2 Mambila State and Amana State
North Central 8 2 Apa State and Confluence State
North West 8 1 Zaria State which releases Southern Kadunas from the gulag of Hausa-Fulani

Comrade Kindness Innocent Jonah is a seasoned Human Rights Activist and an unbiased National Commentator. Also visit these facebook sites: Justice Stand, Nigeria Unity and Kindness Innocent Jonah. Read his write-ups also in: the [email protected]. His Facebook Account is kindness Innocent Jonah. Please visit his site.

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Articles by Kindness Innocent Jonah