TAFA BALOGUN ADVOCATES CREATION OF IGBOMINA STATE

Retired Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Tafa Balogun, has made a special case for the creation of Igbomina State from the present Kwara and Osun states, saying 'the ethnic equation of Nigeria remains incomplete without the creation of Igbomina State.'

Speaking as the chairman of the seventh Igbomina Day Celebration held at Esie in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State over the weekend, he said Igbomina Land had satisfied all prerequisites such as ethnic homogeneity, ethnic contiguity, economic viability and other factors necessary for state creation.

Balogun enjoined all illustrious sons and daughters of Igbomina Land to work assiduously and harmoniously for the creation of Igbomina State, irrespective of political and religious affiliations.

Igbomina Land comprises five local government areas with three in Kwara State and the other two in Osun State. While Irepodun, Ifelodun and Isin local government areas are in Kwara State, Ila Orangun and Ifedayo local government areas are in Osun State.

Five illustrious sons of Igbomina Land, Tafa Balogun; Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church also known as Winners' Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo; former deputy governor of Kwara State, Chief Joel Afolabi Ogundeji; former secretary to the state government and head of service in Kwara State, Elder Joshua Ogunlowo and a retired permanent secretary, Chief Nathaniel Onaadepo, were honoured with merit awards on the occasion and all of them graced the occasion personally.

Dignitaries at the event included former military governor of Kwara State and Asiwaju of Igbomina/Ekiti Land, Brig. Gen. David Bamigboye (retd), who was the father-of-the-day; former military administrator of Bauchi and Osun states, Brig. Gen. Theophilus Bamgboye (retd); Special Adviser to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State on Communications and Strategy, Alhaji Abdulraheem Adedoyin, who represented his boss.

Also in attendance were Commissioner for Finance in Kwara State, Alhaji Ademola Baanu; former chairman, Senate Committee on Youths and Sports, Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi and ex-speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Babatunde Mohammed.