23rd June, 2010
Ibadan High Chief and Chairman of Ibadan-based radio station, Splash FM,  Muritala Adebayo Akande  today kicked against the clamour for creation of Ibadan State from the present Oyo State, South-West Nigeria.
He said it is senseless to create Ibadan state at this time. Akande who disclosed this at a media chat said that rather than creating more states, Nigerians should advocate for devolution of power from the Federal Government to the states.
He opined that most of the existing states are not even viable, noting that Ibadan is not ripe for a state because eight out of the eleven local governments are bankrupt, while only four are viable economically.
â€Go to Lagelu or Ido local government and see how backward they are. Likewise other local governments. So why create a state out of the present Oyo State? To me, it is not reasonableâ€, he said.
According to him, “Creating more states should not be political. This will not make the necessary difference. The existing ones are not doing well presently. Some people say the creation of states is good for the development of rural areas but the resources are not there to support such envisaged developments.â€
On corruption, he said efforts must be made to rid the society of corruption so that the masses will enjoy good basic infrastructure that they are entitled to.
Akande urged President Goodluck Jonathan to fulfil the promise to conduct credible elections in 2011 to attract foreign investors into the various sectors of the economy.
He also said that the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) has no problem with the Akala-led administration, adding that their priority is good governance, accountability and transparency in the state.
He said there was no problem between the Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odugade 1 and Governor Akala, adding that the â€monarch is a principled man and does not have anything negative against the  Governor.”
GBENRO ADESINA/ IBADAN