Ibadan, others renew state creation demands

By Adeyemi Adeleke and Adekunle Williams

The Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative (ICPI) on Saturday renewed calls for the creation of Ibadan State from Oyo State during the ongoing constitutional review nationwide.

Chief Nurudeen Akinade, the Coordinator, disclosed this in a memorandum submitted to the South-West Public Hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in Lagos.

Akinade argued that the creation of Ibadan State was overdue, noting that the town’s population triples that of eight other Nigerian states combined.

He said Ibadan State, with the capital in Ibadan, would have an estimated population of 4.2 million people.

According to Akinade, the town alone spans a land area of 28,000 square kilometres.

He said each community in Ibadan is larger than many Nigerian towns and villages.

Akinade also observed that the town’s current number of local government areas is insufficient to serve its people adequately.

He stressed that some smaller states have more local government areas than Ibadan.

Akinade stated that the city had all it takes to merit state status in Nigeria.

Supporting the call, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), in a separate memorandum, said the city remains the Yoruba nation’s capital and deserves statehood.

“We have abundant solid minerals and all it takes to be a state,” Akintola said.

He added that 93.7 per cent of the state’s internally generated revenue comes from Ibadan, which holds 36 per cent of the state’s population.

“Educational institutions, tourism, and hospitals abound in Ibadan — everything necessary for a viable state,” he added.

Also backing the proposal, Rep. Abass Agboworin said Ibadan State should be prioritised, considering its status in Yorubaland.

Agboworin, representing North-East/South-East, said the proposed state has sufficient human and capital resources to thrive.

Rep. Akeem Adeyemi, sponsor of a bill to amend the 1999 Constitution, also said the demand for a new Oyo State is long overdue.

Adeyemi, representing Oyo Federal Constituency, stated the proposed new Oyo State would have Oyo town as its capital.

The groups from Oyo town also submitted memoranda for the creation of a new Oyo State.

The proposed Oyo State would include present-day Oyo, Oke-Ogun, and Ogbomosho zones, with its capital in Oyo town.

Additionally, a group from Ijebu called for the creation of Ijebu State from the current Ogun. (NAN)