CLEARER IDEAS ABOUT THE PROPOSED OKURA STATE
By DR. YAKUBU UGWOLAWO
We have not kick-started the great debate but we are for now, interested in providing desirable information that will enable us build solid ideas about the proposed Okura State.
We may not repeat what we said earlier on this platform. However, we wish to employ hindsight into the agitation presented before Justice Ayo Irikefe panel in 1975 by His Royal Majesty Alhaji Aliyu Obaje CBN, CON, CFR, FIAMN, Attah Igala and Chairman Igala Traditional Council for the creation of Kabba State out of the then Kwara State, as well as subsequent issues therein.
At that time, we were regarded as Kwara overseas because of our distance from Ilorin, the Capital of Kwara State and our serious disconnect from main government activities in Kwara State. We used to spend a couple of days to reach our state capital.
Instead of pursuing the creation of Kabba State then because, many leaders were working to create their provinces into states, when Gen. Muritala Mohammed wanted to alter Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s 12 State structure. The so – called elites of Igala extraction descended heavily on His Royal Majesty, calling him derogatory names. They contended disrespectifully, that they were going to meet their kith and kin in Benue Province. They were talking of the people of Idoma, Jukun and Nasarawa Divisions. Unfortunately, the Jukuns were excised from Benue and merged with Adamawa Province by the influence of Gen. Theophilus Danjuma to form Gongola State, while Nasarawa was left with Plateau Province to form the new Plateau State at the creation of Benue State in 1976.
After the announcement, our eyes became clear that our kith and kin were no longer there for us to dominate the state, as we were only moved from Kwara State to make up for Tiv and Idoma to have Benue State. We discovered that Idoma and Igala put together could not match the Tiv strength in population and ethnic drive. We only had fertile grounds to fight ourselves. Igala versus Idoma for second fiddle in the state; and Igala versus Igala in order to be in the good books of the Tiv or Idoma. The name, to us, became *IBENU* State and no more *BENUE* State.
We may recall that Igala came to Benue with 3 Divisions – Ankpa, Dekina and Idah; Idoma came with 1 Division – Idoma Division and Tiv came with 3 Divisions – Makurdi, Gboko and Katsina Alla Divisions, making 7 Divisions. Before the state could settle down, it was a new story entirely. Igala became 4 with the creation of Bassa. Idoma became 3 and Tiv became 6. A total of 13 Divisions, which became known as Local Government Areas.
Before leaving Benue on 27 August, 1991 for Kogi State, Igala was 6, Idoma 4 and Tiv 9. Today, Igala/Bassa 9, Idoma 9 and Tiv 14 Local Government Areas.
Those were the people, we called Ajela and Ido ( meat eaters and bats), that we were going to dominate them but we ended up being dominated, humiliated and taught the culture of profligacy.
On representation, Idoma had 3 Members of House of Reps., Igala had 5 members of House of Reps., while Tiv had 10 members of House of Reps. Today, Idoma has 4 members of House of Reps, Igala has 3 members of House of Reps. Tiv has 6 members of House of Reps.
Earlier in 1968, it was not the interest of Lt. Col. David Gbamigboye, the then Military governor of Kwara State to spilt Igala Native Authority for purpose of development but to put dagger in the hands of the people of the three Divisions – Ankpa, Dekina and Idah to fight themselves. The animosity persisted until they went into Benue State.
To cool the temper and ignite actions for unity and understanding, was at the point of creating Kogi State in 1991. The resultant effect of the new found love was to undermine the effort towards the creation of more local government Areas for the new Kogi State. It became obvious that if a new Local government Area was created, the council would be dissolved and new election held. It was a tango between SDP ( Social Democratic Party and NRC ( National Republican Convention). Our own people opted to stay put and the Western Kogi from Kwara State with 5 LGAs agreed to be splited into 10. Later, they had 2 – Ogori Magongo and Mopamuro. Our own moved to 9 from 6 because, Ibaji, Igalamela/Odolu and Omala were resuscitated.
In comparison, if we had pursued the creation of Kabba State as envisioned in 1976, the disparity in the structure of the state would not have been allowed at the time and the ease of creating further state should the need arose, would have been smoother.
One is not surprised on outright kick against the idea of Igala/Bassa, having a state. It looks as if such trait is part of us.
From experience, our leaders, who flourish in existing trends or seem to think of such thing in mind do not venture or risk anything further. The adage of whatever an eye sees today, let the mouth consumes, tomorrow will take care of itself is always the opium.
It may interests us to know that no governor of Igala extraction (Their Excellencies Prince Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Capt. Idris Wada ever supported the creation of any new state while in office. Each of the three governors when contacted, while in office to play along with governors of other states, who came out openly to support their own people, had never supported the idea because, perhaps it did not ocour to them that one day, power would slip out of our hands as it has divinely happened. In other words, our people, particularly when they are enjoying certain privileges or offices never think of possible adverse effect in order to plan for alternatives. We do not fall for the idea of worst case scenario. We are always on top of situations, until there was nothing at the bottom or under us to be on top of. It is a case study.
Before delving into other issues, we may wish to ask, at what time is right to demand for a state, if majority of us agree to have a state. Is it after the success of those currently demanding? Medicine after death.
Let us look at circumstances that gave rise to state creation in the past.
For Midwest Region in 1963, it was an issue of antics to clip the wings of Action Group (AG) led by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The NCNC precipitated the crisis and as Zik went into Alliance with Ahmadu Bello’s NPC, they voted for the creation of the Midwest out of Western Region. They however denied the people of COR (Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers) from the Eastern Region and Middle Belt from Northern Region of having states.
When Gowon was creating states in 1967, it was not difficult to know where to touch. From the East, he created Cross River and Rivers. From West it was easy to identify Lagos, Midwest and West. From the North, he created Kano, North West, North East, North Central, Benue Plateau and Kwara States from their peculiarities.
When Muritala Mohammed was adding his own 7 states in 1976, he retained Kano, divided North West into Sokoto and Niger; created North East into Gongola, Bauchi and Borno; Plateau State, Benue State and Kwara State had minor adjustments.
The East Central was broken into Imo and Anambra States. In the West, Lagos stood firm; West was broken into Oyo, Ogun and Ondo States, while Midwest was changed to Bendel State.
The first attempt by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida was the creation of Katsina and Akwa Ibom States on 23rd September, 1987. Katsina Province was part of North Central State that was not created by Muritala Mohammed in 1976. Zaria Province became Kaduna State.
Akwa Ibom State was the old Calabar Province, which was part of Akwa Akpa Kingdom of the old. Other part of the Kingdom was the Cross River State.
The second leg of Babangida’s. state creation was 27th August, 1991. He created 9 states – Delta, Enugu, Abia, Osun, Kogi, Kebbi, Taraba, Jigawa and Yobe. Apart from Kogi, most of those states were former Divisions.
To add salt to the injury occasioned by our lackluster and perforated minds, Gen. Sani Abacha could not touch our Kingdom, when in 1996, he created Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Ekiti and Gombe States. Is our position much better than attributes of those States today? He did so by creating one state for each geopolitical zone. What qualifies Nasarawa to emerge as a state from North Central Zone than Okura, if factor of development was the consideration. Nasarawa is contiguous with the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. It showed our inability to marshal our ideas. This is still hunting us.
It may be necessary to cap this up with the pending recommendations of 2014 National Conference Report, which recommended the creation of 18 additional states. Yes, Buhari did not take a look at the report as he did not look at many issues bordering on the nation’s growth and development. Some body may one day, take sharp look at the report with a view to using it as solution to plethora of problems of the country.
The states recommended, using the axiom of 9 states per geopolitical zone were:-
*NORTH CENTRAL*
Apa State ( Idoma) from Benue; Edu State (Nupe) from Niger. (2 states)
*NORTH WEST*
Kainji State from Kebbi State; Gurara State from Kaduna State; Ghari State from Kano State (3 states).
The North West currently has 7 states and can only get 2 states to be 9. It is robbing North Central as represented by Okura State from Kogi. We kept mute and the world is watching.
NORTH EAST
Katagum State from Bauchi State; Savannah State from Borno State; Amana State from Adamawa State. (3 states)
SOUTH EAST
Etiti State from South East Zone; Aba State from Abia State; Adada State from Enugu State; Njaba- Anim State from Anambra/Imo States. (4 states)
SOUTH SOUTH
Anioma State from Delta State; Ogoja State from Cross River State; Oil Rivers. (3 states)
SOUTH WEST
Ijebu State from Ogun State; New Oyo State from Oyo State; Ose State. (3 states)
The new state capitals are:-
Aba – Aba; Adada – Ukehe; Amana – Mubi; Apa – Oturkpo; Delta – Agbarho; Edu – Bida; Etiti – Lorkpa-Nta; Ghari – Danbata; Gurara – Kachia; Ijebu – Ijebu Ode; Kainji – Zuru; Katagum – Azare; New Oyo – Iseyin; Njaba- Anim – Orlu; Ogoja – Ogoja; Oil Rivers – Ahoada; Ose – Ikare; and Savannah – Biu.
Rotation of powers was strongly recommended and if adopted, governorship of a state shall be rotated amongst the three Senatorial Districts. That is to say, every Senatorial District will be entitled to 8 years. Kogi East that is almost one half of the state, will be constitutionally limited to 8 out of 24 years. But in Okura State, it does not share tenure. Governorship rotates amongst the Igala/Bassa.
In the 2014 National Conference, we had our first class individuals, who represented various interests, among whom were:-
Senator Dr. Ahmadu Ali, Chief Robert Usman Audu, Prof. Samuel Egwu, Princess Hadiza Ibrahim, His Excellency Alhaji Sule Iyaji, Dr. Jonathan Obaje, Alhaji Abdullahi Ohioma and Elder Barr. John Achimugu.
We cannot remember all of them but they truly represented a high class standard among the Igala/Bassa.
No doubt, they may have stories to tell about what effort they made individually to include or exclude the proposed Okura State. It may be, they knew that President Jonathan was going to lose the 2015 election and the implementation of the report would be scuttled. But the report booklets are flying all over the places. Any President can lay hands on the report if he so wishes.
That was the 2014 imbroglio but if not for insightful knowledge of some individuals, it would have been difficult to represent the Okura State Memorandum to the 9th National Assembly Committee on Constitutional Amendment. Not only did we submit the request Memo, it was effectively defended by our team, among whom were Chief Robert Usman Audu, Dr. Yakubu Ugwolawo, Dr. Fred Atta, Barr. Unubi Akoh, Barr. Dr. Makolo.
The presentation was sponsored partly by the Igala Strategy Team and Ukomu Igala Organisation.
At this point, we may wish to state that an average Igala/Bassa is a born administrator. If not now that our people have taken to thurgery, kidnapping and other heinous crimes, they had been noted for diligence, hardworking, trustworthiness, etc.
These qualities can still be reinvented, using modern method of reconditioning people’s minds and orientation. No matter how bad things are our traditional leaders will not be threatened to abandon their responsibilities of bringing up people of decent character as the link with our ancestors will be strengthened in an Okura State environment.
Availability of natural resources including oil and gas, Igala/Bassa will midwife the new state to become one of the ten rich states in Nigeria within 20 years.
Let us go for an Okura State. It is most ideal, it is feasible, cost effective to manage and will be used by our leaders to protect the rights and interests of our people in other states and even outside the country.
