| As the 88 federal Lawmakers get into gear to | | | | with 36 speakers, 36 deputy Speakers exist, I |
| once again attempt a fresh change of the | | | | have since lost count of the number of councilors |
| nation’s law books, I cannot but fervently | | | | in existence in the country. It is a certainly a |
| pray for them to succeed because we wish it; | | | | question for Frank Edoho’s Who Wants to Be |
| we yearn for it and we want it. It is not the | | | | a Millionaire program. Did Tinubu not steadfastly |
| number of states in the country that matters but | | | | argue that he was bent on creating more Local |
| the degree of development we are able to attain. | | | | Government Areas for Lagos State to enhance |
| Unlike people who show irritation for the creation | | | | development and take it to the grassroots? |
| of new states in the country, we believe that | | | | Creation of new states will also help to create |
| creation of states has to a large extent brought | | | | balance in the country, the opponents of this |
| about development, the development itself may | | | | exercise drumming and gathering imaginary |
| not be the fulfilling one as expected but | | | | supports forget that in this country there are |
| development has come with it. It is my personal | | | | some geo-political regions with less number of |
| belief that the Lawmakers also know the | | | | states and their contributions on this basis are |
| relevance of this to the growth of the country. | | | | egregiously affected, and until this is rectified |
| Quite optimistically, the creation of new states in | | | | Federal Character and Quota systems, two |
| Nigeria is possible, and with serious commitment, | | | | babies of the Federal Government will remain |
| dedication, hard-work and patriotism, the nation | | | | irrelevant and unachievable in whatever cause we |
| will come alive with creation of new states | | | | are glibly told it is meant to achieve. The |
| because we recognize the impact of this. Although | | | | South-Zone has only five states while there are |
| the efforts of the Lawmakers have been | | | | some geo-political zones with as much as 8 |
| described as seeming eagerness and as a | | | | states. On what basis did we arrive at this? I try |
| “mission impossible” by certain high profile | | | | to ask myself this question on daily basis. How |
| politicians in our society, I know it takes unbiased | | | | many states make up the northern region of the |
| review of the constitution to become a possibility, | | | | country and how many states make up the |
| and not an exercise in futility as many may want | | | | southern region of the country? Creation of more |
| us to assume. | | | | states must try to answer this questions no |
| We are told that creation of states is not what | | | | matter how opponents see it. |
| we need to bring more development to the | | | | The crafters of our constitution deliberately made |
| country, but we forget too soon that creation of | | | | state creation not only difficult and rigorous but |
| new states came with it employment, it is a now | | | | near impossibility, the idea I gather may have |
| a huge assignment for anyone to reckon how | | | | been to maintain sanity but this becomes only |
| many people have found employment in all the | | | | achievable if there is balance in place. This 1999 |
| public organizations provided by all the states | | | | constitution remains an off-shoot of the 1977 |
| created in 1991. I stand my ground firmly in | | | | constitution which represents the interest of the |
| demonstration that creation of states is the only | | | | military for the country. This is what the |
| large national exercise in this country that has | | | | constitution review team must address. The litany |
| brought about development, and this is where | | | | of contradictions and omissions paraded in the law |
| military regimes have scored their highest points. | | | | book must be reviewed for more purposeful |
| Creations of states have proved useful in the pre | | | | governance. Tenure elongation became the |
| and post civil War times of Nigeria. Economic | | | | major factor that marred the two attempts |
| policies like the Green Revolution and Operation | | | | made in 1999 and 2007 at reviewing the |
| Feed the Nation failed us completely. | | | | constitution and removing certain imbalances |
| Socially, MAMSA and WAI failed us, national | | | | therein under the leadership of Olusegun |
| educational policies have failed us too and | | | | Obasanjo, whose leadership recognized this but hie |
| population exercises in which the population of | | | | quest for third term extension of his office put an |
| certain regions and states of the nation are | | | | abrupt end to what would have been a perfect |
| deliberately reduced have offered us no results in | | | | opportunity to correct this anomalies. |
| reality but new states created have stood the | | | | In announcing the emergence of new states in |
| test of time. Today we easily forget that the | | | | the country, all the past state creators neglected |
| number of Airports in the country has increased | | | | to create ANIOMA STATE, an agitation which has |
| courtesy of creation of new states. 36 new state | | | | been in existence since 1951. The proposed |
| capitals are in existence in the country, and all of | | | | Anioma State is defined with a group of people |
| these state capitals have Bank Headquarters, | | | | with unity of minds, culture and linguistics who |
| Government Agencies and other employment | | | | have expressed strong determination to live |
| tools. We should realize that creations of more | | | | within a state of their own. The region is a viable |
| states in the country readily provide development | | | | one with abundant mineral and human resources, |
| to communities once hidden from Government | | | | the region with its abundant oil wealth contributes |
| investment plans. This is what happens when a | | | | to the growth and development of the nation. |
| community in Nigeria located within another state | | | | The human viability of the region has also been of |
| distant in kinship and other necessary affinities, | | | | great significance to the running of the nation, the |
| remains grossly underdeveloped. This | | | | sustainable economy of the region uniquely larger |
| underdevelopment happen too because | | | | than most of the states presently existing in the |
| sometimes there are many communities | | | | country are indeed immense. The region has one |
| scattered within a state, and the resources to | | | | of its communities as the capital of Delta State |
| cater for all of them are scarce. | | | | but pundits believe that Delta State as presently |
| We know also that many of our leaders | | | | constituted with diverse peoples needs about 2 |
| concentrate their so-called developmental policies | | | | more states to be carved out from it. |
| only their own communities and home towns to | | | | Anioma remains the best state yet uncreated, it |
| the detriment of other existing communities. | | | | is as a result of this that I make my strong |
| These things happen and we realize it only when | | | | appeal to the Joint Committee on Constitution |
| we fail to pretend. Igbanke an Anioma community | | | | Review (JCCR) with the membership of Deputy |
| artificially situated in Edo State in Nigeria’s | | | | Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy |
| political map can be argued to be the least | | | | Speaker of the House of representatives, Usman |
| developed community in Edo State. This | | | | Nafada, and 13 other members, each of the |
| community perhaps may have seen a little more | | | | members produced from each geo-political zones, |
| light of development if allowed to join their | | | | the one member from the senate and another |
| kinsmen in Delta State or better still, the Anioma | | | | onemember from the Lower House to please |
| State if created. | | | | avoid the mistake made in the past when the |
| Creation of more states no matter how we | | | | creation of the state was neglected. The Anioma |
| reason it has its own advantages. We mainly | | | | state if created should be allowed to remain in the |
| become oblivious uncontrovertibly that the | | | | South-South zone as naturally situated. We know |
| number of politicians jostling to occupy political | | | | that when created the Anioma State will |
| offices soars because there are states to | | | | contribute more the progress of the country. |
| accommodate them. 36 Houses of Assembly, | | | | |
