Ijebu indigenes appeal to President Buhari over state creation

At a time in Nigeria when the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and a certain group of people from the Niger Delta are clamoring for a republic of their own, another region of the country has emerged with its own wishes.
And President Muhammadu Buhari seems to have been thrown into another dilemma.

On Friday, September 23, those in support of the agitation to get the Republic of Biafra were asked to stay at home in the eastern part of the country as it was confirmed that everywhere was as quiet as a graveyard in accordance with the directive. Those who spoke on the issue said the essence of staying at home was to show that they remained non-violent in their approach and their agitations.


In a related development, reports recently emerged that the Niger Delta Avengers militants have threatened to break away from Nigeria and declare an independent Republic of Niger Delta on October 1, 2016 (Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration). And during a recent visit to Ogun state,

NAIJ.com met with some indigenes of Ijebu land, and all they had on their minds was how to have a state of their own; Ijebu state, albeit in a non-violent manner The occasion was the annual celebration of the Ojude Oba festival, where sons and daughters of Ijebu Kingdom would gather at the Awujale’s palace to celebrate with him and receive blessings to last them another year. But one striking unifying factor during this festivity was the fact that everyone who went to meet the Awujale, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Adetona prayed that they would get the Ijebu state which they are all eagerly yearning for in that part of the country. In fact, when our correspondent spoke with some of the indigenes, they expressed their confidence in getting Ijebu state ratified by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration because they believed they were ripe enough to stand on their own.

“We are even bigger than some states in Nigeria presently, so I think the Nigerian government should seriously look into this matter and grant us our request without delay,” one of the respondents said. Although this agitation for a new state has been on for quite some time now, it is yet to be seen if President Buhari would listen to the people’s demands and create a new state out of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led Ogun state. Some have also said it only a matter of time before the state governor uses his closeness to the president to get the people’s demands for them if truly he was in support.