The burning desire of the Ijebu people to have a state created for their social, economic and political advancement, within the federal system of Nigeria, is as old as the conclusion of Nigeria's civil war of 1967 to 1970. A systemic national policy introduced by the federal government of Yakubu Gowon to weaken the military and regional support given the secessionist, Odumegwu  Ojukwu, in his desperate effort to lead the old Eastern Nigeria out of the Nigerian federation, as a separate sovereign state, had led to the sub-division of Nigeria into twelve states, from the original three, to which the Mid-west was added in 1964. The Murtala/Obasanjo military government increased the number of states from twelve to nineteen in 1976. By the inception of the Second Republic in 1979, the mood for more states in Nigeria, in order to bring government nearer to the people, had grown by leaps and bounds, permeating through the entire Ijebu population within Ogun state and beyond.  When the Abacha dictatorship increased the number of Nigerian states from thirty to thirty-six, after taking office in late 1993, the official position occupied by Lt-Gen. Oladipupo Diya stimulated and encouraged the Ijebu people, from the Awujale of Ijebu-land to all other traditional monarchs to put more pressure on the Abacha government in order to have a new state created for them, as demanded by the Ijebu people.  Unfortunately, General Diya's high ranking position,  influence and trusted efforts, in the Abacha government, on behalf of his people yielded no result.  A new state which had been believed would be created by the Abacha military regime for the Ijebu people in 1994/1995 did not materialize.  The Ijebus were bitterly disappointed because General Diya could not have been a bigger or a better representative of the interest of the Ijebus; his people, in the scheme of public obligations on the Abacha government in Abuja.  The true story of the situation that led to this bitter disappointment for the Ijebu people, within the Abacha government, may never be known to the public except by speculation.

Shortly after, General Diya was accused and charged with treason.  The political scenario of the period suggested clearly, that the Nigerian military establishment, had lost its professional focus and obligation, to preserve and defend the physical and spiritual integrity of Nigeria.  Politicking for power and illegal acquisition of public money had gradually pervaded the Nigerian armed forces since the execution of the first military coup of January of 1966, after which absolute but systemic indiscipline in the barracks took over.

The Ijebu people of South-West, Nigeria

Contemporary Ogun state consists mainly three big sub-ethnic Yoruba groups; namely the Egba, Ijebu and the Egbado.  Others include the Aworis and the Eguns who are located along the Nigerian International border with the Republic of Benin.  We all belong to the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria's South-west stock regardless of dialect differentials.  The Ijebus occupy a lager physical portion of Ogun state than any other sub-ethnic Yoruba group.  From a common state border with Ondo, the Ijebus of Waterside region, occupy Abigi and Oni. Others from Itele, Ijebu-Ife, Ijebu-Imushin to Ijebu-Ode are Ijebu descendants of varying patterns of historical migration from Wadai through Ile-Ife.  The Ijebus of contemporary Ogun state share a common border with Lagos state at Omu; a town that lies at the southern end of Ijebu-Ode on the eastern border of Lagos state.  The Ijebus form a sizeable portion of the population of Lagos city and Lagos State in general.  Aside from those who migrated to Lagos Island, Ebute-Metta and Yaba for commercial and economic purposes, the natives of Ikorodu and Epe are all Ijebu people. A portion of Epe population migrated from Lagos Island, otherwise called Eko when the traditional King of Lagos, King Kosoko, was driven into exile by the colonial authority in the nineteenth century, precisely in 1850. The people of Lagos who considered themselves as his loyalists followed him to Epe where they settled and became known as Epe natives who originated from Lagos. All their descendants have since that time become natives of Epe but continued to distinct themselves as having originated from Lagos in verbal discussion or conversation when necessary.  By May 1892 when the Imagbon War broke out between the British foreign invaders and Ijebu Kingdom, the Epe people of Lagos origin were suspected as 'internal enemies' who were capable of leaking security information to the colonial authorities in Lagos in exchange for some favours.

At this period, the Ijebu people had developed into an independent sovereign state, side by side with other pre-colonial Yoruba states.  The defeat of sovereign Ijebu kingdom at Imagbon was the beginning of the decline of Ijebu people who became wholly and completely annexed with the Southern protectorate of Nigeria before the terminal amalgamation of 1914.  Relatively proud, enlightened, smart, and confident of their ability and environment, the Ijebus had established themselves as mainly traders and middlemen between those who approached Lagos Island from the seas into the hinterland and those other African peoples and national societies that were land locked but wanted to reach the coastal area of Lagos.  The bold resistance of Ijebu warriors of the British colonial army, in their determined effort to enter and penetrate Ijebu kingdom in 1892, led to the decimation and excision of the kingdom, after the war, in order to conquer it permanently.  Ikorodu town near Lagos, Ejinrin and Epe which were all parts of Ijebu kingdom were added to Lagos colony to constitute Lagos state. Today, Lagos state is over-crowded and the demographic pattern of people living on the Island of Lagos, Ebute-Metta, Yaba, Mushin, Surulere and in their recent physical extensions is different from those of others resident in Ikorodu, Epe and all townships which the Ijebus populate. Therefore, it would be reasonable to suggest that the excised portion of Ijebu-land which was added to Lagos after Imagbon war of 1892 be returned to the old Ijebu kingdom for the purpose of creating a more viable Ijebu state.  A good number of Nigerians today are ignorant of the cultural identity of the people of Ikorodu. People from other parts of the country see them as sub-urban Lagosians or Lagos Yorubas. They are technically correct. But no, the natives of Ikorodu, Epe, Mojoda, Ibonwon, Igboye and others along Epe route have naturally unalloyed and unambiguous identity as Ijebus of Lagos state today. It would be in natural order if they could be returned to join the rest of their people and become part of the dream Ijebu state. All the traditional Agemo priests that arrived Ijebu when Obanta came centuries ago, still pay their traditional homage and ritual observance to the Awujale till today.  The Ayangburen is traditionally one of the sons of the Awujale.  The natives of Ikorodu are naturally attracted to Lagos city owing to its status as a cosmopolis of the Europeans who arrived  West Africa with all the economic benefits and opportunities they had to offer.  Lagos city was the first urban centre to which Nigerians of all 'hew and cry' tried to settle down and live in pursuit of new economic opportunities and exploit its colonial empowerment  for better life.  The proximity of Ikorodu town to Lagos Island by boat provided a natural access and advantage to the ijebus who approached Lagos for economic benefits and other social advancement. The gun-powder business monopoly by the Ijebus was a unique example.

What Kind of State Will It Be?

Will the new Ijebu state, when created, follow the rot that had become the established order of how states are run in our shamelessly corrupt political environment? After a thoughtful rumination mixed with some enthusiasm, generated by the hope for a new state for Ijebus of Nigeria, it occurs to my positive impulses that our new state will make history in terms of its political, economic and social agendas. It will be a new state with new and better ideas of governance, breaking new grounds of achievement that will make all other states wonder with admiration and awe. A new state created for the Ijebus would be unique considering the qualities and attributes of Ijebu people in general. The Ijebu 'province' of Ogun state is the home of one of Nigeria's founding fathers, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was a great democrat, a great planner, a visionary and the first agitator for state creation.  Nigeria's federal system has proved his (Awo's) realist approach vision to bringing government nearer to the people, who urgently deserve its services, as the appropriate policy to follow for national development.  Secondly, Chief Awolowo vehemently advocated federalism to allay the fears of minorities of the majorities in governance, where smaller representation can be overwhelmed by the bigger voice of the larger ethnic groups such as the Hausa-Fulani in the old North, the Yorubas in the old West and the Igbo in the old Eastern region.  The Mid-west was the first state to be carved out of the old western Nigeria and Chief Awolowo worked assiduously for it.  A new Ijebu state has the potential to become the flag-ship of Nigeria's economic and political advancement because Ijebus are hard workers, whose classic economic ability pre-date the advent of capitalism, at least, in West Africa. A state created for the economic progress of Ijebu people will not identify with the high level of public corrupt practices which has become endemic in Nigeria's political culture.  Ijebu state, as a new unit within the federal system will work tirelessly to provide jobs for its unemployed, especially its tertiary institution graduates, provide pipe-borne water, supply adequate electricity, build good and well maintained network of roads and develop a modernized and well ordered society where peace and prosperity will flourish.  Education will be objectively cultured to serve the multi-purposes of the state and Nigeria at large.  Pensioners who have served the nation meritoriously will longer have to suffer psychological and other physical discomforts to earn their legal dues, pensions and entitlements.  Pensioners of all categories, especially teachers who deserve absolute respect would longer encounter any difficulties whatsoever when claiming their post- employment rights from the government.  I foresee  competence,  efficiency, honesty and trustworthiness as some of the qualities and attributes of the government of Ijebu people when created.  It will acquire and demonstrate a responsible tendency to produce a government of its own people, by its own people and for its own people and not a government of political godfathers and exploitative party-men.

When the new Ijebu state is created, it will be among the first set of such state units to increase Nigeria's federal structure from thirty-six to forty-two in the twenty-first century. (This is a suggestion for those who would be constitutionally responsible for creating more states) From a hind-sight, Nigeria's social, political and economic antecedents in terms of progressive performance in governance are very negative and discouraging. Government, which in developing nations, remains the first and the last bastion for the generality of common men to seek economic assistance and sustenance, security of life and property, political enlightenment and guidance through education, and build people's hope for the future, fails to perform creditably  in Nigeria. A handful of state governments have barely succeeded in achieving their set goals since Nigeria became independent in 1960. Having succeeded in laying the essential infrastructure for social and economic development in the old Western Region of Nigeria before independence in 1960, no government in the whole federal system has come close in performance to the great achievements of Chief Obafemi Awolowo's government, much less, improve on them. Today, the bitter struggle for elective office among our politicians, who often lack the ability or knowledge to represent and deliver qualitative service to their people is so tense that flaunting fraudulent money and engaging in a high measure of animalistic violence have always become the order of the day. Ever since the military violently took over government in Nigeria in 1966, all levels of governance from local to the federal, usually slip over from complacency into senseless arrogance, and from arrogance into indifference of the law and abandon their obligation to the people they are supposed to serve, leaving huge opportunities for corruption, inefficiency, incompetence and non-performance. This scenario has been the pattern of governance even among those who make much noise and flaunt calculated propaganda about their false promises and commitments to their electors from the day of their inauguration, which is usually organized as a jamboree of festivities to drink and merry.

The open consequences of all the political grandstanding in Nigeria's history of governance, civilian or military, has been exploitative opportunism, display of mediocrity in leadership, lack of knowledge about what is needed for societal and collective advancement, corruption in public office, i. e. stealing tax payers' money by applying incredible and uncommon manipulations perfected with the notorious 419 concept, promotion of falsities and lies to fool and confuse our people, the majority of whom are less informed, rural and less literate. It is most unfortunate that most people or individuals who have been entrusted with political power to effect positive and meaningful changes in the lives of  our innocent and trustful populace and also in our dirty and unkempt physical environments in townships and cities, have discreetly abused the rare privileges offered them to rule. Everywhere one goes in our country, every newspaper one reads, one smells an unimaginable high measure of corruption and criminal dealings in public offices.  Enormous cans of worms are covered and when they are incidentally or accidentally opened, the stench of corruption of those who rule us keep our imagination wondering whether we have reached the end of the world, when all hope is lost, fading away before our own eyes.  The anticipated Ijebu state, hopefully when created, will once again raise our common sensual obligations to one another and re-build our confidence in a positive and progressive future. Our new state cannot afford to join the league of corrupt entities known as states of the Nigeria federal system. Ijebu state of the twenty-first century would be a state of optimum performance in terms of social development, creation and preservation of economic opportunities for its citizens and others, development of its political institutions by complying with our constitution, commitment to a high degree of transparency in governance, observance of the'rule of law', promotion of justice, security of life and properties, adequate respect and honour for its traditional institutions and those who occupy such offices, promote education and seek to create matching employment opportunities for those in need, and provide adequate medical personnel and facilities for the poverty of health that evidently exists in Ijebu part of Ogun state.

Many among the old and current political hands of Ijebu in Ogun state may have started nursing their usually inordinate and criminal ambition to seek some of the attendant political offices that would come with the creation of a new state for the Ijebu people. Under normal circumstances, people can be ambitious. It is a natural right to do so but political events in Nigeria for some time past has indicated that most people who seek to rule us are fraudulent in intent, they are demagogues and charlatans who lack leadership qualities and cannot perform creditably in public office. Most of them are in government to enrich themselves and build a fortune from the public treasury. Ijebu state needs to do far better than that. Ijebu state has the opportunity to display leadership for quality performance among the poorly run states of Nigeria and demonstrate some explicit example for good, responsible and progressive governance devoid of corrupt practices. We do have men and women who can emulate our political father and mentor, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, within the Ijebu population and perform wonderfully well in government to our common admiration. Our traditional monarchs and Chiefs should be prepared to give critical attention to the curriculum vitae of those who wish to serve our newly anticipated state with honesty of purpose as Governor, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, Members of the State House of Assembly and the Local government levels as Chairmen and councilors. They all need to be well educated and be highly qualified with university or college degrees. We are all aware that West African School Certificate is the minimum constitutional academic qualification, yet we also know that Ijebu sons and daughters belong to the highest cadre of educated class of people in contemporary Nigeria. Mention the degree or profession, the Ijebus have it. Our envisaged state should be a shining example of hard-work, honesty and trustworthy governance, socially, politically and economically driven with passion for progress, all the time. All other states of the federation including the clumsy, lazy, reluctant and visionless federal government would need to watch, wonder and emulate the unprecedented high performance of Ijebu state.

Late  Alhaji Tafawa Balewa's federal government used to borrow money from the efficient government of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the old Western Region. It was a case of purposeful, efficient and competent governance. A twenty-first century state created for the Ijebus; the home of our late sage and political hero can dream to perform likewise, if not better. The Ijebu state of our dream can emerge as a great state where fraud, insolence, political hooliganism, money laundering, electoral malpractices and all evil machinations that diminish  positive and progressive government performance and legitimacy have no place. The good people of Ijebu do not deserve anything less.

In conclusion, the creation of Ijebu state should illustrate a political and economic combination of unique and hard working human frontiers which, with all intents and purposes, is capable of uplifting the uncommon relevance of dynamism in the Nigerian federal system. The abiding concern and responsibility of those directly planning and executing the statutory petition for the new state is to follow meticulously the details of constitutional requirement as specified in our basic law in order to succeed. All Ijebu members of Ogun State House of Assembly should endeavour to play their constitutional roles in the interest of the collective demand and agitation of Ijebu people for a new state.

Much appreciation should attend the collective of Ijebu monarchs for the imperative and compulsive leadership role demonstrated in their unanimous and popular demand for a new state for the Ijebu people, whose demography had been decimated over time in the geo-political colonial effort and structure of 1914 Nigeria of Lord Lugard. The Awujale of Ijebu-land, Oba S. K. Adetona, the Akarigbo of Ijebu-Remo, Oba  Sonariwo and all other traditional monarchs of Ijebu-land have come together amicably to demand this dream state for their people. As proponents of this appreciable demand, all sons and daughters of Ijebu-land within Nigeria and in diaspora and all future generations owe them much gratitude. The entire people of Ijebu cannot thank you enough. Kabiyesi, ki Ade pe l'ori, ki bata pe l'ese, ki irukere di abere. Ase.

Bankole Okuwa Ph. D.

Professor of Political Science.

okuwa1006@cablelynx.com

Robot  # 1 | 22.09.2008 09:17

The burning desire of the Ijebu people to have a state created for their social, economic and political advancement, within the federal system of Nigeria, is as old as the conclusion of Nigeria...Read the full article.