Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, has received Bola Tinubu’s strongest promises that he will support the establishment of Ijebu State as a split from Ogun State, ignoring criticism regarding its feasibility in view of Nigeria’s severe economic problems.
According to people familiar with the situation who spoke to The Gazette on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential discussions, Tinubu welcomed the esteemed traditional leader to his home in Bourdillon on January 5 and assured his guest that he would not refuse backing for the planned state northeast of Lagos.
At the meeting, Mr Adetona lamented how Ijebu remained the only province from the colonial era not to have its own state, decades after its erstwhile peers like Oyo and Sokoto provinces had been subdivided into multiple functioning states, our sources said.
“Tinubu didn’t allow Awujale to overflog the matter before acquiescing,” one of our sources said out of Abuja. It was the first time Mr Tinubu would clearly telegraph his position on the proposed state, although it remained unclear where he would land on other states under consideration before the parliament. The meeting mentioned Anioma, out of Delta, among potential new states, which lawmakers are discussing as part of another amendment to the 1999 Constitution.
Presidential spokespersons refused to comment publicly on the meeting, citing its potential ramifications for advocates of other proposed states across the country, who might perceive the president’s engagement as unfairly selective.
The quest for Ijebu State gained significant traction in November 2024 when Senator Gbenga Daniel of Ogun East introduced a bill in the National Assembly. The legislation brought the long-standing aspirations of the million-strong Ijebu people closer to reality. Senator Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, relayed his constituents’ demands for a self-sustaining state to his colleagues in the legislature. He pushed for a constitutional amendment to enable the creation of Ijebu State.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio forwarded the proposal—titled the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2024 (Creation of Ijebu State)”—which is now advancing through legislative stages. The proposal is part of broader discussions to expand Nigeria’s federating units from the current 36 states to as many as 56, adding up to 20 new states.
However, the bill has faced criticism from some lawmakers and citizens who argue it is poorly timed, given Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including widespread poverty, soaring inflation, mounting debts, failing infrastructure, and persistent insecurity.
Critics also allege that President Tinubu supports the expansion as a strategic move to win loyalty from new states, potentially boosting his chances for re-election. Still, the feasibility of establishing new states before the 2027 elections remains doubtful. Concerns have also been raised about the potential for prolonged conflicts over interests within newly formed states.
During the meeting with President Tinubu, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, dismissed such concerns, arguing that Ijebu State’s creation would spur development through internally generated revenue and federal allocations.
In December 2024, Oba Adetona and the Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Adewale Ajayi, convened a gathering of traditional rulers and influential figures from Ijebu province to deliberate on the state’s framework. Discussions centered on selecting a suitable state capital, equitable distribution of local government areas, senatorial districts, and federal constituencies.
Oba Adetona emphasized Ijebu province’s economic viability, citing its vast land, existing infrastructure, and ongoing projects, including an international airport and an industrial estate, as evidence of its readiness for self-governance.
“ljebu province is economically viable and already has all the infrastructural facilities that can sustain the state,” Mr Adetona said in his speech to Ijebu stakeholders at his palace on December 19.
‘Such include major industrial estates, like the Flowergate Industrial Estate, the fastest growing industrial estates in Nigeria, an international airport, with potential for a deep sea port, two international sports stadia in ljebu Ode and Sagamu,” the monarch further stated.
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