The Igbomina Call For More States, Oppose State Police

Date: 2012-08-20

A socio-cultural organisation, the Igbomina Conference, has called on the National Assembly to restructure Nigeria into 48 states along ethnic affliations.The Conference also voices its opposition to creation of state police under the control of the state governors.

These positions were contained in a release signed by its Natiional Corrdinator, Mr. Olaitan Oyin Zubair, and made available to Ilorin.Info, after its meeting on 1999 Constitution Review held at Apado-Igbomina in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State last Monday.

The Conference opined that the National Assembly will find wisdom in this arrangement and settled for once, the minority question and infighting amongst ethnic groups throughout the country. Under this restructuring arrangement, sub ethnic groups with ancestral roots and geographical contiguity willing to join their kith and kin in their state of choice should be allowed to do so. It stated that the internal strife in most parts of the country was borne out of uneven development and majority groups' domination over the minorities; pointing out that if states were broken into smaller units and according to ethnic relationship there will be accelerated and even development in all parts of the country.

It further stated that all states could be viable if their resources are properly utilized and corruption eliminated. The conference urged the National Assembly to revisit the Willinck Minorities Report of 1957 and Justice Irikefe Panel of 1975 which enunciated the principles for states creation. On state Police, the conference was opposed to the control of Police by State governors to avoid anarchy. Rather, the conference enjoined the Inspector General of Police to deploy policemen to their states of origin where they could use their knowledge to effectively police their areas and in return be monitored by their people.

Meanwhile, the people of Apado have expressed willingness to join their Kith and Kin, the Igbomina of Kwara and Osun States in the struggle for an Igbomina State. The spokesperson of the Community, Dr. (Mrs.) Mary Kayode lamented the situation where they are struggling with identity problems as Igbomina people in Ilorin Emirate, where Fulani and Hausa dominate its affairs.

According to her, indigenes of Apado-Igbomina are hardly considered for appointments, scholarships and even projects location to the Community because they were seen as strangers in their own land. This, she stated, accounted to non supply of electricity to the Community over the years.