Analyst Mentions 10 Areas in Nigeria That Should Become New States
- Veteran journalist Eric Teniola named over 10 areas across Nigeria he believes should have been carved out as separate states
- Teniola identified areas in Kano, Kogi, Jigawa, and Imo states as candidates for new state creation based on their history and size
- Ibadan, the largest metropolitan area in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, featured prominently in Teniola's argument for a new state
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A veteran journalist and analyst, Eric Teniola, has named more than ten areas across Nigeria that he argues should have been created into separate states, citing their historical significance and population sizes as justification.
Teniola listed Ijebu, Ogoja, Anioma, Ghari, Tiga, Okura, Lautai, Njaba, and Katagum among the areas he believes deserve statehood. He described the push for their creation as long overdue.
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Proposed states Across Kano, Kogi and Jigawa
According to Vanguard, breaking down his suggestions, Teniola said a proposed Tiga State should draw from Bebeji, Gwarzo, Rano, Tudun-Wada, and Rogo, all currently within Kano State. A separate Ghari State, he argued, should be formed from the Kano local government areas of Kazaure, Bichi, and Dambatta.
For Kogi State, the analyst proposed an Okura State comprising Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Idah, Ofu, and Omalla. He also suggested that Katagum State should be formed from Shira, Gamawa, Misau, Katagum, and Jama're, while Lautai State should bring together Ringim, Kaugama, Garki, Gumel, Maitagari, Hadejia, Keffin-Hausa, and Birniwa. Njaba State, in his view, should be carved out of Imo State.
The case for an Ibadan state
Teniola also made a detailed case for an Ibadan State, arguing that the city's sheer size and population make it a strong candidate. Ibadan currently spans 11 local government areas: Egbeda, Ibadan North, Akinyele, Ibadan North East, Ibadan North West, Ibadan South East, Ibadan South West, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole, and Ona-Ara.
He noted that Ibadan is the largest metropolitan area in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, and the largest metropolitan geographical area in West Africa, covering a land area of 3,850 square kilometres as of 2013. The city's population stood at 3.1 million and accounts for roughly 45 per cent of Oyo State's total population.
Teniola pointed to Ibadan's rapid growth over the centuries, from about 60,000 residents in the early 1800s to 200,000 by 1890, and then to one million by 1930. Projections put the city's population at 5.6 million by 2033, a figure he used to reinforce his argument that Ibadan deserves its own state structure.
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Proposed new states in Nigeria that have scaled second reading
Legit.ng had earlier reported that multiple bills seeking the creation of new states in Nigeria successfully scaled the second reading at the House of Representatives.
Source: Legit.ng
