South-West demands five additional states, constitutional roles for monarchs

The creation of five additional new states, constitutional roles for the traditional rulers, the creation of additional local governments, and the listing of Local Council Development Areas created by the Lagos State government in 2003 into the constitution were among the top demands of the Yoruba-speaking people of the South-West as moves are ongoing to amend the 1999 constitution.

This came to the fore on Friday at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on the bills to further amend the 1999 constitution held in Lagos

Jibrin Barawu, Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution, who was represented by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader, said, “The request of the people of the South-West before us include Bill for creation of Ijebu State from Ogun State, Bill for the creation of Coastal State from Ondo as well as Igbomina State from the three states of Osun, Ekiti, and Kwara, bill for creation of Ibadan State from Oyo State as well as New Oyo State also from Oyo State with the state capital in Oyo.

“Others are bill for listing of created LCDAs into the constitution so as to be recognized as local government, bill for the excision of Orile Oko from Remo North Local Government into Obafemi-Owode Local Government of Ogun State, bill for boundary adjustment of Isheri Olofin Mole between Lagos and Ogun State, as well as a bill to change Irewole Local Government in Osun State to Ikire.”

Barawu said that other demands that the 10th Senate is equally passionate about are constitutional roles for the traditional rulers as well as reserved seats for women at both national and state assemblies.

He added that in as much as the national assembly has always in the past wanted roles for the traditional rulers to be included in the constitution, the amendment had always failed because of the refusal of 2/3 of the state House of Assembly of the federation to support the passage of this bill as ordered by the constitution.

Barawu explained, “The last 1999 constitution amendment that we did during the 9th Senate, we almost got there, we almost succeeded with having constitutional roles for our traditional rulers, but the law says that constitutional amendment required the approval of 2/3 of the state assemblies in our 36 States.

“That is where it got stalled, but I want to advise that as traditional rulers, you have to do a lot of advocacy, you have to take your case to conference of Speakers of the state House of Assembly to get their support. You have to do a lot more too to talk to governors, present your case before the Governor’s Forum because that has always been where the challenge lies.”

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, said that the demand of the traditional rulers to be given constitutional roles is not because they want to be rubbing shoulders with the government but to rather complement government’s efforts and be on the same page in providing qualitative leadership for the people.

Oba Ogunwusi, supported by other first-class traditional rulers such as the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Sikiru Okuribido, who represented Oba Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebu land, demanded that the ongoing constitutional amendment must put to rest the need for traditional institution to be given constitutional roles to enhance good governance in the country.

The royal father said that the traditional rulers are already doing a lot in terms of providing security, conflict resolution, and general sociocultural and socioeconomic development of the country, saying that having constitutional backing will further help to do so much for the betterment of the country.

Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor, represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event. While speaking, he lauded the gathering as it is providing the people of the Southwest the opportunity to have a fair say in the ongoing constitutional review.

Mr Sanwo-Olu however, said that it will continue to amount to injustice if the 37 LCDAs created in the state in 2003 due to the growing population of the state, are not included in the constitution and allowed to be recognised just like other local governments in the country.

He explained that “For instance, Alimosho Local Government, with a population of almost the same as Bayelsa State, had to be broken into six LCDAs, even Kano with almost same population as Lagos State has 44 Local Governments, Jigawa with 27 local government was later created out of Kano State, yet Lagos is still expected to continue to have 20 Local Government.

“It is just fair and proper to have the LCDAs created about 22 years ago to be listed into the country’s constitution and be given due recognition just like other local governments across the country.”

In his address at the public hearing, Adeoye Aribasoye, Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly who also doubles as the Chairman, South-West of Speakers, described the constitutional review as long overdue.

Aribasoye stated that the lawmakers in the South-West are bothered about issues of Local Government autonomy, legislature autonomy as well as constitutional roles for the traditional rulers adding that his colleagues would do their best to support the passage of amendment of the constitution in these areas when the amended bill is sent to them.

While making a presentation for the creation of Ijebu State from Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of the state and Senator representing Ogun East at the Senate, said that the move was necessary to correct over a century of injustice meted out to people of Ijebu land.

Daniel said that of all the provinces created by the colonial government over 100 years ago, such as Oyo, Sokoto, Ondo, and others, only Ijebu Province has not been made a state.

The Senator said that Ijebu land not only has vast land and population but also has lots of resources, both human and material, and it is economically viable to drive its development.

He explained that just on Thursday, the Remo people, who seemed to be traveling a different route, also agreed to support the call for the creation of the new state as long as their name and identity are reflected in the new state.

They have therefore demanded that the new state should be called Ijebu Remo State, just like Akwa-Ibom State.

There were also presentations for the creation of New Oyo State from Oyo State, Ibadan from Oyo State, Coastal State from Ondo State, and Igbomina State from Osun, Ekiti, and Kwara States, as well as reserved seats for women at both national and state assemblies.