The lawmaker representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ede Dafinone, has announced that the creation of Ethiope State offers an opportunity to address decades of historical disparities, empower the Urhobo Nation, open a new chapter for economic and social growth, and protect cultural identity.
Speaking at the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review’s public hearing held at the Chief D.S. Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa, Senator Dafinone, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committees on Local Content and Legislative Compliance, highlighted that the proposed state would rectify longstanding inequalities faced by the Urhobo people—Nigeria’s fifth-largest ethnic group and the dominant community in Delta State.
The Delta Central legislator noted that the Urhobo have long experienced structural exclusion within the current state configuration of the nation, despite their demographic importance and economic contributions. He stressed that the creation of Ethiope State would “redress this imbalance, ensure fairer resource distribution, and boost infrastructural development.”
According to the Urhobo people’s submission, the proposed Ethiope State would include the two Urhobo kingdoms in Warri South Local Government Area, the Urhobo communities in Patani Local Government Area, and all eight Local Government Areas that are predominantly Urhobo.
This consolidation, Dafinone argued, would reflect the “demographic and administrative foundation for statehood” that the current structure fails to recognise.
Beyond correcting historical injustices, Senator Dafinone highlighted the immense economic potential of Ethiope State, adding that the Urhobo people inhabit some of the most productive oil fields in Nigeria. Yet, their communities remain underdeveloped and sidelined in resource management decisions.
He said, “Urhoboland is a major oil-producing region, yet the people have limited influence over how these resources are managed or reinvested,” he lamented. “Ethiope State would enable greater control over local resources, catalyse economic growth, and promote responsible resource governance in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.”
He further detailed a robust economic foundation for the proposed state, citing “substantial oil and gas reserves, vast fertile land suitable for large-scale agriculture, access to coastal areas and seaports, particularly Sapele and Warri, offering enormous potential for fisheries, aquaculture, and maritime trade. The proposed state also boasts of solid mineral endowment and extensive forest reserves with commercial quantities of timber.”
He said, “Under the 1999 Constitution, proposals for State creation must meet certain criteria, including popular support, defined territory, economic viability, and legislative approval. Ethiope State clearly satisfies these thresholds, making it one of the most procedurally viable and legally sound proposals for state creation in contemporary Nigeria.
“Ethiope State would provide a more coherent administrative framework, rooted in shared values and identity. This would foster more effective service delivery, citizen engagement, and policy implementation tailored to local realities.
“With its state, the Urhobo people would gain the autonomy to chart their developmental priorities, implement localised policies, and take ownership of their governance. This self-determination would foster greater civic participation and accountability.
“Ethiope State would be better positioned to pursue focused and strategic development initiatives that reflect the needs of its people, from education and healthcare, agriculture and industrialisation.
“Statehood would formally acknowledge the Urhobo people’s contributions to the Nigerian Federation, enhance our political standing, deepen our sense of national belonging, and contribute to our overall unity and stability.”
Dafinone also highlighted existing infrastructure as a solid institutional foundation, including “Delta State University, Abraka; the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun; the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun; Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara; Federal Polytechnic, Orogun; and the Delta State College of Physical Education, Mosogar,” along with significant industrial assets like “Delta Steel Company, Aladja, and Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company Limited.”
The lawmaker reiterated that the creation of Ethiope State is not just feasible but ‘necessary’ to address a historical injustice, promote fairness, and ensure the Urhobo people have a rightful place in Nigeria’s federal system. He described the proposal as “a call for fairness, efficiency, and inclusion—principles at the core of any functioning federation.”
