State Creation: Remo, Ijebu forge committee to resolve grey areas

Major stakeholders from the old Ijebu Province have resolved to set up a harmonisation committee to settle differences as they pursue their quest to create a new state among the federation’s states.

This decision was reached at a consultative meeting on Friday at the palace of the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi.

The committee comprises seven members each from the Remo and Ijebu zones.

The meeting follows a similar one held at the palace of the Awujale of Ijebuland in December 2024.

At yesterday’s meeting, which was attended by dignitaries, royal fathers from across Remoland, and a powerful emissary from the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, stakeholders agreed that the creation of a new state from the colonial Ijebu Province was long overdue.

Former governor and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, urged leaders of the zone to avoid needless acrimony which had rendered similar past efforts futile. He noted that the process of creating a new state under the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution was not a “tea party” but was “doable” with a concerted and determined effort.

Recall that in December, a bill for the creation of a new state from the old Ijebu Province, sponsored by Senator Daniel, passed first reading, effectively kick-starting the state creation process.

There has, however, been some agitation about the naming of the proposed state and the situation of its capital. Many stakeholders in Remo, especially the youths, are alleging that the proposal as it stands tends to subsume the history and interests of the Remo people under their Ijebu neighbours.

The creation of the harmonization committee is, however, set to address all concerns and present a generally acceptable position to advance the process of state creation.

Speaking earlier at the event, the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, called for unity of purpose so as to actualise the creation of the new state.

He stated that the history of Ijebu and Remo is no doubt long and checkered, noting they both have many things in common rather than what separates them.

He said, “We are all gathered here today for a common cause, which is to actualise a longstanding dream of a state to be created out of the old Ijebu Province and hence from the present Ogun State.”

He noted that the bottlenecks and stumbling blocks in creating a new state are too striking to risk the fledgling relationship.

At the end of the stakeholders’ meeting, the Baamofin of Remoland, Barrister Bayo Onafuwa, stated that the committee comprises seven members each from Remo and Ijebu zones, has been established, and will report back to their respective traditional rulers on the progress made. They were also given one month to do so.

The communique read in part: “To determine and resolve the grey areas of where the capital of the proposed state will be located, the name of the new proposed state, as well as the location of local government areas in the proposed state, among other things.”