The COR State Memorandum to the Willink’s Commission in its memorandum to the Commission, defined the Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers (COR) area to embrace 15 administrative divisions, seven of which were located in the administrative province of Calabar, three in Ogoja and five in the Rivers Province. 1. Calabar Province – Abak, Calabar, Eket, Enyong, Ikot Ekpene Opobo (Ikot Abasi) and Uyo 2. Ogoja Province – Ikom, Obubra, Ogoja and Obudu 3. Rivers – Ahoda, Brass, Degema, Ogoni and Port Harcourt.

As a result of the Willink’s Commission report, the Federal Government refused to create states for the minority. Instead, the then Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) created the Niger Development Board which was an acknowledgement of how important the Niger Delta was to Nigeria.

Section 159 of the 1963 Constitution states that “(1) There shall be a board for the Niger Delta which shall be styled the Niger Delta Development Board. (2) The members of the Board shall be – (a) a person appointed by the President, who shall be Chairman; (b) a person appointed by the Governor of Eastern Nigeria; (c) a person appointed by the Governor of Mid-Western Nigeria; (d) such other person as may be appointed in such manner as may be prescribed by the Parliament to represent the inhabitants of the Niger Delta. (3) A member of the Board shall vacate his office in such circumstances as may be prescribed by Parliament. (4)

The Board shall be responsible for advising the Government of the Federation and the Governments of Eastern Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria with respect to the physical development of the Niger Delta, and in order to discharge that responsibility the Board shall – (a) cause the Niger Delta to be surveyed in order to ascertain what measures are required to promote its physical development; (b) prepare schemes designed to promote the physical development of the Niger Delta; together with estimates of the cost of putting the schemes into effect; (c) submit to the Government of the Federation and the Government if Eastern Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria annual reports describing the work of the Board and the measures taken in pursuance of its advice. (5) Parliament may make such provision as it considers expedient for enabling it to discharge its functions under this section. (6) In this section, “the Niger Delta” means the area specified in the proclamation relating to the Board which was made on the 26 day of August, 1959. (7) This section shall cease to have effect on the first day of July, 1969 or such later date as may be prescribed by Parliament”.

In addition, the Balewa government created Mid-Western region out of Western region in June 1963. The region comprised Benin and Delta Provinces of the Western Region with Benin City as the capital.

On May 27, 1967, the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (90) created Rivers State in the Niger Delta Region of Southern Nigeria and South Eastern State. The two states were created out of the old Eastern Region. General Gowon named Brigadier General Udukaha Jacob Esuene (1936-1993) from Eket as governor of South Eastern State. He also named Lieutenant Commander Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff (82) who was then 25, as governor of Rivers State. No other Nigerian leader did anything for that region until General Ibrahim Babangida (83) GCFR created Akwa Ibom out of Cross River State on 23 September 1987. He then named my friend HOMEBOY, Brigadier General (rtd.) Jonathan Anene Tunde Ogbeha from Lokoja who was born on September 1, 1947 as the pioneer Military Governor of the state. General Babangida went further to create Delta State on August 27, 1991. He named Air Commodore (retired) Luke Chijuba Ochulo from Okpofe Ezinihitte Local Government Area in Mbaise in Imo State as governor.

On July 9, 1992, same General Babangida established Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) through decree No 23. The objectives of the Commission shall be:
(a) to receive and administer the monthly sums from the allocation of the Federation Account in accordance with confirmed ratio of oil production in each State—
(i) for the rehabilitation and development of oil mineral producing areas, (ii) for tackling ecological problems that have arisen from the exploration of oil minerals; (b) to determine and identify, through the Commission and the respective oil mineral producing States, the actual oil mineral producing areas and embark on the development of projects properly agreed upon with the local communities of the oil mineral producing areas;
(c) to consult with the relevant Federal and State Government authorities on the control and effective methods of tackling the problem of oil pollution and spillages; (d) to liaise with the various oil companies on matters of pollution control (e) to obtain from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation the proper formula for actual oil mineral production of each State, Local Government Area and community and to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of projects, services and employment of personnel in accordance with recognised percentage production; (f) to consult to the Federal Government through the President, the State, Local Governments and oil mineral producing communities regarding projects, services and all other requirements relating to the special fund;

(g) to render annual returns to the President, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and copy the State and Local Governments on all matters relating to the special fund; (h) to advise the Federal, State and Local Governments on all matters relating to the special fund; (i) to liaise with the oil producing companies regarding the proper number, location and other relevant data regarding oil mineral producing areas; and (j) to execute other works and perform such other functions which in the opinion of the Commission is geared towards the development of the oil mineral producing areas.
To be continued tomorrow.
Teniola is a former director in the Presidency.