The senator representing Ogun East and former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, on Friday, stated that the creation of a new state from the old Ijebu Province, comprising the Remo and Ijebu divisions, might not be an easy task, but it is long overdue and achievable.
Daniel emphasised the need for the people of Remo and Ijebu to unite and avoid divisive tendencies that could hinder the realisation of this long-standing aspiration.
The former governor made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the palace of the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi.
Daniel acknowledged that the controversies surrounding the creation of a new state could have dissuaded him from pursuing the cause, but he resolved to act with courage, drawing inspiration from the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
He said: “Our late sage, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, faced similar crossroads where he had to choose between what he believed was right and doing nothing. He chose the path of honour and conviction, ignoring mundane sentiments and criticisms.
“Pa Awolowo once sought to provide pipe-borne water to Ikenne because he felt that drinking from Uren River was unhealthy. However, some exploited the people’s ignorance, claiming the tap water contained too many chemicals, and they refused to drink it.
“Similarly, his free education policy was misinterpreted as an attempt to take children away from helping their parents on the farms. Decades later, it has proven to be the most visionary development policy implemented by any leader in Nigeria, arguably in Africa, and possibly the entire world. It gave the South-West its competitive edge in the civilisation we see today.”
Daniel also drew parallels with the government of President Bola Tinubu, which, he said, has faced criticism for taking bold and necessary steps to revive the economy.
He noted that as someone with roots in both Remoland (through his father) and Ijebuland (through his mother), he sees himself as a bridge builder committed to ensuring the creation of a new state from the old Ijebu Province for the shared prosperity of all.
In his remarks, the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, commended the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, for his dedication and steadfast support for the creation of the new state.
Oba Ajayi called on stakeholders to move beyond past disagreements, saying, “We must let bygones be bygones. Let us start afresh in a spirit of conviviality and brotherhood. We will achieve more together.”
The royal father proposed the creation of a seven-member committee each for the Remo and Ijebu divisions. These committees would work directly with their respective paramount rulers to address lingering issues related to the new state.
Oba Sikiru Adetona, represented by the Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo, Oba Lawrence Adebajo, echoed this call for unity, urging the Remo and Ijebu divisions to work together to achieve their shared vision.
“We must do this together; we must agree to move forward as one to realise this vision of a new state,” Adetona said.
In a communiqué read by the Baamofin of Remoland, Barrister Bayo Onafuwa, the stakeholders agreed on the composition of the proposed committees.
Onafuwa explained that the committees’ terms of reference include determining the name of the proposed state, the location of its capital, and the local government structure. He added that the committees are expected to submit their report within the next month.
