How did you react to a bill for the creation of Orlu State from South East?
As far as I am concerned, it is not a serious matter. The constitution specifies modalities on how states are created. I don’t believe that states are created simply by moving motions in the floor of the House. Section 8 (1) particularly outlines the methodologies. It involves the signatures of the stakeholders, including elected local government chairmen, councillors, senators, and House of Representatives from the area demanding such state creation. They must all sign that they want the state, then send the request to the National Assembly. That is the time you could begin to think of moving motions. But the Orlu case is just to stand up and say you are moving a motion for its creation. I’m not sure they did what I just outlined, otherwise two constituencies of that area would not have pulled out.
But knowing who the mover of the motion, Hon Ugo Chinyere, is, and his closeness to the leadership of the House, we would also not take it completely as a joke. Something else might be cooking. They may believe that because somebody like Gov Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has access to the Presidency, anything can happen. Can you imagine that a bill passed the first reading, and somebody is already clearing a site for the Orlu State secretariat, playing god! They are joking, but we should not sweep it under the carpet because of how Nigeria is. Anything can happen.
Tell us the background to the division of northern and southern Igbo zones in 1970
I believe that Hon Ugochinyere is a very serious man. I know he will see the truth in what I will say. This also applies to every reasonable Igbo person. I also request that the Presidency and the entire leadership of the National Assembly see reasons in what I am going to say. Sometime in 1970, there was a request for the creation of Wawa State, which is Enugu today. The application was submitted to General Yakubu Gowon. In that document, which I have, South East is sharply divided into two, with equal population and landmass. We have the southern Igbos, known as Ndi Agbenu. The northern Igbos are known as Ndi Wawa, comprising Ebonyi and Enugu today. Southern Igbos presently have Abia, Anambra and Imo states.
People should morally see reasons that if any state should be created, it should be Adada, which is from the northern Igbo. Apart from that, if you talk about qualifications, Adada is the most qualified. We met all the criteria from the beginning. We don’t have dissenting voices. It was 100 per cent signatories of all councillors, local government chairmen, House of Assembly and National Assembly members for Adada. The governments of Ebonyi and Enugu are supporting Adada.
Is Adada viable to be a state?
Mineral resources to sustain the state are not a problem. We have them in abundance. We have tertiary institutions in abundance. Adada is qualified.
What are the implications of creating a state from the southern Igbo?
If a state is to be created in the East to make up the six states as other regions of the country, with some having more, and you give that slot to southern Igbo land, they will have four, and then the northern Igbo will have only two. And you are thinking about regional administration! States are created for development and not for crisis. If they create one from southern Igbo, they do not want the progress of the region because it will be full of crisis. We will not be part of any regional administration in the South East if that is done, and we have the constitutional right to determine where we shall belong. If they have four states, and we have two, normally one goes to the centre by representation. If we are required to send in two representatives, they will bring eight, and the northern Igbo will bring four. We would have become slaves.
We would not be part of that kind of arrangement. But if they want to do the right thing, the best thing is to create Adada State so that southern Igbos will have three states and northern Igbos the same. Then when we talk about regional administration, we would all go there with equal representation.
If you think that because you have contacts with the president or something like that, you can do anything, we will also take our decision on where we want to belong, and that means crisis instead of development that state creation is meant for. I appeal to our brothers and sisters in southern Igbo to see reasons why the sixth state should be given to the northern Igbos. President Bola Tinubu and members of the National Assembly should also see reasons to this effect.
I recall the Ararume Committee, in 2006, recommended Adada State. That was when Chief Obasanjo wanted to give us the sixth state. The National Assembly leadership from the South East invited us to Owerri. After hearing the submissions of the agitators, they went back to Abuja, looked at the submissions, and decided to go by voting. They were ten, two per state—one senator and one House of Reps. Adada had five votes, Aba had two, Orashi had three, Njaba had zero. That remains the only decision of the South East as far as state creation is concerned. Also, the 8th National Assembly disqualified all state creation agitators except Adada.
How much support does Adada have?
The support is overwhelming. It is the entire Enugu and Ebonyi states, including people outside the two states. Many sincere people in the southern Igbo still support Adada. That was why we got five votes. Nothing has changed other than the gimmicks of people who think they are semi-gods. They should not think like that. It is dangerous.
What is your message to the people of the proposed Adada?
Our people are always resolute. I urge them to keep on supporting the efforts. They should remain law-abiding. There is God. Let whoever is by your side know the truth. We met recently, and our National Assembly members are up and doing. They know what they are doing. They are very supportive.
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