Perhaps it is unsurprising that an interest group called Lagoon State Movement is campaigning for the creation of Lagoon State out of Lagos State, considering the fact that the megacity wears the proud tag, “State of Aquatic Splendour”, in addition to priding itself on being supposedly the country’s “Centre of Excellence.” The former federal capital in the country’s south-west region, created in 1967, “occupies 3,345 square kilometers, 22% or 787sq. km of which consists of lagoons and creeks”; and “in the South it stretches for 180 kilometres along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.”
So, the champions of Lagoon State can be applauded for the choice of a name that mirrors reality. However, it is curious and ironic that the group projects itself as “non-political”, for the concept of state creation cannot be divorced from political business. Or maybe the self-description was intended to promote its non-affiliation to any political party, but that is neither here nor there. As for being “non-partisan” and non-sectarian”, attributes which the group also reportedly claims, the stated neutrality in these contexts may be ultimately inadequate without political content because what is desired is a political entity.
It is food for thought that the group reenergised this advocacy at its recent 7th town hall meeting at the Awolowo Institute for Government and Public Policy and Museum, Lekki, Lagos. According to reports, its leader, Chief Babatunde Olusola Benson (SAN), claimed that the consequences of preserving the status quo include overpopulation, inadequate representation of the state’s indigenes, known as Lagosians, at the federal level, imposition of heavy taxation on residents of the state and indigene welfare problems. Conversely, he argued that the creation of Lagoon State would result in substantial job openings, greater representation of Lagosians in the Senate and House of Representatives, and increased federal government funding which would facilitate grassroots development. There appears to be some confusion: Will people of Lagoon State still be Lagosians?
Understandably, other high-profile members of the group advanced his position, bringing various shades of perspective to the basic viewpoint. Its vice-chairman, Alhaji Gani Bello, reportedly added that the population of Lagos State, currently estimated to be over 10 million, was too large for one governor. Bello, a former provost of Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State, accused the state government of concentrating on urban areas occupied by non-indigenes at the expense of the indigenous rural population. Sir Segun Keshinro, a retired Magistrate for England and Wales, who chaired the meeting, reportedly described the state creation promotion as a labour of passion, saying that a major objective was to have indigenes govern their land. Interestingly, Professor Kunle Ade Wahab, the chairman of Ikorodu Leaders, reportedly sought the backing of Lagos State residents.
It is instructive that the proposed state is expected to include the following local government areas: Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Apapa, Eti-Osa, Somolu and Kosofe. Expectedly, Benson made an argument for its viability, but the country’s state creation experience has proved that theoretical calculations cannot sustain a state. It is no news that quite a few of the country’s 36 states continue to face daunting developmental challenges not only on account of visionless leadership, which is bad enough, but also because of the sheer inadequacy of the wherewithal to pursue progress, which is a complicating factor.
Indeed, the timing of the latest demand for Lagoon State may be tactical, given the fact that the ongoing National Conference is expected to address the incessant campaigns for new states across the country. There are reports that several of the confab delegates have spoken in favour of increasing the number of states in the country for the benefit of allegedly marginalised groups as well as ethnic minorities. It is worth mentioning that these states were all created under military rule.
Possibly, the most laughable demand in recent times must be the one by Emmanuel Tsamdu from the Northeast who represents former local government chairman in the National Conference. He was quoted as saying, “I am from one of the most marginalised parts of this country. Our past leader and hero, late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, promised that we would be treated equally with other provinces, such as Borno, Adamawa and Bauchi but today it is only my province that is not a state.” He then proposed that minorities be bunched together in one state as a solution to marginalisation; and requested a new state to be called Amana and created out of Adamawa State.
For a grasp of the depth of the cries for new states, it is noteworthy that two years ago Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, declared at a public lecture in Lagos that the National Assembly had received 45 memoranda requesting the creation of new states. He pointed out that about 34 of such memoranda were intra-state demands, seven were inter-state, and four cut across geopolitical zones. His talk on “Constitution Amendment and State Creation” was enlightening for its perceptive observations, which remain critical in considering any demand for state creation at this juncture in the country’s evolution.
In a chain of rhetorical questions, he asked, “Has the creation of more states allayed the fears of minorities and the feelings of marginalisation and domination? Has it resulted in good governance and speedier development at state levels than we had before? If it is meant to bring governance closer to the people, what then is the essence of the local government areas? Importantly too, is the proliferation of states and even the extant ones viable and self-sustainable? Again, at a time the global trend is aggressively moving towards the contraction of the size of government and cost of governance and at a time the nation is already sweating profusely under the yoke of unwieldy size of government at the federal, state, and local levels, can we really sustain the status quo let alone create new burdens?”
The truth is that state creation is no silver bullet, and it probably would be more helpful if the various tiers of government were better focused on what may be regarded as the most effective guiding principle for power, which is Jeremy Bentham’s philosophy that stresses concentration on “the greatest happiness of the greatest number.” Or to put it in a capsule, if power was guided by social conscience.
