Yoruba in Kwara, Kogi agitate for Oya state
From LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin

Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Yoruba speaking communities in Kwara and Kogi states have called on the Federal Government to create a new state for them named Oya.




http://odili.net/news/source/2010/mar/4/508.html

The appeal was made at this year’s Igbomina Day celebration in Kwara State.

The guest speaker at the event, Architect Tunde Ogunniyi, who made the call, stated that over the years, the agitation for the creation of the state, had been bogged down by insufficient and inconsistent will and dedication.

Ogunniyi in his paper entitled, “Igbomina land; a conducive environment for development,” bemoaned what he referred to as “lack of common focus and unity to achieve our full emancipation and freedom.”

He said,: “Our fundamental declaration on our request for Oya state (Yorubas of Kwara and Kogi) remains unassailable. ‘The grouping of Yoruba speaking people into two separate geo-political zones (South West and North central) is an absurdity and an attempt to deprive the Yoruba speaking people of Kwara and Kogi states of North Central zone the opportunity of their rights in the scheme of things.’

“The declaration had been pursued for over five decades without success because we lacked sufficient and consistent will and dedication of our large communities. Yet we had the material and human resources to succeed. We had even opportunities and positions at our disposal in times past which were not marshaled to our advantage for lack of cooperation and understanding amongst our leaders,” he said.

hmmm jarus is needed here

They should move to Benin Republic already and leave Nigeria for true Nigerians. Losers.

Their name is not Becomerich

mekuszyx:

They should move to Benin Republic already and leave Nigeria for true Nigerians. Losers.

Must you comment on the topic if you had no reasonable input

Aloy+Emeka:

He said,: “Our fundamental declaration on our request for Oya state (Yorubas of Kwara and Kogi) remains unassailable. ‘The grouping of Yoruba speaking people into two separate geo-political zones (South West and North central) is an absurdity and an attempt to deprive the Yoruba speaking people of Kwara and Kogi states of North Central zone the opportunity of their rights in the scheme of things.’

“The declaration had been pursued for over five decades without success because we lacked sufficient and consistent will and dedication of our large communities. Yet we had the material and human resources to succeed. We had even opportunities and positions at our disposal in times past which were not marshaled to our advantage for lack of cooperation and understanding amongst our leaders,” he said.

Well in my opinion, the agitation for their own state may still have to wait a while longer as creation of states is not top on the nation's agenda right now. That does not rule out their right to be associated with people of like values and vision especially as the resources needed are actually available. I wish them luck.

What happens to the remaining Igalas in Kogi State?

Maybe they should be added to Anambra State since some of them are there already.   

^^ They were moved from Benue state originally, well so they may just be put back there, cos they are not Igbos and their cultural behaviour is closer to middle-belt tribes

^^^^ Yeah but they run away, right?
Those in Anambra have never been marginalised and they are happy.

^^^
Are you saying some Igala people have been grouped as part of Anambra state or you mean they just live there?
Anyway what the Yorubas are fighting for is this. . . . why split like people haphazardly when "like" can be grouped together.

^^^ About 5% of Anambra people are Igala, not by moving to Anambra but by having their territory included in Anambra.

Some of the issues can be addressed by state boundary adjustments.

biina:

Some of the issues can be addressed by state boundary adjustments.

Not this one in question, cos it involves groups of people in 2 different states which they no longer want to belong to those states but would rather come together to form a new state.

tubabie:

Not this one in question, cos it involves groups of people in 2 different states which they no longer want to belong to those states but would rather come together to form a new state.

and they cannot be merged into existing yoruba dominated states of osun, oyo, ondo and/or ekiti?

I demand for Nairaland state now.


The states name is a fraud. How do we differentiate between Oyo and Oya?. A fund made for Oyo state can easily be transfered to Oya state if the accountant general is not meticulous . Dem no fit choose another name?. Another will be IMA state and BayelsE state 

biina:

and they cannot be merged into existing yoruba dominated states of osun, oyo, ondo and/or ekiti?

That can be done but what is being taken into cognisance is the fact that this particular group of Yorubas have actually lived together in Kwara before the last state creation carved some of them out and not to forget that there has always been a movement albeit not a forceful one in the past to separate the Yorubas from the North central state of Kwara before Kogi state emerged.

hmmm,do we need to create another state,when the existing one are yet to develop from corrupt politician.

It's long overdued!!

akigbemaru:

It's long overdued!!

Learn to write in Yoruba please before you offed the English.

mekuszyx:

They should move to Benin Republic already and leave Nigeria for true Nigerians. Losers.

mekuszyx mekuszyx

006:

What happens to the remaining Igalas in Kogi State?

Maybe they should be added to Anambra State since some of them are there already.   

Nope. they should demand for IGALA state. Then the Ebiras should demand for EBIRA state. Oya ko, Sango ni.

Aloy+Emeka:


Learn to write in Yoruba please before you offed the English.

Hmmm, is it to be assumed that you need to learn to speak your Igbo too before reeling English out as you left out a single letter too?

Akanbi_edu:

Nope. they should demand for IGALA state. Then the Ebiras should demand for EBIRA state. Oya ko, Sango ni.

This is the problem of the average Nigerian ,you show lack of adequate understanding and unnecessary beef Kindly state why you think they don't deserve it, put ur arguments forward if you have any. . . .

tubabie:

Hmmm, is it to be assumed that you need to learn to speak your Igbo too before reeling English out as you left out a single letter too?
This is the problem of the average Nigerian ,you show lack of adequate understanding and unnecessary beef Kindly state why you think they don't deserve it, put your arguments forward if you have any. . . .

I think the IJEBUs deserve a state too because the EGBAs are oppressing them. Then we should create REMO state because they are slightly different from the mainstream IJEBUs.

In the same way let us create ISOKO, IJAW, ITSEKIRI,MODAKEKE, IFE ETC STATES. If this is not convinient, we can proceed further in creating a state for every FAMILY.

That way, there will be peace everywhere and if that is not enough, let Us "kuku" create state for every nigerian jare.

Let them seperate Yorubas (Igbomina) from those abokis in Ilorin and Kogi that claim they belong to Hausa. How can I be speaking pure youruba and still under North Central Region? We demand for seperation.

yemmight:

Let them seperate Yorubas (Igbomina) from those abokis in Ilorin and Kogi that claim they belong to Hausa.  How can I be speaking pure youruba and still under North Central Region? We demand for seperation.

Northern region does not automatically mean Hausa/Fulani.

Akanbi_edu:

I think the IJEBUs deserve a state too because the EGBAs are oppressing them.

Nobody stated the premise for their agitation as oppression.

Akanbi_edu:

Then we should create REMO state because they are slightly different from the mainstream IJEBUs.

Yet again I have to point this out, they are not slightly but very different people who possibly can have the opportunity of being grouped with people very much like them with similar cultural values and beliefs.I'm sure you can spot the difference between Yoruba and Igala, Fulani or Egbira!

Akanbi_edu:

In the same way let us create ISOKO, IJAW, ITSEKIRI,MODAKEKE, IFE ETC STATES. If this is not convinient, we can proceed further in creating a state for every FAMILY.

That way, there will be peace everywhere and if that is not enough, let Us "kuku" create state for every nigerian jare.

Don't be ridiculous, I clearly don't see any wrong in their clamour for association. Your examples above do not show people who are culturally different. . . . . . .

asha 80:

hmmm jarus is needed here

I don't have any problem with we Yoruba speaking northerners(Kwara and Kogi) coming together to form a state and come and joined to our brothers in the South West, but I have a number of issues to raise.

1, The first division will come from the name of the state. Oya is the Yoruba name for river Niger(I think). The Okun people of Kogi(Kabba and co) have been clamouring for Okun statefor long. The Offa people have been clamouring from Ibolo state for some time. We have three names here now, and I don't know how they will agree.

2, Another fierce division will come from the state capital. Offa and Kabba are two candidates for that but the latter have greater advantage being a province pre-independent. But I know my Offa people, they will rather prefer to remain under Ilorin than serving one Kabba again. Another wahala.

3, Another problem I foresee is the struggle for dominance. The Okun people of Kogi, Ibolo and Igbomina people of Kwara have strong history of rivalry right from their days as Kwara south before the creation of Kogi. I especially know my Offa people with their agidi. I'm afraid they may be strange fellows.

4, More serious agitations like Ibadan and Oke-Ogun states have not seen teh light of the day. It may take not a few decades before it gets to our turn.

5, As somebody stated earlier, instead of state creation, boundary adjustment may solve the problem.

If asked to say honestly my mind, I will say we are still day dreaming!

Jarus:

I don't have any problem with we Yoruba speaking northerners(Kwara and Kogi) coming together to form a state and come and joined to our brothers in the South West, but I have a number of issues to raise.

1, The first division will come from the name of the state. Oya is the Yoruba name for river Niger(I think). The Okun people of Kogi(Kabba and co) have been clamouring for Okun statefor long. The Offa people have been clamouring from Ibolo state for some time. We have three names here now, and I don't know how they will agree.

2, Another fierce division will come from the state capital. Offa and Kabba are two candidates for that but the latter have greater advantage being a province pre-independent. But I know my Offa people, they will rather prefer to remain under Ilorin than serving one Kabba again. Another wahala.

3, Another problem I foresee is the struggle for dominance. The Okun people of Kogi, Ibolo and Igbomina people of Kwara have strong history of rivalry right from their days as Kwara south before the creation of Kogi. I especially know my Offa people with their agidi. I'm afraid they may be strange fellows.

4, More serious agitations like Ibadan and Oke-Ogun states have not seen teh light of the day. It may take not a few decades before it gets to our turn.

5, As somebody stated earlier, instead of state creation, boundary adjustment may solve the problem.

If asked to say honestly my mind, I will say we are still day dreaming!

Is ilorin not inside the area of agitation for 'oya state'

These folk have only demanded a state because they can. No sensible reason was put forward.

Aloy+Emeka:

Northern region does not automatically mean Hausa/Fulani.

Dont claim you know everything. I know what I am saying. Let them put us where we belong. Have you ever seen any aboki or ibo in south-west states? We belong to that region.

yemmight:

Dont claim you know everything. I know what I am saying. Let them put us where we belong. Have you ever seen any aboki or ibo in south-west states? We belong to that region.

But they have Ijaw is South West(hope am right) and Ibo in South South.

tubabie:

Nobody stated the premise for their agitation as oppression.
Yet again I have to point this out, they are not slightly but [b]very different people who possibly can have the opportunity of being grouped with people very much like them with similar cultural values and beliefs.[/b]I'm sure you can spot the difference between Yoruba and Igala, Fulani or Egbira!

Don't be ridiculous, I clearly don't see any wrong in their clamour for association. Your examples above do not show people who are culturally different. . . . . . .

So you actually think REMO should have a state?