The creation of the state promoted by the Igbo is a deliberate way of stealing the wealth of the Yoruba nation and make the Yoruba people poor and miserable that was why Awolowo, who represented the Yoruba, Edo, Uhrobo, and Ijaw, as Western Nigeria, during the constitution talks in 1958, before independence, insisted that Nigeria must be based on ethnic regional system of government. He based his reasons on two qualifications for the creation of ethnic regions: economic viability and homogeneity of the region.

On this basis, he argued that Nigeria should not have the three regions already established in 1951, but six regions. He said that the Mid-West (Edo, Uhrobo and Ijaw), excluding Akoko-Edo and Itsekiri, should be carved out of the predominantly Yoruba western region. He also said that Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers should be split from the predominantly Igbo Eastern region to create the CoR region. He also stated that the Middle Belt should be carved out of the predominantly Hausa/Fulani and Kanuri Northern region to create the Middle Belt region. According to Awolowo, each region will have its Prime Minister and control everything in its respective region, with the exception of foreign affairs and external defence.

Zik, who represented the Igbo, turned down Awolowo's proposal and advocated the creation of 17 states like the 50 American states. Zik said the smaller the states, the better for federal unity in Nigeria. Zik, and by extension the Igbo, have always championed a country with a strong center and weak regions.

Awolowo insisted that Nigeria cannot be structured like the United States of America because the people that made up Nigeria are indigenous to the country and not immigrants like the Caucasians and African Americans in the United States. He advocated that Nigeria be structured along ethnic regional system similar to the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who are all indigenous to their respective regions of the United Kingdom.

Awolowo was shocked at the thought of Nigeria splitting into 17 states. In response to Azikiwe’s proposal, he replied in exact quote that: *"The creation of 17 states would make a nonsense of federalism and indeed would amount to a backdoor reversion of unitary system. Each of the states would be so weak that it would be subordinate to the federal government in practically all the major functions that the regions currently perform. These new states would be nothing more than glorified local authorities."*

The Hausa and Fulani had a different perspective. They wanted the regions to remain as three and insisted that there should be no provisions for the creation of other regions in the future. But their motive was to dominate the Kanuri and the people in the middle belt.

Extract from my book, Reflections on Yoruba Nationalism.

Adeyinka Grandson.

Mostly correct