The Chairman,
Nigeria National Conference,
National Judicial Institute,
Airport Road,
Abuja-FCT.
Dear sir,
REQUEST FOR CREATION OF OSE STATE FROM THE PRESENT ONDO, EDO AND KOGI STATES WITH HEADQUARTERS AT AKUNGBA-AKOKO.
Sequel to the recommendation of National Confab that additional 18 States be created to bring the total number of state to 9 States per Geo-political zones and make it a total of 54 in Nigeria, I hereby on behalf of the present Ondo North People in Ondo State in conjunction with Akoko Edo People of Edo State and Okun People of Present day Kogi State request that we be created as a State to be known as Ose State with Akungba-Akoko as the State Capital of the new State.
As a keen follower of Confab deliberations, I am aware of the confab's decision that such State to be created must be viable or potentially viable economically, the people must have historical antecedent linking them together and the population must not be less than One Million People to be qualified for creation as a State.
Based on those criteria, I wish to commend the proposed Ose State with the State Capital at Akungba -Akoko to the Members of National Confab for consideration and eventual recommendation to the President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces for creation based on the following reasons:
1. HISTORICAL CONSANGUINITY
The People that will populate the new State have historical consanguinity and affinity. The State shall comprise of People from the present Ondo North Senatorial District which has six(6) Local Governments of Owo, Ose, Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South East and Akoko South West; The people of present Akoko Edo Local Government in Edo State and Okun People in Kogi State who are presently occupying Kabba/Bunu LG, Ijumu LG, Mopa/Moru, Yagba East and Yagba West.
These people are one people with one destiny and one God. They were together during the colonial era under Kabba Division before states were created to scatter them and here comes another opportunity to come together again. The people of Akoko Edo and Okun will be happy to re-unite with their brothers after many harrowing years of geographical separation.
2. SOCIAL AMENITY AND INSTITUTIONS
The Proposed State if created already have State a University at Akungba, State Polytechnic at Owo and School of Nursing and Midwifery at Kabba apart from other public institutions too numerous to mention.
3.ECONOMIC VIABILITY
The Proposed State is economically viable as it is blessed with good agricultural land and solid minerals among which are Iron ore deposit at Akunnu Akoko, gold at Uba/Simerin in Oka-Akoko, Ajowa, Ibaramu and Ikaramu-Akoko, ceramic at Ifon and potential petroleum along river Ose and Okeluse axis of the proposed State. The State is also blessed with big cattle ranch at Kabba and Erusu, Okeagbe and Ogbagi-Akoko, Tin and brass at Mopa, Isanlu, Kokutu and this is apart from Kolanut, Palm fruit, Cashew, Mango and Cocoa in commercial quantity at Ose, Owo, Akoko Edo and Akoko in Ondo State. Yam,cassava and Plantain are also available in all parts of the State in commercial quantity. In fact, with good political direction, the proposed State can be self sustaining and become the most viable State in Nigeria with sincerity of purpose.
4. HUMAN RESOURCES
The proposed State is blessed with adequate human resources in all human endeavors. From Academics to Military, Clergy, Sciences, Law, Politics, Engineering, etc, the Proposed State is abundantly blessed.
5. POPULATION
From the last census figure, the proposed State is more than 2 Million People and as such it surpasses the Confab recommendation in terms of number of People.
6. GEOGRAPHY
The proposed State shall share boundary with Edo, Kogi Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara if it it eventually created and shall be part of South West Geo-political zone and shall re-unite Akoko Edo in Edo State and Okun People in Kogi State with their brothers in Ondo State (Yoruba Land) and thereby removing them from list of minorities in their present States.
7. LANGUAGE AND NAME OF THE PROPOSED STATE
The proposed State shall be a Yoruba speaking State as all inhabitants as proposed are Yoruba People and can speak and understand Yoruba language. The official language shall be English and Yoruba Language if the State is created. The choice of the name emanates from the fact that Ose River permeates 90% of the entire proposed State and as such most suitable and acceptable name to the good people of the Proposed State.
8. CHOICE OF STATE CAPITAL
The Capital of the proposed State shall be Akungba-Akoko. The reason for this choice is dictated by the fact that it is in the central of the new State and shall be easily accessible by all the component parts of the State. Apart from this, the town is the host of a State University and it has enough land mass that can accommodate a State capital and it is a plain land with good topography. The Proposed State Capital can also span from Akungba to Oba-Akoko to allow for development.
Based on the above and some other factors that will be made available when called upon to defend this proposal, I wish to submit that the proposed State has met all the criteria laid down and recommended for the creation of a new State.
Sir, if the Members of the Confab can recommend a state to be created out of present Ogun State another one out of present Oyo State, it will accord with equity and justice to approve this proposal for a State to be created out of amalgam of present Ondo, Edo and Kogi States.
Thanks for the audience and happy deliberation.
Tolu Babaleye writes from Abuja-FCT for the good People of Proposed Ose State.
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