Favour Adéwọyin,
February 15, 2024
Recently, a bill that proposed for Òkèògùn State (I prefer this spelling instead of Oke-Ogun) was presented on the floor of the House of Representatives by Hon. Wole Oke, Chairman of House Committee on Judiciary, and a member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Ọṣun State.
My first response was that of joy. I smiled within me and also soliloquised that “at last the world is remembering us”.
Even though the bill is just presented and nothing has been done, mooting the idea of creating an Òkèògùn State at all is something worthy of celebration.
I know what I’m talking about and I know where my joy is oozing out from; and, I believe, it is the same feeling that other sons and daughters of Òkèògùn region expressed when they heard about the goodnews.
Why Òkèògùn state? Òkèògùn is the second largest in terms of population in Ọ̀yọ́ State. It has ten (10) Local Governments while Ìbádàn has eleven (11) Local Governments. Ọ̀yọ́ has three (4) Local Governments, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ has five (5) Local Governments and Ìbàrápá has (3)Local Governments.
Out of the five (5) Local Governments that Ògbómòsọ́ has, three are in Ọ̀yọ́ North Senatorial District where all the ten (10) Local Governments of Òkèògùn belong to.
Out of thirteen Local Governments that make up Ọ̀yọ́ North Senatorial District, the following twelve have been listed to form the newly proposed states:
1. Ọlọ́runṣògo Local Government.
2. Ìrẹ́pọ̀ Local Government.
3. Oorelópé Local Government.
4. Ṣakí-East Local Government.
5. Ṣakí-West Local Government.
6. Atisbo Local Government.
7. Ìtẹ̀síwájú Local Government.
8. Ìwájọ̀wà Local Government.
9. Kájọlà Local Government.
10. Ìsẹ́yìn Local Government.
11. Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ North Local Government.
12. Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ South Local Government.
A support for creation of Òkèògùn State, is a support for the creation of another economic hub that will change the narratives for Nigeria. Òkèògùn is a region blessed with big landmass that is bigger than at least 29 States in the Federation with abundance of Solid Minerals that can be tapped and harnessed for wealth creation in the Nation. The resources of Òkèògùn can create jobs for our teaming youths and also boost the foreign earnings of Nigeria to reposition the naira. Like we have had in Niger Delta where crude-oil has been laying the golden eggs to sustain the nation’s economy, Òkèògún is already a solid mineral hub and can surpass the role of Niger Delta presently. This initiative becomes more than necessary now that the world is moving toward other means of energy apart from crude-oil.
Diversification is the one language the entire world is speaking and Nigeria cannot be an exception, especially now that the economy of our country is bleeding.
Ìṣẹ́yìn was proposed as the State capital for the new state and out of sheer ignorance, a body known as Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Recreational Club has picked hole in that choice. Before they begin to flaunt size as the justification for Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ to be the capital for the newly proposed Òkèògùn State, the question to ask is: are there no villages that were made the capital of states in Nigeria where the cities were left without consideration? How big and viable was Damaturu when it was made the capital of Yobe State when Potiskum was/is the largest city in terms of population and landmass?
Then, what fairness and equity are there if the ten (10) Local Governments of Òkèògùn are left without the capital while Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ with two (2) Local Governments out of the twelve (12) that make up the newly proposed state is considered to be the capital? That will not be different from having the capital in Ìbàdàn as we have been having in the current Ọ̀yọ́ State and it won’t draw the government closer to the people of Òkèògùn State who have been agitating for a state over many years now.
Another valid point is that, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ should not be looking for where it will take the lead and be the head because, before the Second Republic, it didn’t belong to Ọ̀yọ́ State. Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ belonged to Ọ̀ṣun 2 then and it was because the capital was given to Òṣogbo that Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ backed out of Ọ̀ṣun to become part of Ọ̀yọ́ State when Òkèògùn region has been an integral part of Ọ̀yọ́ State since inception. This point has been corroborated by Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Recreational Club in the first statement they made in support of their position why Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ should be considered as capital. Below was what they said in the release under review this morning:
“Ogbomoso has always been the capital of Osun Northwest in Old Oyo State”.
Again, Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ should not force itself on Òkèògùn because it won’t work if such happens. It will be like going into slavery the second time and that won’t be good for Òkèògùn people. We cannot open our eyes and allow “Tàlùbọ” to creep into it and that is why we are responding to this now for anyone who cares to hear and for those who are going to take step (s) in state creation when the time comes, either now or later.
Òkèògùn people are tolerant and we are not known for raining insults. it is nothing to hide that the current Senator representing Ọ̀yọ́ North Senatorial District, Senator Fatai Buhari, from Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ has featured in the Senate as our Senator three times now. If one Senator from three Local Governments in Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ is holding a political office for twelve (12) years and the region that has ten (10) Local Governments have not been throwing insults and attacks against them for holding a political position for such a long time, Why the attacks and insults now that a motion is being moved to create a state for us. Don’t we deserve a state or what exactly is the problem?
Finally, out of unnecessary anger from our brothers from Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́, they issued a threat that “the proposed bill should therefore be thrown into the bin without any further debate. Necessary actions will be taken to ensure that the proposal will not see the light of the day. Ogbomoso can only be State Capital if the proposed Oke-Ogun State is at all created, but not Iseyin”. On this, what our brothers should not forget that “many are the counsels in a man’s heart; nevertheless, it is the purpose of God that will stand”.
In other words, we know that the will of God for Òkèògùn region shall come to pass, because it is a known fact that Òkèògùn has always been described as the marginalised region of Ọ̀yọ́ State till date.
A support for creation of Òkèògùn State, is a support for the emancipation of an essentially long neglected people despite their industry and hardworking. All the 10 local governments of Òkèògùn are currently witnessing mining activities (legal or illegal) in addition to Òkèògùn being described as the food basket of
Ọ̀yọ́ State.
Indeed, Òkèògùn region has long been viable to be considered for state over many years now.
Long live Òkèògùn state.
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.
