Benue State and State creation
Written by Anwo Iordepuun Godfrey
Benue State is one among the leading states fronting for the creation of new states. Benue State is bidding for the creation of Apa (Zone C) and Katsina Ala (Zone A) States. However, the bid for Apa State seems to be stronger owing to the fact that the Senate President is from that zone. But with the statement of the Deputy Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review Senator Ike Ekweramadu on the 14th November, 2012 that the National Assembly on its own cannot create new states, I wonder what becomes Benue State’s hope of giving birth to new state(s).
One point that is very pertinent to mention here is the fact that creation of new states creates more job opportunities as there are now more political positions to contest for and more vacant offices to occupy but what about the sudden rise in our recurrent expenditure? I keep on wondering where this will come from. Already most of our states especially in the north are practically bankrupt, so what becomes the hope of the new states?
Again many say the creation of new states removes marginalization, take for instance if Apa State is created, the Idomas will now have the opportunity of ruling as governor but little do they realize that creation of new states results in evolution of more minorities. In Zone C for instance, the Igede are a contending ethnic group that will powerfully come up should Apa State see the light of the day. Even among the Tivs, the dichotomy among the Jechira, Jemgbar, Sankara, Minda to mention but a few is an issue that will become very serious as new states emerge.
In conclusion, let me state categorically that Benue State deserves to be given more states but it is good we realize that more states will not promote peace, unity and harmony among the different ethnic groups, it will not remove the perceived marginalization and it will not eradicate the poverty presently ravaging the masses. What we need to do is make our present Benue State a better place.
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Amuche
First and foremost, the Idomas so yearn for Apa State because it is the only way they can fully be identified among the many tribes in Nigeria politically, culturally, socially and economically.
The Idomas have been marginalized for so many years by their majority Tiv neighbors who filled the number position of Benue State all time.
If Apa State is created, I see peace and development amongst the tribes that makes up the zone c today, which are the Idoma who are the largest tribe, followed by Igede, Akpa, Ufia and Igbo. The Idomas will not have headache with the other minority tribes because, since from time immemorial the Idomas have been sharing everything with these other smaller tribes. That’s why the Idomas are seen as the pacesetter in Benue State today. It is only the Idoma that share their highest traditional title with the rest tribes in Benue State South. That is to say, the Ufia, Igede and Akpa people can become the Och’idoma (King) of the Idoma nation. So if Apa see the light of the day any time soon, the Governorship will be rotated amongst the tribes that makes up the state, the Idomas are not selfish in their dealings. That’s why they are unique in so many ways, and they are the most peaceful people in Benue State and Nigeria with no records of fighting their neighbors.
To this end, I strongly believed that in the nearest future when Apa State is created, the Idoma nation will be more developed because of the unity the enjoy as one peaceful people even before the coming of the state.