Why Ogoja State Must Be Created Now By: Solomon Asha
It’s sad that many of the old sons and daughters of former Ogoja province who had fought for the creation of Ogoja State could not live to witness it’s realization in our time. We are however a people not without hope because we are a God-fearing people and the creator will always leave behind remnants to lead his flocks. One of the key remnant proud son of Ogoja is the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Chief Godwin Kanu Agabi, SAN, who has been consistent in his call for Ogoja State and has remained solidly firm behind that movement. Recently during the South- South Centre B House of Representatives Public Hearing on the creation of Ogoja State held at the Transcorp Hotel on Saturday July 19,2025, Chief Godwin Kanu Agabi, SAN led the agitation for the creation of Ogoja State on behalf of the people of Old Ogoja province. In his presentation, Chief Agabi submitted a comprehensive Memorandum for the creation of Ogoja State on behalf of the people old Ogoja province which is the only old province in the old Eastern Region yet to be a State. He reasoned that the agitation is made in good faith to correct the imbalances and injustice and not out of malice.
Chief Agabi asserted that “the creation of Ogoja State is a constitutional right, a moral obligation, and a political necessity,” stressing further that ” our ancestors, when they promulgated the Constitution foresaw a time like this. They made provision in the Constitution for State creation in response to the peculiar needs nof communities like ours”. The legal luminary warned that “Nigeria survival depend on how well we listen to the cries of the neglected. We are the last province in the old Eastern Region without a state, Enugu, Abakaliki, Calabar all have their. Ogoja remain forgotten despite its rich history, population and economic potential.” The Elder Statesman who expressed the appreciation of the Ogoja people to the Efik nation, the Southern Initiative and the Igede people for their support, disclosed that “this movement is beyond politics; it is about dignity, development, and self-determination”. Agabi concluded by maintaining this: “Our people are resilient, resourceful and Hod-fearing. We are not asking for oil wells or privileges. We are asking for an opportunity to take oure destiny into our own hands.”
Retired Justice Eneji, another formidable advocate for the creation of Ogoja State, maintained that the call for the creation of Ogoja State or the statehood of Ogoja goes beyond carving out geographical boundaries,but solidly hinges on addressing structural injustice of more than 50 years, asserting, “It is unacceptable that over 50 years after the Independence of Nigeria, a Province that was recognized administratively during colonial times has been denied its rightful place in the Nigeria federation, and that Ogoja deserve a voice of its own. Also.speaking during the Public Hearing in Calabar, Hon Cletus Obun, posited that ‘Yhe people of Ogoja have been patient for too long. Now is the time to right the wrong of the past. We are not asking for privileges, but for parity,” Obun.maintained.
From the view point of this Writer, the areas and Local Government Areas to constitute the proposed Ogoja State outside areas like Afikpo and Abakaliki in Iboland and Local Governments like Yakurr, Abi LGAs as well as Adim, which is part of Biase local government area. These areas were part of Old Ogoja province. The former are now in Ebonyi state while the later will remain in Cross River State. To this end, Obubra, Ikom, Etung, Boki, Obanliku, Obudu, Bekwarra, Yala and Ogoja Local Government Areas will form the new Ogoja State; and if approved by the National Assembly, the Igede people presently in Benue State who have officially presented their case to the 10th National Assembly to be incorporated into the new Ogoja State when created.
The nine (9) Local Government Areas to make up Ogoja State outside the people of Igede in Benue State who are interested to be incorporated into Ogoja State when created will be more than 10, 854.27 square kilometers with protected population of about 3.5million inhabitants outside Igede people; and when the above people included, the population will go beyond 4million people. It would have boundary to the south by Yakurr and Abi Local Government Areas, to the southeast by Ebonyi state, to the north by Benue State and to the east by the Republic of Cameroon.
I had earlier mentioned that our brothers and sisters of the Igede extraction in Benue State have expressed their desire to excised from Benue State to join with Ogoja State as they have everything in common with the Ogoja people. The Igede people have two full local government areas in Benue State, namely Oju and Obi local government areas. Some Igede are also found in the neighbouring Local Government Areas like Konshisha and Gwer West with a total approximate or estimated population of 526, 000 persons. The Convener of the Ogoja State creation, Papa Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe, had told the Igede people they should submitted their position to the National Assembly for the said request.
In landmass and population, Ogoja State would be larger than the United Nations recognized states or countries such as Latvia, Bhutan, Macedonia,Namibia, Slovenia, Lesotho, Batswana, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and Gabon. Others are Martinique (France), Brunei, Western Sahara, Maldives, Bahamas, Iceland, Belize, Barbados, French Polynesia, Samboa, Netherlands nAntilles (Netherlands), New Caledonia (France), Vanuatu, French Guiana (France), Guam (US), Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principi, Virgin Island, Channel Island, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Federated states of Micronesia, Grenada, Tonga, Aruba, (Netherlands), Antiga and Barbuda, Greenland (Denmark), Monaco, Seychelles, Dominica,and more than 25 other smaller countries or nations.
In Nigeria, Ogoja State would be larger in landmass than the present Nigerian states of Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Abia, Lagos, Osun, Ebonyi, Imo, Anambra, Rivers, Ekiti and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. In population, Ogoja State will be more populated than the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Ebonyi Taraba, Yobe and Kwara states. In1988, one year after the creation of Akwa Ibom state from Cross River State, the seven Local Government Areas that remained in the old state were divided into Development Centres nor Divisions. Four of the seven Local Government Areas were of old Old Ogoja province. The four Local Government Areas were created into Seven Development Centres each, with the exception of Ogoja that was divided into Eight Centres.
The total number of Development Centres were 29, namely: Agbor, Bahumono, Ijebe, Adun, Isokom, Ekori, Ugep, Obudu Urban, Bette, Obanliku, Utanga, Becheve Utugwang, Bendi and Ukpe/Alege/Ubang. Others were Etung, Boki East, Boje, Iruan, Nta/Nselle, Ikom, Osokom, Ogoja Urban, Ukelle, Yala, Bekwarra, North Bakor, Mbube, Afrike and Western Yala. Under the present dispensation, it is Nine local government areas minor Yakurr and Abi Local Government Areas that are demanding for the creation of Ogoja State. On the creation of Ogoja State, it is the Ernest demand and fervent prayer of the people from these areas that the new state should comprised of 36 Local Government Areas (18 for current northern Senatorial District and 18 for the four Local Government Areas in the current Central Senatorial District). The central have already shared their own allocating six(6) to Boki, Five(5) to Ikom, Four (4) to Obubra and Three (3) to Etung making 18. This Writer is a son of the Northern Senatorial District from Obudu.
It is therefore my candid opinion that Obanliku should have three Local Government Areas, that is, Obanliku (Sankwala), Bendi (Kakwalaka), Utanga/Becheve (Utanga); Obudu should comprised of, Obudu (Obudu), Bette (Ohong), Ukalu (Ashikpe), Utugwang (Mgbenege). Bekwarra should be split into three LGAs comprising of Bekwarra (Abouchiche), Afrike (Okpeche) and Gakem (Gakem). Ogoja should be created into the following, Ogoja Urban (Igoli), Mbube East (Oboso), Mbube West (Ekumtak), Bansara (Bansara); while Yala should also comprised of Yala (Okpoma), Ukelle North (Wanokom, Ukelle south (Mfuma) and Yache (Yache). So the new Ogoja State will comprised of 36 Local Government Areas. Beaide, Gabu local government area could also be created with headquarters at Gabu in the present Yala be added to the list to make up 37 Local Government Areas for the new Ogoja State. If the Igede people of the present Benue State demand to join their kith and kins the proposed Ogoja State is granted then the Local Government Areas in the new Ogoja State should be at least 43 when the two local government areas of Oju, Obi and Igede found in Konshisha and Gwer local government areas of Benue State are brought to or excised from Benue to join Ogoja State where they rightly belong.
It is equally the opinion of this Writer that the present 94 or thereabout political wards in the Nine(9) Local Government Areas requesting for the creation of Ogoja are highly inadequate. When created into a state, Ogoja State should be structured into 311 political wards for greater political participation of the people in governance; given them a greater say in the affairs of the country. For example in Utugwang or the Proposed Utugwang Local Government Area, the following political wards should be created, Ukwortung East and Ukwortung West; Mgbenege South and Mgbenege North, Ukwutia Rechi, Ukwutia Central, Ukwutia Abi; Nkerira north, Nkerira south; Ukprinyi north and Ukprinyi south; Ukpada south, Ukpada north; and Okworogung East and Okworogung south, respectively, making up 15 political wards in the proposed Utugwang Local Government Area in the proposed Ogoja State.
Ogoja State would be highly viable with enormous natural and human resources, especially natural resources that have remained untapped and undeveloped. The area has about 958.08dquare kilometers forest reserves and 920 square kilometers if Forest under the Cross River National Park, making a total of about 1, 878.08 square kilometers of Forest. The Cross River National Park, Okwango Division has rich diverse flora with about 1,545 species representing about 98 plant families recorded, some of which are highly medicinal nand endemic to the area, just as others were unknown till they were discovered. It is also recorded that over 280 species of birds, some of rare species like the vulnerable Goeyneck rock-fowl, breeds in the Mbe Mountain, as well as the Golden Greenbul that is very rare NIN Nigeria, with the parrot which is currently near extinct. The area is also home to about 78 percent of primate species found in Nigeria including the vulnerable common Chimpanzee, Western Gorilla, the endangered sciaterbGuenon, preuss monkey and drill, African forest elephants and African Buffalo.
Tourists interested in mountaineering or hiking sports will find the area interesting for such activities. Topmost tourism site in Nigeria, the famous Obudu Ranch Resort, known as the Camp David of Africa with facilities of international standard is in this area. Other tourism sites include the Agbokim waterfalls,Nkarasi monoliths, Obubra crocodile lake, Buanchor canopy walkway/Afi forest reserves, Lake Kende Eshua, Etae-Ndori Rock, Onunghi Mountain, all in Etung; Colonial Wooden Storey Building (1915) at Ogomogom, Ikom, Woden upstairs and iron corrugated sheets warehouse, Ogoja, Bansara houses (Rice Mill), and the rolling hills of Obudu/Obanliku as well as the very rich New Yam festivals celebrated annually by each of the present local government areas that will make up the Ogoja State.
The area is also endowed with precious liquid and solid mineral resources. Research/ studies in the area have proven that there is limestone in commercial quantity to serve steel, glass, paint and agro-allied based industries. Salt deposit in Yala Ikom and Boki is also in commercial quantity to serve as raw materials for the production of table and industrial salt, useful in the petrochemical industry, Soda, potash and chlorine industries which can also be established. There are gypsum deposits at Obudu, Ogoja,Yala and Ikom for fertilizer plant, and is a requirement for cement production. Glasswares industry can also be established from the abundant deposit if quartz/basa and quartzite in Obudu, Ogoja, Yala and Ikom.
Crude oil is also said to have been found in commercial quantity in Ishi-Aya, Ibil and the environs, while hudro- electricity power can be generated from the Agbokim waterfalls. The area is also suitable for large arable and commercial/mechanized farming, just as the large forest reserves will become great sources of carbon credit fund from the United Nations and other World bodies working to reverse the adverse effect of global warming.
The would be Ogoja State have multiple ethic and tribal groups with no one dominal group, language and dialects without a single overriding majority which nof course is a blessing. Most of the dialects and languages clusters belongs to or traceable to Ekoid Bantu, Bendi, Upper Cross River, Idomoid, and Tivoid. Alege, Bekwarra, Bette, Bokyi (Boki) Bumaji, Ikom, Olulomo, Obanliku, Ubang, Ukpe and Utugwang all belonged to Bendi cluster while Belegete, Becheve, Utanga, are of the Tivoid. Idomoid takes care of Yala, and Yache; Upper Cross River groups are spoken by Inyomoyom, Ukelle, and Mbe by the western Mbube; Ekoid Bantu is for the Ejagham dialects cluster and Ekparabong.
The many languages and dialects should be seen as a blessing because it leaves us without any dominant group that would have thought of lording it over others when the State is created. When created the state can adopt one of the languages like Bekwarra, Boki, Iruan, Bette or Ejagham to be the state lingua franca, or a Commission be set up to come up with a lingua franca from a combination of some dialects and languages of the area. Besides, pidgin English Which is widely spoken in the area can also be adopted as a lingua franca.
This area comprised of Nine local government areas presently and 36 or 37 proposed ones need a state to give them a sense of belonging as they have over the years suffered a sense of deprivation and monumental injustice from the federation of Nigeria. There is very little presence of Federal Government in the area interms of infrastructural establishments.and social amenities compared to areas that gained the status of Province in 1914. The people of Old Ogoja province are not asking for a state based on ethnic sentiments or because they lack ability to co-exist with others ( Afterall we have done that for many decades now before and after independence in October I, 1960; rather we are doing this out of genuine desire for development and our people to be provided for and given a greater attention by the federal government and the instrument of the Ogoja State that would be created and with support from the new Local Government Areas that would also be created. The National Assembly and the Executive Arm of the President Tinubu led government should dutifully muscle all it takes to ensure that the ongoing Constitution Amendment process should be completed to make smooth way for the creation of Ogoja State and other Areas that need states of their own. We need Ogoja State to ensure self-realization and actualization.
Compatibility, cultural affinities, dating back to the time of yore and common colonial administration which put the old Ogoja together as a Province also demands that they should be constituted into a state but this time around without the people of Abi and Yakurr who said they will prefer to remain with Cross River State. For example, those who opposed the creation of Akwa Ibom state in 1987, certainly might have had a sorrowing of heart, or change of heart when they had or are witnessing the monumental development going on in that state.They also might have regretted their actions when they saw the ordinary Ibibio, Annang, Iron, and Eket Man and woman jubulating at the announcement of the state. If Akwa Ibom state had remained the integral part of Cross River State, the level of development would not have equalled the one recorded since 1987; the same with with other states that were created out of their former states in the past.
If the people of Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Jigawa, and many others who were once a Province have been created into States, what is morally, logically, scientifically,socially, economically, culturally and politically offensive for the Old Ogoja province to be created into a state, not states? The Bill for the creation of Ogoja State was sponsored by Hon Godwin Offiono, representing Ogoja/Yala federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and the Bill has progressed in the lower House. Recently there have been many concerns from some of the people that the Ogoja State is not among states in the Senate. What our people need to know ia that a Bill on particular issue or issues cannot be sponsored concurrently at the lower and upper Houses at the same time. I this case Ogoja State Bill was sponsored at the Lower House and once they are through with it, the request would be transmitted to the Upper Chamber for deliberation and subsequent transmission to the President for assent. The Distinguish Senator representing the Northern Senatorial District, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jerigbe has recently assured that Ogoja State is on course and that assurance is solidly rooted.
Great Ogoja sons like latest Chief Dr. Okoi Arikpo, SAN, Senator Joseph Wayas, Brig General Godwin Gregory Aja Ally, Chief I.I Murphy Dr. Samuel Imoke, M.T.Mbu among so many had fought for the creation of Ogoja State but didn’t live to see it come to fruition in their life time. The greatest honour that the Federal Government and the National Assembly can give to these our compatriots and late heroes is to give their people the state, OGOJA STATE. When this is done they will also be giving a patriot like Chief Godwin Kanu Agabi, SAN the honour he deserved for remaining committed to the fight for a better life for his people. Other sons and daughters from the area who are solidly behind the creation of Ogoja State include but not limited to, Justice Maurice Eneji, Jonny Again,SAN, Hon Cletus Obun, Dame Comfort Otere, CP Lawrence Alobi, the Convener for Ogoja State creation, Papa Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe and so many others.
Our people should fight collectively for Ogoja State, even our brothers, the Efiks, Yakurr, Abi, Ejagham in the Southern Senatorial district, Efuts and other ethnic groups within the south are in sympathy with us. This is our time. Why would a person traveling from Calabar to Asaba in the present Delta state, passing Abia, Enugu, Imo and Anambra get to his destination before a person traveling from Calabar to Obudu, Yala or Obanliku, yet in the same state?
Nothing is impossible, yes we can achieve it this time around collectively with one voice, we can! Effort of all our leaders, brothers and sisters and the little contribution of this Writer will not go in vain. We live to see Ogoja State come to fruition. God bless us, God bless our expected state and God bless Cross River State, AMEN.
CONCLUDED.
Extracts and Culled from Weekend Chronicle of Friday, November 23, 2012, Page 21.