Mark reaffirms support for creation of more states

October 28, 2012 17:46

NAN-H-3

State

Ijebu-Ode(Ogun), Oct. 29, 2012(NAN) Senate President, David Mark, on Sunday reaffirmed his support for the creation of more states, including Ijebu State.

Mark made the reaffirmation during the Ojude- Oba Festival, held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, and said Ijebu deserved to become a state.

``I have made it point clear, where I stand in politics is never in doubt. I am in support of the creation of Ijebu State and I also support the creations of other states in the country.

``And the National Assembly must work towards that,`` he said.

The Senate president, who was the special guest of honour at the festival, said the creation of more states did not mean that Nigerians could not live together but a way of bringing governance closer to the people.

``That we create more states is not because we cannot live together but it is because we want to bring governance closer and nearer to the people.

``A lot of people deserve to feel and see the effect of governance in this country. And when we create more states that is what will happened,`` he said.

Commenting on the Ojude Oba festival, Mark said the festival showed  that Nigerians should be proud of the cultural diversity in the country.

He said Nigerians should take the advantage of the cultural diversity to  ensure peace and unity in Nigeria.

``The cultural diversity in this country is what I think we should be proud of. Ranging from the far east to the far west and to the far north and south, we are a nation of diverse culture.

``Our cultural differences should be our main pride of unity.

``I just came back from inter-parliamentary union conference in Canada and one of the issues we discussed was how to harness the world diversity to ensure that we bring peace, stability and unity among people all over the world.

``I think we are blessed in this country with over 250 tribes, background, languages, religion and forms of worship,’’ he said.

He said unity among all tribes would guarantee national peace.

``This festival today has opened my eyes to the fact that we need to come together as one united nation. Our peace in this country must be guaranteed,`` Mark stressd.

Earlier, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Awujale of Ijebuland, said the festival was a combination of celebration and thanksgiving for his safe return from four months medical trip abroad.

Adetona thanked  sons and daughters of Ijebuland for their prayers during his stay abroad and said he was now hale and hearty.

He said the creation of Ijebu State was long overdue, considering that the agitation began in 1975.

Adetona said Ijebu, which was one of the old 24 provinces in Nigeria during the colonial era, had been neglected while its counterparts had been divided into two or three states.

``It is regrettable that Ijebu which was one of the 24 provinces in colonial era cannot be counted as one of the 36 states that make up the country.

``The most painful aspect of it is that 22 out of the 24 provinces have  either been broken into two or three states.

``Justice, equity and fairness demands that if there should be creation of more states, creation of Ijebu State should be given a priority.

``It is our hope the ongoing constitution review will accommodate creation of Ijebu State and the marginalisation of the Ijebus will come to an end,`` he said.

The traditional ruler urged Mark to use his office to create Ijebu State.

In his remark, Gov. Ibikunle Amosun described Ojude Oba festival as a source of unity for the people.

Some dignitaries at the event were Sen. Gbenga Asafa, Sen. Gbenga Kaka, Sen. Olorunmbe Mamora, Sen. Lekan Mustapha and Sen. Iyiola Omisore. (NAN)

VE/JCE