By James Aduku Odaudu, PhD 

The agitation for the creation of new states and local government areas in Nigeria is deeply rooted in the quest for equity, growth, political and economic inclusiveness. The faulty federal system in place has ensured that no matter the number of states in existence, the agitations will not end as long as there are cases of marginalisation, inequity and fear of domination. I dare say, however, that some of the demands are not only just, but also timely.

Nigeria’s democracy must be built on fairness, inclusion, and responsiveness to the aspirations of its people. One of the clearest expressions of these ideals is the call for the creation of Okura State—an idea whose time has surely come.

Situated in the eastern flank of Kogi State, the proposed Okura State is home to over 2.5 million people, predominantly of Igala descent. This ethnic nationality boasts a proud history dating back centuries, marked by an organized kingdom and deep cultural heritage. Yet, despite their numbers and contributions to national development, the Igalas have seen their influence diminish under the current configuration of Kogi State—a situation that has bred deep political and developmental frustrations.

But the call for Okura State is not just about correcting past wrongs. It is a forward-looking proposition that promises administrative efficiency, economic vitality, and national cohesion. With a landmass of over 13,000 square kilometers, Okura is not only viable—it is strategic.

Resource Abundance Meets Strategic Location

Rich in petroleum deposits, solid minerals, and fertile agricultural land, the region holds immense untapped potential. The oil-rich Ibaji axis, the iron ore and petroleum deposits in Omala, the vast coal deposits in Omala and Ankpa areas, and the vast arable lands across Dekina, and Olamaboro can support industries ranging from petrochemicals to agro-processing. Add to this a network of rivers and streams ideal for irrigation, aquaculture and tourism, and you have a blueprint for a self-sustaining, growth-driven economy

A Region of Remarkable Human Capital

Okura’s strongest argument may well be its people.

The region has consistently produced some of Nigeria’s most accomplished personalities across sectors. These include former Governors Abubakar Audu (late), Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada, former Deputy Governors like Isa Odoma (late), Sule Iyaji, Simon Achuba, Edward David Onoja, and the incumbent Comrade Joel Oyibo.

In the political sphere, the area has also produced stalwarts like the late Dr Steven Achema, Senator Dr Ahmadu Ali who has also served as Minister and National Chairman of the then ruling party, PDP, Senators Jibrin Isah (Echocho) Andrew Abogede, Nicholas Yahaya Ugbane, Dangana Ocheja, Attai Aidoko Ali, Isaac Alfa, Abdul Abubakar and numerous members of the House of Representatives, including the current Deputy Leader of the House, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali (Halims). They also include former and serving Ministers like the current Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Aubakar Audu, Abdullahi Ibrahim (SAN), Abubakar Usman, Yahaya Atanu, Barrister Humphrey Abah, James Ocholi (SAN) and Professor Stephen Ocheni.

The area also boasts of top guns in various spheres of life, including the late former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ibrahim Ogohi, former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, former Chief of the Air Staff, Isaac Alfa. The list is endless in the Federal and state bureaucracies where it has produced a cream of retired and serving Permanent Secretaries and Directors, the academia with a plethora of serving and Emeritus Professors like Gabriel Oyibo of a GAGUT fame, the legal profession with uncountable Senior Advocates of Nigeria, the medical profession, the organised private sector with the likes of Thomas Etuh, chairman of 9Mobile, etc.

This list is not representative enough of the volume of human resources available in the proposed state but serves not only as a testament to the region’s human capital but also a ready resource for state-building and economic advancement.

State creation remains a strategic instrument for promoting equitable development, national integration, and responsive governance in Nigeria’s federal system. As the demand for Okura State continues to gather momentum, it is essential to outline the multifaceted benefits of state creation and present a compelling case for the establishment of Okura State from the present Kogi East Senatorial District.

Benefits of State Creation

 Enhanced Grassroots Participation: State creation brings governance closer to the people, encouraging more civic engagement, accountability, and responsiveness from local leaders.

 Improved Infrastructure Development: New states typically invest in administrative infrastructure (e.g., secretariats, roads, schools, hospitals), which can accelerate regional development.

 Balanced Federal Character: In multi-ethnic societies, state creation can help promote inclusiveness and reduce feelings of domination by larger ethnic groups or regions.

 Reduction in Urban Overcrowding: By developing new capitals and administrative hubs, state creation can reduce pressure on major cities and promote decongestion.

 Promotion of Local Enterprise and Investment: New state governments often incentivize investment in order to build a viable economy, which encourages private sector growth.

 Cultural Renaissance: It may spur efforts to preserve, promote, and institutionalize indigenous languages, traditions, and cultural practices through festivals, media, and education.

 Revenue Generation Autonomy: States may explore local revenue sources (e.g., taxes, natural resources, tourism), reducing overdependence on federal allocations over time.

 Symbolic Empowerment: For many communities, having a state named after them or governed by their own people serves as a source of pride and collective identity.

The Case for Okura State

1. Ethno-Cultural Identity and Heritage Okura State, predominantly inhabited by the Igala ethnic group, has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Creating a state that aligns with the socio-cultural homogeneity of the region would reinforce identity, pride, and cohesion.

2. Historical Justification The Igala Kingdom is one of the oldest and most organized pre-colonial entities in Nigeria. The demand for Okura State dates back to the 1980s and has remained consistent through various constitutional conferences, indicating deep-rooted aspirations for self-determination.

3. Correcting Political Marginalization Since the creation of Kogi State in 1991, the Igala have experienced diminishing political influence, especially at the federal level. This is despite their population size and contributions to state and national development. Okura State would restore equitable representation and empower the region politically.

4. Addressing Developmental Neglect Kogi East has suffered from underinvestment in roads, healthcare, education, and infrastructure. A new state government would prioritize the region’s development needs, ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed.

5. Administrative Convenience Carving out Okura State would ease the administrative burden of managing a large, diverse state like Kogi. It would allow for more tailored and efficient governance.

6. Peace and Stability By creating Okura State, long-standing ethnic tensions within Kogi could be diffused, promoting peace and stability in the region.

7. Economic Viability Okura State is rich in agricultural resources and human capital. With appropriate investment, it has the potential to develop into a thriving economy through agro-industrialization, education, tourism, and commerce.

8. Grassroots Support and Legitimacy The call for Okura State has wide support among local traditional institutions, political stakeholders, civil society, and the general populace, underscoring its legitimacy and urgency.

A Just and Forward-Looking Demand

Opponents may argue about cost or political complexity. But history has shown that new states, when well-managed, do not become burdens—they become engines of local development and national balance. The creation of Bayelsa, Ekiti, and Gombe States proves that smaller administrative units can unlock economic and political inclusion in ways larger states often fail to do.

Okura State represents a legitimate aspiration rooted in historical consistency, economic promise, and democratic ideals. It offers a peaceful solution to regional tensions and a practical means to spread development to previously underserved areas.

Conclusion: A Call for Action

The National Assembly, federal authorities and, indeed, everyone that has a role, must rise to this moment. The creation of Okura State is not merely a regional plea—it is a national opportunity to deepen federalism, promote equity, and empower millions of Nigerians with the tools to shape their own destiny.

Let justice be done, and let Nigeria move forward.

About the Author

Dr. James Aduku Odaudu, a former Aviation Director, is a development administrator, communication consultant, and Convener of the Kogi Professionals Network. He can be reached at jamesaduku@gmail.com

By

Dr. Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com

Lest one forgets, it wasn’t a carnival, not a jamboree or the gathering of who is who.

Very possible to forget and the very essence of his funeral lost on us. Very easy to be carried away by the array of personalities, dignitaries and seamless but top-notch organizational marks and signature of the funeral.

Lest one forgets! The gathering of over 400 thousand people across the globe to pay their last respect to Late Pope Francis wasn’t a picnic, not a fashion show, or a meet and greet event. Rather a gathering to lay to rest the remains of an Angel in human body. A Christ who dwelt in fresh and blood. A sweet soul so large, every single person had a space in. It was a pilgrimage of sort not a carnival.

Lessons abound from the funeral. Which one of them strikes a chord? Which one resonates so deeply? Which one gives goosebumps? Pulling oneself from the noise and distractions of the society into the quiet space of self evaluation and resolutions?

Maybe the fact that life is a complete vanity? Maybe stashing of unused wealth very unchristain while souls daily get toasted like babicue in the fire of poverty, wants and lack?

What are the lessons learnt from the life and events of late Pope Francis who refused from day one of his papacy anything that reflects ostentation.

Some said he was a Jesuit who took vow of poverty the reason he lived through life in such an austere manner. He wasn’t the only one under such oath. It was a personal decision rather from a soul whose understanding of what life is wasn’t vague but Illuminated by the light of divine intelligence.

Lest one forgets, his burial wasn’t a carnival. For those who understand it better, a pilgrimage of a sort, opening up ones eyes to see deeper and appreciates the beauty of a life lived without the baggages of worldliness.

I wouldn’t know what you saw in the funeral? The large crowd? The amazing organization, the liturgy so sweet and majestic?

I saw emptiness of our earthly life. I saw vanity of life of grab and keep. I saw the futility of life of expensiveness.

I saw grace in simplicity and grandeur in humility. I saw diginity in living and journeying with the poor, the less privilege, the weak and the outcast. I saw peace so radiant when a soul is less heavy with the encumbrances of material things, without being judgedmental and discriminating.

His life lived so well, an inspiration it would be for many in their daily struggles seeking for God in humanity

Rest in peace Papa Franciscus. Your life will continue to be a daily devotional manual every sincere seeker of God would read with dedication.

By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

Former President Muhammadu Buhari is not just an enigma; he is a mystery that has defied the normal parameters of political comprehension. He is the kind of phenomenon that philosophers refer to as the noumenon—the reality that exists beyond sensory perception, unknowable yet powerfully felt. Cloaked in silence, his mystique grows in absence. He does not announce his presence; he allows it to be discovered—often too late, or never completely.

It’s been two years since Buhari vacated the seat of power, and yet his influence—contrary to political logic—has not diminished. Rather, like a magnetic element activated by distance, he has grown more attractive, more revered, more commanding. His Daura home became a sanctuary for political pilgrims until recently, when he relocated to his Kaduna residence. But instead of the stream of visitors waning, it has turned into a flood. Heads of serving and former government functionaries now troop to Kaduna with urgency, their visits shrouded in the familiar opacity that defines Buhari’s entire political journey.

But what are they looking for?

The question itself suggests the answer. They are not looking for Buhari the man—they are searching for Buhari the myth. In a country where silence is often more potent than speech, Buhari’s post-presidential reclusion is not a retreat—it is a statement. And the statement is this: power, in Nigeria, does not die. It only migrates. And sometimes, it hides in plain sight.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the quintessential political strategist, is the visible heir of Nigeria’s contemporary power architecture. His long walk from kingmaker to king was not accidental—it was designed. Calculated. Earned through decades of network-building, coalition-brokering, and mastery of political machinery. He is the antithesis of Buhari in temperament but not in trajectory. Where Buhari was aloof, Tinubu is engaged. Where Buhari preferred stillness, Tinubu dances on the chessboard. But scratch the surface, and the lines begin to blur.

Both men are bound by a common destiny—an overlapping shadow that neither has tried to escape. Buhari’s administration ended, but his aura did not. Tinubu’s began with a roaring mandate, but it carries echoes of the past that cannot be ignored. In the corridors of power, whispers persist that the past president still holds sway—not in decrees or directives, but in influence, in symbolic legitimacy, in the simple act of being Buhari.

When ministers, governors, and party chieftains make their way to Kaduna, it is not just nostalgia that drives them. It is calculation. It is political instinct. It is the eternal quest for alignment with the unseen hand. Tinubu may sit at the helm, but even he knows that power in Nigeria is not a straight line. It is a circle of rituals, loyalties, debts, and shadows.

And therein lies the paradox: Buhari’s silence speaks, while Tinubu’s actions echo. One operates from the margins, the other from the center—but both form the nucleus of Nigeria’s evolving political metaphysics.

The truth is, Buhari and Tinubu are no longer just individuals. They are dual realities—inseparable, co-dependent, each shaping the other’s meaning. To understand Tinubu’s reign is to understand Buhari’s withdrawal. To decode Buhari’s quietude is to grasp the complexity of Tinubu’s assertiveness. One is the unmoved mover, the other the dynamic executor. But both remain forces—different in form, united in function.

This is why the Kaduna pilgrimage will continue. Because in Nigerian politics, clarity rarely comes from official channels. It comes from signs, from symbols, from the spaces between what is said and what is done. And Buhari, the silent philosopher-king, remains Nigeria’s most potent symbol of power deferred but not diminished.

In the end, one thing is certain: President Muhammadu Buhari will not jump ship. He will align and sustain the aspirations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, no matter the stormy realities ahead. Buhari is Tinubu, because Buhari is consistent in character and conviction. The day he lifted Tinubu’s hand and handed him the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flag at the primaries was the day he submitted intoto his support for Asiwaju. That gesture was not just symbolic—it was spiritual, strategic, and deeply loyal. And loyalty, for Buhari, is not a costume. It is core.

Realistically musing