This has meant a suppression of some former colonial provinces especially in the old eastern region and a concomitant creation of new states mostly from former colonial provinces of core northern Nigeria.
Colonial regions were like countries, just as the UK is currently made up of 4 countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Colonial provinces were like the current states of Nigeria. There were 3 administrative regions (i.e. countries) in Nigeria from 1938 - 1963: Northern, Eastern, and Western (see Figure 1). By 1949, these regions had about 12, 12 and 9 provinces respectively (see Figure 2). By 1963, the western region was split into 2: Western and Mid-Western Regions. Provinces were further subdivided into ‘Divisions’ and then ‘Native Authorities’, which were like the current Senatorial Districts and LGAs respectively.
On 27th May 1967, this colonial administrative structure was abolished by General Yakubu Gowon who created 12 states by military decree (see Figure 3).
On 29th July 1975, General Murtala Mohammed created 7 more military states;
By 1989, General Ibrahim B. Babangida created 2 additional military states and on 27th August 1991, IBB created 9 more military states;
On 1st October 1996, General Sani Abacha created 6 more military states (see Figure 4).
Apparently, all the current states in Nigeria were created by military heads of state for military administrative purposes. This has meant a suppression of some former colonial provinces especially in the old eastern region and a concomitant creation of new states mostly from former colonial provinces of core northern Nigeria.
Most of the supposed newly created states in regions outside the core north existed as provinces in colonial times (compare Figure 2 with Figure 4). For instance, contrary to the claim that Kogi State was created by IBB in 1991, it existed under the name ‘Kabba Province’ since about 1938 (see Figure 2). Indeed, old Kabba province had 3 divisions: Kabba, Igbirra and Igala Divisions which are synonymous with the current three senatorial districts in Kogi State: Kogi West, Kogi Central and Kogi East Senatorial Districts respectively. Delta and Edo states which are said to have been created from Bendel in 1991, existed as provinces in colonial times. The same applies to Enugu. Similarly, Bayelsa and Ebonyi which are said to have been created by in 1996 (by Gen Abacha) existed during colonial times as Yenagoa and Abakaliki provinces respectively.
Not only were all colonial provinces of the Northern region converted into military states, many of the old northern provinces have been split into multiple states. For instance, colonial Sokoto province is now three states: Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states. Former Kano province has been split into 2 states: Kano and Jigawa State. Former Bauchi province is now two states: Bauchi and Gombe. Colonial Borno province is now Borno and Yobe States. The colonial trio of Adamawa, Plateau and Benue provinces have now been translated into 5 states namely: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nassarawa and Plateau states. On the contrary, whereas no province in the eastern region currently constitutes more than one state, some current states were two provinces in colonial times. For example, current Cross River state used to be 2 colonial provinces: Calabar and Ogoja. Current Rivers State used to be 2 colonial provinces: Port Harcourt and Degema. Current Akwa-Ibom State used to be two colonial provinces: Annang and Uyo. While this analysis focuses on only states (i.e. colonial provinces), the administrative/political manipulations of past military heads of state is likely to become more staggering if colonial Divisions and Native Authorities are compared with their contemporary equivalent in Nigeria, i.e. Senatorial Districts and LGAs respectively.
Overall, this shows that past military dictators created new states mostly from the colonial provinces of the core north of Nigeria. In other regions, the so-called new states existed as provinces (i.e. states) in colonial times, dating as far back as 1924. The effect of this administrative manipulation is multiple and multidimensional, not least because it explains how the core north has been able to maintain their stranglehold of Nigeria’s political space since the country’s supposed return to democracy which is premised on the biased political foundation laid by previous military dictators. With the multiplication of states in the core north comes a preponderance of Northern Governors, Senators, House of Representative members and senators at the federal level of political administration. The hegemonic and deleterious consequences of this grand political manipulation by former military generals from the North linger until this day. This includes a multitude of important political and economic implications such as the current principle of Federal Character in Nigeria. Among other things, this suggests that it is implausible to operate a sustainable democratic government using states that were created by military men who also wrote the current constitution of Nigeria.
Therefore, I suggest we abolish the current military states and replace them with democratic states created from scratch, maybe starting with the colonial provinces we inherited at independence. New democratic administrative zones should be designed using well-established automated redistricting methods which are now the international best practice for designing equitable administrative/political regions worldwide. The current military constitution should also be repealed.
It’s time to hit the reset button of Nigeria! Expunge the military virus in Nigeria!!
Opinion by:
Eleojo Abubakar (PhD)
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.