Daud Olatunji
Recent development has shown that the proposed creation of Ijebu State from Ogun State’s Ogun East Senatorial District is facing a major hurdle, as disagreements over the state’s name and capital threaten to derail the process, PLATFORM TIMES has reliably gathered.
Investigations revealed that while the state creation initiative has gained significant momentum, tensions between the Ijebu and Remo divisions—both of which constitute Ogun East—have intensified over fundamental issues concerning the identity of the proposed state.
The Ijebu faction, represented by a committee set up by the Awujale of Ijebuland, has insisted that the new state should be named Ijebu State with Ijebu-Ode as its capital.
Their argument is rooted in historical ties, as the Ijebus have long sought statehood under the same name, seeing it as a continuation of their heritage.
However, this stance has been strongly opposed by the Remo people, who insist on a different name and capital for the proposed state.
The Remo committee, headed by Aare Kola Oyefeso, recently submitted its report to the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, outlining its position.
The committee maintained that Remo is distinct from Ijebu and should not be subsumed under the Ijebu identity.
The report highlighted that the Remo people, having migrated from Iremo Quarters in Ile-Ife, have maintained cultural independence and would not accept any arrangement that undermines their identity.
In addition to advocating for the name Remo-Ijebu State, the committee argued that Sagamu should serve as the capital due to its rapid economic and infrastructural development over the past three decades.
“The Remo people are distinctive from the Ijebus, having migrated from Remo Quarters in Ile-Ife and maintained contact with their roots.
Any attempt to subjugate our identity in the proposed state will not be acceptable,” the communique stated.
The committee further emphasized that empirical data supports the siting of the capital in Sagamu, considering its strategic location, economic viability, and population growth.
The Remo committee also demanded the creation of additional local governments to accommodate the growing population, particularly with the influx of people from neighboring Lagos State.
It argued that the demand for statehood was based on historical justification, as Ogun East (formerly Ijebu Province) remains the only pre-independence province yet to be granted state status.
Oyefeso called on Governor Dapo Abiodun and Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East) to support the aspirations of the Remo people, emphasizing that their legacy would be judged by history.
He urged stakeholders to recognize the contributions and unique identity of Remo in the ongoing discussions, warning that any arrangement that sidelines their interests could lead to further divisions and possibly scuttle the entire state creation effort.
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