By; the Media & Research Unit, Ijebu Lokan Fun ITESIWAJU IJEBU Movement
For more than sixty years, the demand for the creation of Ijebu State has remained one of the most consistent, coherent, and widely supported statehood agitations in Nigeria. Generations of Ijebu leaders traditional, political, cultural, and civic have stood behind this cause. It is an aspiration rooted not in sentiment, but in equity, justice, and historical balance.
Yet, at every critical moment, forces external to the core Ijebu axis have attempted to redirect, distort, or dilute this legitimate pursuit. Today, this same pattern is resurfacing.
The Unspoken Script and the Politics of Convenience
It is no longer a matter of rumour many of the political manoeuvres we are seeing now are a continuation of the long-running elite script designed to weaken Ijebu influence. The same script was evident during the APC presidential primaries when certain Remo elites worked openly and covertly to prevent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from clinching the ticket. The principal actors in that sabotage attempt are known to all politically informed Nigerians.
That history matters.
Those who once opposed the emergence of our now-President cannot be allowed to become the new interpreters of what the Ijebu people should accept concerning a 60-year quest. They cannot rewrite the terms of our history simply because it is now politically convenient for them to do so.
Why the New “Ijebu-Remo State” Narrative Is a Strategic Trap
The recent proposal of an “Ijebu-Remo State” is not an innocent suggestion. It is a strategic move—carefully couched—to dilute the centuries-old identity of the Ijebu nation and hijack the capital location debate.
The Ijebu people are not opposed to collaboration with anyone. But collaboration is not the same as capitulation.
The constitutional requirement for state creation is clear: The six local governments of Ijebu land already qualify fully and independently.
We do not require a merger, dilution, or political bargaining to attain what is rightfully ours.
The President Knows the Past. He Knows the Players.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man with remarkable political memory. He understands alignments, loyalty, and the difference between genuine supporters and those who spent years working against him.
He is fully aware of the subtle and not-so-subtle attempts made by some Remo actors to block his presidential ambition. He remembers the alliances that stood with him and those that stood against him.
This is why the Ijebu people are confident that the President will not allow a 60-year agitation to be short-changed again. Not under his watch. Not after the sacrifices, consistency, and unity that the Ijebu nation has demonstrated.
The Only Acceptable Path Forward
The message is simple, direct, and non-negotiable:
Ijebu State must emerge as Ijebu State complete, unmixed, undiluted. Six Local Governments. One historic identity. One capital Ijebu Ode.
Anything else is a political distortion, a strategic ambush, and a betrayal of six decades of collective effort.
A Future That Must Be Built on Justice
The pursuit of Ijebu State is not an act of aggression. It is an act of justice. It is about restoring balance in Ogun State and ensuring that development is distributed fairly. The deliberate underdevelopment of Ijebu divisions over the years by those who understood perfectly what they were planning must not be rewarded now by handing over our hard-earned agitation to the same actors.
This generation of Ijebu sons and daughters must stand firm. We must not allow history to repeat itself. We must protect the purity of our identity and the integrity of our demand.
Ijebu has waited long enough.
Media & Research Unit
Ijebu Lokan fun ITESIWAJU IJEBU Movement
“Fun ITESIWAJU IJEBU… Alajọbí, A Gbè Dèdè Ẹni!”
Central Working Committee Secretariat, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State
+234 805 766 0300
info@itesiwajuijebu.org.ng
www.itesiwajuijebu.org.ng
