Why I Created 12 States As Military Head Of State -Gowon

Former Head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, now retired, has given reason why his military administration created the 12 states in Nigeria.

He gave the reason yesterday, while speaking to a delegation of the League of Northern Democrats (LND) which visited him yesterday at the Yakubu Gowon Centre, in Abuja.

He expressed his support for the creation of, not just the twelve states, but multiple states, saying it was a necessary response to the challenges of the time.

General Gowon said the twelve states creation was done to douse tension and removing the fear of northern domination by other component parts of the federation.

“May I thank you sincerely, as a former governor and now the chairman-am I correct?-of the League of Northern Democrats. I hope you’re not suggesting that Baba Tafawa Balewa was not both a northern and a national democrat.

“I firmly believe, as I have always said, that the responsibility of maintaining Nigeria’s true democracy rests on the north, and Baba Tafawa Balewa embodied this ideal.

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“Let me also say that I hope your visit is not just about returning to the old thinking where the north prioritises the north, the west prioritises the west, and the east prioritises the east-until, of course, the Mid-West emerged to think for itself.

“My position has always been that whatever the north does must serve the greater interest of Nigeria.

“It was for this reason that I supported the creation of multiple states, to prevent any one region from becoming too powerful and threatening the country’s unity.

“This perspective was borne out of extensive discussions with political leaders, chiefs, and various groups”.

General Gowon also stated his belief that the north had to make sacrifices to address fears of domination by one region, especially given her size and population.

” At that time, there was considerable anxiety from the south about the north’s dominance, which nearly led to calls for secession from all regions-the west, the east, and even the north.

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“This deeply worried me. I was born in Nigeria, raised in Nigeria, and served a profession that represented the country’s collective interest.

“My decision to advocate for states creation stemmed from a desire to prevent the fragmentation of our nation”, he stated