Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has shed light on the reasons behind his decision to create 12 states during his administration.
Gowon made this revelation during a visit from the League of Northern Democrats (LND), led by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, at the Yakubu Gowon Centre in Abuja.
Reflecting on his tenure from 1966 to 1975, Gowon revealed that the decision to restructure Nigeria’s regions was driven by the need to eliminate fears of northern dominance over other parts of the country.
According to him, creating states ensured no single region held too much power, a crucial step in maintaining the federation’s balance and stability.
He said; “My position has always been that whatever the north does must serve the greater interest of Nigeria.
“From your speech, I understand that this is your intention-to ensure the north, in its current state, focuses on national unity.
“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 born out of extensive discussions with political leaders, chiefs, and various groups.
“The north had to make sacrifices to address fears of domination by one region, especially given the size and population of the north.
”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.
“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.
“Even now, I recall that at one point, people believed the north wanted to secede, just as similar claims were made about the east and the west. This fear of disintegration weighed heavily on me. If we had allowed it, what would we call ourselves today? We might have ended up with separate nations-whether Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, or otherwise. I hesitate to say more, as I might risk offending someone here.”
