LIST OF REASONS

Since 1967, Nigeria’s federating units have been known as states—a transformation that followed the creation of 12 states by General Yakubu Gowon. Before that historic change, Nigeria was divided into regions, a system that emerged with the Richards Constitution of 1946 and was later modified in 1963 when the Mid-Western region was carved out of the Western Region. In the era of regionalism, minority ethnic nationalities frequently agitated for separate administrative entities, arguing that they were being marginalized by the dominant big three ethnic groups: the Hausa in the Northern Region, the Igbo in the Eastern Region, and the Yoruba in the Western Region. Even as early as 1957, concerns over minority fears led to the establishment of the Henry Willink Commission, which was tasked with investigating these apprehensions and proposing remedies. Although the commission ultimately did not recommend state creation for the minorities, various movements soon emerged. Agitations such as t...