I Created States Not For Economic Development, But Out Of Fear- Yakubu Gowon

Former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has revealed why he created states in the country during his regime.


He said creation of states became imperative following fears by minority ethnic groups in the country that the majority ones would swallow them up.

He added also that it was done to douse the fears of the country’s breakup.

General Gowon said this in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, wherje he was accompanied by his wife, Victoria, to commission the newly built Bayelsa State Government House.

General Gowon said, “I was delighted to create those states…years ago. At that time, the political situation was very difficult.

“There was fears of the country breaking up, fears of domination of the minority and the question was, what were we going to do in order to remove this fear causing problems in Nigeria?

“Fears of being dominated by majority ethnic groups? The creation of states was to solve these fears.”

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