PRESS BRIEFING WHY THE CREATION OF TORU-IBE STATE IS PARAMOUNT — AND THE DANGERS OF DOING OTHERWISE

 


PRESS BRIEFING

WHY THE CREATION OF TORU-IBE STATE IS PARAMOUNT — AND THE DANGERS OF DOING OTHERWISE

By Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Global Egberi Media International

INTRODUCTION

Distinguished members of the press, stakeholders, compatriots of the Niger Delta, and Nigerians of conscience,
I welcome you to this press briefing convened to address a matter of historic importance: the proposed creation of Toru-Ibe State.

This is not merely a political conversation. It is a discussion about justice, inclusion, identity, peace, and the future stability of Nigeria’s federal system. The agitation for Toru-Ibe State is neither a whim nor an act of provocation; it is the culmination of decades of marginalisation, administrative imbalance, and suppressed identity of riverine Ijaw communities spread across existing state structures.

1. TORU-IBE STATE IS A QUESTION OF EQUITY, NOT ETHNIC AGGRESSION

Nigeria’s federal arrangement is founded on the principle that no group should be perpetually disadvantaged within the union. The Ijaw people, despite being one of the largest ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta and contributors to Nigeria’s economic survival through oil and gas, remain among the most politically fragmented and administratively marginalised groups in the country.

The creation of Toru-Ibe State seeks to correct this imbalance by providing:

  • Administrative proximity to government

  • Fair political representation

  • Development planning tailored to riverine realities

  • Cultural and historical self-expression

This demand does not diminish any existing ethnic group or state. Rather, it strengthens Nigeria’s unity by addressing long-standing structural injustice.

2. THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF TORU-IBE STATE TO NATIONAL STABILITY

Riverine communities face unique challenges:

  • Difficult terrain

  • Poor road access

  • Environmental degradation

  • Security vulnerabilities along creeks and waterways

A state designed around these realities will improve:

  • Coastal and maritime security

  • Environmental governance

  • Disaster response and climate adaptation

  • Economic diversification through blue economy initiatives

Failing to recognize these needs within the current over-centralised and inland-focused state structures continues to weaken governance in the Niger Delta and exposes Nigeria to avoidable instability.

3. THE DANGER OF DOING OTHERWISE: SILENCING LEGITIMATE ASPIRATIONS

History has repeatedly shown that when legitimate demands are suppressed, they do not disappear — they mutate into deeper grievances.

If the call for Toru-Ibe State is ignored or deliberately frustrated:

  • Peaceful advocacy may give way to anger and distrust

  • Minority communities may lose faith in constitutional processes

  • Inter-ethnic suspicion may escalate unnecessarily

  • The Niger Delta may witness renewed tension driven by exclusion

Let it be clearly stated:
Peace should never be sustained by injustice.
Endurance should never be mistaken for consent.

4. SELF-DETERMINATION WITHIN THE CONSTITUTION IS NOT A CRIME

The Nigerian Constitution provides mechanisms for state creation. Those mechanisms exist precisely to accommodate evolving realities within the federation.

The Toru-Ibe State proposal follows this constitutional pathway. It is:

  • Lawful

  • Peaceful

  • Democratic

  • People-driven

Attempting to delegitimise it through historical intimidation, ethnic dominance narratives, or political fear-mongering undermines the very constitution sworn to be upheld by public office holders.

5. NO GROUP OWNS ANOTHER BY HISTORY OR PROXIMITY

Trade relations, cultural interactions, or historical contact between communities do not equate to ownership or political subjugation.
Diplomacy is not conquest. Interaction is not annexation.

Every community has the right to speak for itself, define its future, and choose the administrative framework that best serves its people.

Toru-Ibe State is about choice, not coercion.

6. TORU-IBE STATE AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPMENT, NOT DIVISION

A Toru-Ibe State will unlock:

  • Focused infrastructural development

  • Better healthcare and education access

  • Employment opportunities for riverine youth

  • Preservation of Ijaw language, culture, and traditional institutions

This is not a separatist agenda. It is a developmental necessity within a united Nigeria.

CONCLUSION: A CALL FOR WISDOM AND JUSTICE

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
Nigeria’s unity cannot be preserved by denying justice to minorities. True unity is built when every group feels seen, heard, and respected.

The creation of Toru-Ibe State is:

  • A step toward fairness

  • A buffer against future conflict

  • A demonstration that Nigeria listens to its minorities

  • A legacy decision for national peace

To do otherwise — to suppress, dismiss, or politicise this aspiration — is to plant seeds of resentment that future generations may be forced to confront.

Let wisdom prevail.
Let justice guide our actions.
Let the Niger Delta breathe through inclusion, not suppression.

Thank you.

Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Global Egberi Media International

Comments

Post a Comment