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OPINION: Toru-Ibe State, Aiyedatiwa’s “No Land Ceding” Remark, And The Ondo Ijaw

Published

3 months ago

July 22, 2025

By Icon-James Tam

The renewed push for the creation of Toru-Ibe State has once again brought the long-standing conversation around political inclusion and fair representation to the front burner particularly for the Ijaw people of Ondo State.

While I personally maintain a cautious stance on the possibility of state creation in today’s Nigeria, I cannot in good conscience dismiss the merit of the Toru-Ibe proposal. The uniqueness of the Ijaw story, their spread across multiple states, Ondo, Edo, Delta and the structural realities they contend with, all underscore the legitimacy of this demand.

Toru-Ibe State is not a new invention. It has a long and documented history, now receiving legislative attention as the National Assembly reviews the 1999 Constitution. Among the dozen proposed new states is Toru-Ibe, projected to include parts of Delta, Edo, and Ondo particularly Ese-Odo Local Government Area and the Ebijaw Ward in Odigbo.

During a recent consultation in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review met with various stakeholders. The Ijaw delegation, led by respected elder High Chief F.J. Williams, articulated a strong and factual case. The gathering was passionate. From the placards to the chants of “Asawana,” the message was clear, Ijaw people in Ondo are ready to align with their kin across state lines under a shared identity.

As someone who identifies strongly with the Ijaw cause, I understand the emotions in that room. Since the creation of Ondo State in 1976, our people have remained on the periphery. Despite a growing list of achievements such as Arogbo Kingdom having at least a lawyer to each family and other professionals to it credit in the state, our political elevation has remained limited. The highest position ever held by an Ijaw in the state is that of Secretary to the State Government.

Despite being a critical contributor to the state’s oil wealth, we have never led OSOPADEC, the agency set up to manage that same wealth. We are routinely included as non-executive participants, not because of a lack of competence, but because of a political structure that struggles to accommodate us beyond tokenism.

It was within this already difficult context that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa made a statement that many of us found disappointing. In his remarks at the Dome in Akure, the Governor stated that although he is not against the creation of new states, “Ondo will not cede its land to another state.”

That remark, in our view, was both unfortunate and unnecessary. The lands the Ijaws occupy in Ondo today are not borrowed,they are ancestral. If a new state is carved out to reflect the cultural and geographical realities of the Ijaw people, it is not ceding,it is realignment. The lands remain with the people; only the political boundary shifts.

Remarks of that nature can be avoided with proper vetting and sensitivity, especially at a time when the national conversation is focused on unity, justice, and equity.

The Ijaw people of Ondo have shown extraordinary patience over the years. But even patience has its limits. We cannot afford to allow sentiment or political caution to downplay valid concerns of marginalization. I call on Ijaw elders, leaders of thought, and community advocates to issue a dignified and unambiguous rejoinder to the Governor’s comment not out of hostility, but to set the record straight.

One of our consistent challenges as a people in this state has been the fear of political reprisal. Too often, leaders shy away from assertive positions for fear of being blacklisted or losing out on patronage. But silence has never been a path to justice. Speaking for your people should never be a political liability.

Our place in Ondo’s governance structure has remained secondary. Even at the level of traditional leadership, it took the intervention of good Samaritanlike Barr. Sola Ebiseni to challenge what was nearly a permanent exclusion of the Pere of Ijaw from becoming Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas. Though progress was made, even the forthcoming opportunity for that chairmanship due to rotate to the south remains uncertain for Ese-Odo, the only Ijaw local government in the region.

In all of this, Toru-Ibe State is not just an aspiration,it represents hope, equity, and a better future for a people long overlooked. It offers the Ijaws of Ondo a pathway out of structural sidelining and an opportunity for real self-determination.

As we await the decision of the National Assembly, I wish the Ijaw people strength, focus, and unity. May this be the beginning of a new chapter in our political history.

By Icon-James Tam

Convener, Social Crusade for a Sane Society

News

Why Sowore Was Taken To Prison After Bail – Police

Published

12 hours ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

The court granted bail to Sowore with N500,000 and two sureties, which his legal team was working to perfect at the time of the police action.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja shortly after the incident, human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, accused the police of violently attacking and removing Sowore moments after his bail was granted.

Adeyanju alleged that more than 50 armed officers stormed the court premises, descended on Sowore, and took him away by force while refusing to present a valid remand order.

“Sowore had just been granted bail, and while we were conferring with him here, the police suddenly launched an attack. More than 50 officers violently descended on him and took him away by force. We don’t even know where they have taken him,” he said.

He said the officer who led the operation briefly displayed what he claimed was a remand order but refused to allow Sowore’s lawyers to inspect it.

Adeyanju said, “The officer flashed the document, and when we insisted on reviewing it, he pocketed it and ordered that they must go.

“When we asked where they were taking him, he said Kuje Prison. We demanded to see the remand order as endorsed by the court, but he refused.”

He further alleged that during the scuffle, the police accused Sowore of insulting the Inspector General of Police, saying, “Because Sowore called the IG useless, they must deal with him.”

News

FIFA’s Use Of Kebbi Stadium In Banner Sparks Outrage, Funding Row

Published

12 hours ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

Global football body FIFA has stirred a storm of reactions across Nigeria after showcasing the Birnin Kebbi Stadium project in Kebbi State — a facility co-funded with the Nigeria Football Federation — on its official social media pages.

FIFA on Saturday used an image of the project, dating back to 2023, as the new profile banner on its official X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.

The image, showing a half-furnished stadium in Birnin Kebbi, quickly went viral.

Built under the FIFA Forward Programme, the stadium was meant to symbolise progress in grassroots football. But as the photo circulated online, fans flooded social media with outrage and speculation.

Some netizens interpreted FIFA’s post as a subtle jab at the NFF, following recent allegations of fund mismanagement.

The uproar comes just days after football critic Chinedu Mobike, via his official Instagram handle #c_mobike, on October 23, 2025, accused the NFF of squandering millions of dollars meant for infrastructure projects, including its twin project in Delta State.

Mobike, in his viral video, claimed that FIFA gave the NFF “1.2 million dollars for two stadiums” — one in Kebbi and another in Ugborodo, Delta State — which, he alleged, “till today did not see daylight.”

Comparing Nigeria’s FIFA-funded projects with those of other nations, Mobike alleged that while “other countries used the funds to truly develop football, Nigeria produced nothing to show.

“The NFF should sit up…There are no active projects promoting football or sports in Nigeria,” Mobike said.

According to The PUNCH, the next day, Friday, October 24, 2025, the NFF issued an official statement, which it described as a “fresh clarification to misinformation” by some social media users (names not mentioned) who claimed the NFF “collects millions of dollars from FIFA annually to misappropriate.”

The statement, retrieved from the NFF website, was titled: “NFF: Monies received from FIFA & CAF are for specific purposes, and audited in every cycle.”

While Mobike’s video reignited calls for reform, the hashtag #SaveNigerianFootball has been trending on X, as users express frustration and hope that collective pressure might finally bring transparency to Nigerian football governance.

In its October 24 statement, the NFF firmly denied any wrongdoing, explaining that every dollar received from FIFA or CAF is tied to a specific purpose and audited annually.

“The monies meant for development purposes are tied to specific projects.

“FIFA Forward funds are properly specified and under strict adherence to financial regulations, compliance, monitoring, and auditing at every stage,” the NFF said.

The Federation cited ongoing FIFA Forward projects such as the NFF/FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, stressing that every phase is verified before funds are released directly to FIFA-approved consultants.

Dismissing the viral reports as “fictitious figures,” the NFF added that those spreading misinformation “would find no reason to seek clout if they had any idea how much it costs to organise a single match of any of the national teams.”

But the clarification failed to calm the storm.

Instead, FIFA’s quiet profile update on Saturday reignited debate, with many Nigerians reading it as a silent but deliberate signal.

Many questioned how long it would take to fully complete a mini-stadium project that came to light in May 2023, after the groundbreaking event in September 2020 by the former Kebbi governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.

In December 2023, it was reported that Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris unveiled the FIFA/NFF-backed stadium project, saying it was designed to “boost the morale of youths in the state.”

He noted that the project cost $1,183,000, with the state government donating four hectares of land and paying ₦19 million in compensation to landowners.

Earlier, in May 2023, FIFA described the Kebbi project as part of its commitment to grassroots football, writing on its website InsideFIFA: “It is no surprise, then, that Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi, was chosen back in 2020 as the site for the construction of an artificial football pitch now available for young boys and girls to use.

“Meanwhile, a second pitch is under construction in Ugborodo… these two ambitious projects have received around USD 2 million in funding from FIFA through its Forward Programme.”

Online Reactions
Social media erupted with interpretations and comparisons.

Some users viewed FIFA’s action as subtle recognition rather than mockery. One X user, @Poka741997, wrote: “FIFA updating their header is symbolic. It’s recognition for Nigeria, even if the stadium’s budget is modest by international standards.”

Others saw it as a global embarrassment.

User #_AsiwajuLerry commented: “FIFA changed their Twitter header to the $1.2m stadium built by the NFF. Global shame.”

Echoing that sentiment, #OyokunyiOkon added: “This is embarrassing. The NFF should be ashamed that FIFA is showcasing a $1.2 million ‘stadium’ in Kebbi that clearly reflects misplaced priorities and poor accountability.”

Comparing Nigeria’s project to Senegal’s 50,000-seat Stade Abdoulaye Wade, user #FemiOguntayo2 remarked: “Nigerians want to build a world-class stadium with $1.2m… Haba! We know NFF is corrupt but haba na…

“This is Stade Blaise Sené (also known as Stade du Sénégal or Abdoulaye Wade National Stadium) in Diamniadio, Senegal. Its total construction cost was $270 million, funded largely by the Senegalese government and built by Turkey’s Summa Construction Company. FIFA’s way of mocking the NFF. How did they spend $1.2m on that stadium? Exposing the kwaruption in the NFF?”

Another user, #mario99amr29, suggested FIFA’s post was deliberate: “We know what’s at play.

“If FIFA can display this at the expense of other successful projects, maybe it’s a subtle callout. Nigeria vs Kenya: A case study.”

As of press time, FIFA had yet to issue any official comment explaining the use of the Kebbi stadium image on its banner. PUNCH

News

Police Arrests Principal Supplier Of Weapons To Bandits In Delta

Published

14 hours ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

The Special Assignment Team of the Delta state Police Command has arrested a key supplier of weapons to bandit groups in the northern part of Nigeria

The suspect, one Ahmed Ibrahim (31) male, resident of Ekpan in Uvwie local government area, has long been on the command’s watch list for his alleged role in several high-profile kidnapping and armed-robbery operations.

The Commands Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Bright Edafe, in a statement disclosed that acting on credible intelligence from the Force Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU), Abuja, operatives of the CP Special Assignment Team (CP-SAT), led by ASP Julius Robinson, arrested a female suspects, one Jamila Abubakar, at Conoil Filling Station, Warri–Patani Road, Effurun.

The statement revealed that upon her arrest, officers discovered the cash sum of ₦550,000 neatly concealed beneath her bag and suspected to be proceeds from illicit transactions.

According to DAILY POST her apprehension provided a crucial lead that set off a well-coordinated follow-up operation.

“Buildin on that intelligence, the operatives stormed Niger-Cat area of Warri, where they successfully arrested a notorious arms peddler, one Ahmed Ibrahim (31) male, resident of Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area, at about 0725 hrs on 22nd October 2025.

“A search led to the recovery of a bag containing one hundred and fifteen rounds 115 rounds of 7.63mm AK-47 live ammunition, 220 rounds of SMG rifle ammunition, and 32 live cartridges”.

Edafe further noted, that preliminary investigations revealed that, the suspect is a key supplier of weapons to bandit groups in the north and has long been on the Command’s watch list for his alleged role in several high-profile kidnapping and armed-robbery operations.

According to the statement, Ahmed Ibrahim, is also linked to the kidnap and murder of one Ogheneovo Onemu (female), who was abducted on May 27, 2024 at Edjekota community in Ughelli North LGA, and later murdered after a ransom payment of ₦4,000,000.

Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, described the breakthrough as another testament to the Command’s unwavering commitment to stemming the flow of illegal arms, dismantling criminal syndicates, and bringing offenders to justice.

The CP urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting the Police with timely and credible information to aid the fight against crime, assuring the public that the Command will sustain its momentum against criminal elements and remain resolute in protecting the lives and property of all law-abiding citizens.