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Before 1967, Nigeria was operating on its regional arrangement. We had the Northern, Western and Eastern regions which were a result of the promulgation of the Richard’s Constitution in 1949. Later, in 1963, the mid-Western region was introduced.
Between 1967 and 1996, Nigeria was split into thirty-six states. It is not untrue to say that one of the lasting legacies of military rule in Nigeria is the creation of states. This started in 1967 when Yakubu Gowon, the then military Head of State (1967-1975) created twelve states to replace the existing regional arrangement.
Following the first instance of a military regime creating states, nearly all subsequent military rulers have used this action as a reason to establish even more states, the last being that of General Sani Abacha.
State Creation in Nigeria and their Creators
Here’s the historical list of Nigerian past leaders who contributed to number of states we have today:
1. Yakubu Gowon in 1967
in July 1966, Gowon became the new military ruler of the country. He dissolved the four regions in the country and subsequently created twelve States on May 5, 1967. Six States were carved out from the former northern region, and two from the former western region. The former mid-western region became the Mid-Western state, while the former eastern region had three new States carved out from it.
| S/N | State | Date of Creation | State created from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North-Western | 27th May, 1967 | Northern Region |
| 2 | North-Eastern | 27th May, 1967 | Northern Region |
| 3 | North-Central | 27th May, 1967 | Northern Region |
| 4 | Benue-Plateau | 27th May, 1967 | Northern Region |
| 5 | Kano | 27th May, 1967 | Northern Region |
| 6 | Kwara | 27th May, 1967 | Northern Region |
| 7 | Western | 27th May, 1967 | Western Region |
| 8 | Lagos | 27th May, 1967 | Western Region |
| 9 | Mid-Western | 27th May, 1967 | Mid-Western Region |
| 10 | Southern-Eastern | 27th May, 1967 | Eastern Region |
| 11 | East Central | 27th May, 1967 | Eastern Region |
| 12 | Rivers | 27th May, 1967 | Eastern Region |
2. Muritala Muhammad in 1976
On assumption of office, he (Murtala Mohammed) created another twelve states, bringing the total number of States to nineteen.
| S/N | State | Date of Creation | State created from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anambra | 3rd February, 1976 | East Central |
| 2 | Bauchi | 3rd February, 1976 | North Eastern |
| 3 | Benue | 3rd February, 1976 | Benue-Plateau |
| 4 | Borno | 3rd February, 1976 | North-Eastern |
| 5 | Gongola | 3rd February, 1976 | |
| 6 | Imo | 3rd February, 1976 | East-Central |
| 7 | Niger | 3rd February, 1976 | North-Western |
| 8 | Ogun | 3rd February, 1976 | Western |
| 9 | Ondo | 3rd February, 1976 | Western |
| 10 | Oyo | 3rd February, 1976 | Western |
| 11 | Plateau | 3rd February, 1976 | Benue-Plateau |
| 12 | Sokoto | 3rd February, 1976 | North-Western |
DID YOU KNOW?
GONGOLA STATE is a former administrative division of Nigeria, created in 1976. It existed until 1991, when it was divided into two states - Adamawa and Taraba. The city of Yola was the capital of Gongola State. As at 1980, it was the most peaceful state to live in north, with lowest crime rate.
3. Ibrahim Babangida in1987 & 1991
In 1987, Babangida created two States namely, Akwa Ibom and Katsina. He also created nine additional States in 1991. These were: Abia, Enugu, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Osun, Kogi, Taraba and Yobe. We had altogether 30 states this time.
| S/N | State | Date of Creation | State created from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akwa-Ibom | 23rd September, 1987 | Cross-River |
| 2 | Katsina | 23rd September, 1987 | Kaduna |
| 3 | Adamawa | 27th August, 1991 | Gongola |
| 4 | Taraba | 27th August, 1991 | Gongola |
| 5 | Edo | 27th August, 1991 | Bendel |
| 6 | Delta | 27th August, 1991 | Bendel |
| 7 | Yobe | 27th August, 1991 | Borno |
| 8 | Jigawa | 27th August, 1991 | Kano |
| 9 | Kebbi | 27th August, 1991 | Sokoto |
| 10 | Osun | 27th August, 1991 | Oyo |
| 11 | Kogi | 27th August, 1991 | Kwara & Benue |
DID YOU KNOW?
The Benin & Delta provinces make up THE BENDEL. This region is the same as the mid-Western region. The present-day Delta state was created from Bendel.
4. Sani Abacha in 1996
Sani Abacha became Nigeria’s next military Head of State in 1993 after ousting the Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government. On October 1, 1996, he created six additional States.
| S/N | State | Date of Creation | State created from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayelsa | 1st October, 1996 | Rivers |
| 2 | Ebonyi | 1st October, 1996 | Enugu & Abia |
| 3 | Ekiti | 1st October, 1996 | Ondo |
| 4 | Gombe | 1st October, 1996 | Bauchi |
| 5 | Nasarawa | 1st October, 1996 | Plateau |
| 6 | Zamfara | 1st October, 1996 | Sokoto |
Conclusion
Nigeria’s journey from merely three (3) regions to thirty-six (36) states not only shaped our political landscape but also reflected the evolution of the military governments. We can see from the history that many states share a common origin. This raises questions about the division and diversity we have today.
If you’d like to read elaborately about the history of state creation in Nigeria, you can check out this amazing resource here.
Abdulbasit Toriola is an emerging voice in Nigerian cultural commentary and social analysis. From his corner in Lagos, he documents Nigerian history, current affairs, and explores the extraordinary journeys of Nigerians beating the odds. His works have been published on Africa Prime News and Opinion Nigeria. Connect with Abdulbasit on Twitter @blackboymusings for daily insights into Nigerian life and culture.
