By Peter Dansu In a great comment that triggered fresh talk on the long-standing clamour for the establishment of Badagry State, social ac...
By Peter Dansu
In a great comment that triggered fresh talk on the long-standing clamour for the establishment of Badagry State, social activist and member of the Ogu General Assembly (OGA), Mr. Mathew Gbenu has stated for the record that the proposal of Badagry State is not a local aspiration but, a strategic demand based on the common history and identity of an entire region.
Gbenu, who recently participated in the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, held in Lagos on July 19, 2025, shared detailed insights from the engagement, underscoring the bold step taken by the Ogu General Assembly to formally present the case for Badagry State among other critical constitutional proposals.
According to Gbenu, the hearing provided a rare opportunity for direct civic participation in governance, with several groups present to push various interests. He noted with concern that while many ethnic groups flooded the venue with multiple representations to amplify their demands—such as the creation of Ijebu, Remo, and Ibadan States—only the Ogu General Assembly was present to advocate for the Ogu people, a minority ethnic group in Southwest Nigeria.
"If we don't speak, who will hear us?" Gbenu questioned passionately in his post, emphasizing the need for unity and proactive representation among the Ogu.
He revealed that the OGA, a respected cultural and social body, presented a comprehensive memorandum touching on 13 key constitutional issues. These include the adoption of a parliamentary system of government, local government autonomy, revenue allocation, reform of police and security architecture, and far-reaching judicial reforms. One of the standout proposals was the recommendation that a national revenue derivation fund be created, allocating 10% of all government-collected revenue from border areas directly to those communities—akin to the revenue model used in oil-producing areas.
Gbenu stressed the need to see border communities, like those in Badagry, as vital contributors to national revenue and equally deserving of infrastructural compensation and development intervention. “Border communities suffer the consequences of government revenue-generating activities daily and deserve to be compensated. This is an idea I’d like Hon. Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan to champion at the federal level,” he added.
On the creation of Badagry State, Gbenu clarified a major misconception. “The proposed Badagry State is not limited to the current Badagry Local Government Area. It is historically tied to the old Badagry district, which spans what is now Lagos West and Ogun West senatorial districts—two regions that have been grossly marginalized in their respective states.”
He explained that the capital of the proposed state would be Badagry, a historical hub with deep precolonial and colonial significance. The proposal, therefore, seeks to unify communities with shared cultural and political history currently split between Lagos and Ogun states.
The paper presented by OGA was delivered by renowned academic Prof. Jendele Hungbo. Also in attendance were Prof. Sonayon Oluwa, Dr. Tony Dansu, philosopher Dr. Akande Michael Aina (Atom), journalist and writer Mr. Hosu Mewhenu Peter, and the Member representing Badagry Federal Constituency, Hon. Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan, who gave public support to the OGA's demands before the press.
Gbenu concluded his post by thanking the Ogu General Assembly for remaining steadfast in its commitment to advancing the interests of the Ogu people and for ensuring their voices are not drowned out in national conversations.
As calls for constitutional reform intensify across Nigeria, OGA’s courageous participation and far-reaching proposals may well be the spark that reignites the drive for justice, representation, and development for minority groups in border regions. For the Ogu, the journey has only just begun.
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