By By Vitus Ozoke
President Bola Tinubu
Let us speak plainly: the creation of another state in the South-East is not primarily about justice, fairness, or inclusion. It has often been about expanding political opportunities — another governorship, another set of appointments, another legislature, and more bureaucratic spending. Beyond the rhetoric, the record of past state creation exercises shows little real development for the region.
History offers perspective. When the South-East had only Anambra and Imo, leadership was marked by focus and vision. Under governors such as Jim Nwobodo in Anambra and Sam Mbakwe in Imo, there was a sense of purpose and progress. Roads were built and maintained, water flowed from taps, and schools functioned effectively. The people had less materially, perhaps, but they possessed civic pride and belief in collective progress.
Then came the further subdivision of the region into five states — Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Imo. Decades later, questions remain about what has been gained. There are now more state governments, more budgets, and more public offices — but not necessarily more development. Infrastructure gaps persist, unemployment remains high, and economic opportunities have not kept pace with the population. Governance in many parts of the region continues to fall short of expectations.
Which of the existing South-Eastern states today can be cited as a consistent model of effective governance? Which can boast of well-maintained infrastructure, adequate security, or robust industrial revival? Too often, the region’s young people continue to migrate abroad in search of stability and opportunity. The challenges of unemployment, insecurity, and underinvestment remain unresolved.
Who, then, will populate this proposed sixth state? Will it be the same displaced citizens who hesitate to return home because of insecurity? Or the younger generation emigrating to other countries not out of disdain for their homeland, but from a sense of frustration? Creating new administrative boundaries cannot substitute for genuine development. Building new government structures while existing ones deteriorate is not a rational path forward.
The fundamental issue is not the number of states but the quality of governance. Even if the South-East were divided into ten or twenty states, little would change without visionary and accountable leadership. Poor governance multiplied by six remains poor governance. Corruption replicated across several states still undermines progress. The challenge is moral and institutional, not merely structural.
It is also worth reflecting on the irony that those who now decry marginalisation at the national level must themselves confront how exclusion and inequity persist within their own domains. The call for better representation must be matched by a commitment to transparent and people-centred leadership at home.
The truth is simple: creating a sixth Igbo state will not in itself transform the region. It may expand political offices, but it will not necessarily bring jobs, infrastructure, or renewed dignity. It risks deepening internal rivalries and further fragmenting regional unity. What Igboland urgently needs is not another boundary but a new vision — a moral and developmental renaissance.
The South-East needs leaders who build rather than divide; who serve rather than rule; who lead with integrity and purpose. The region does not need a sixth state; it needs a second chance — a new beginning founded on accountability, creativity, and the courage to reject the politics of self-interest.
ALSO READ: https://stonixnews.com/prince-andrew-stripped-of-royal-titles-ordered-to-leave-royal-lodge/
Because at the end of the day, when the speeches are over and the budgets spent, one question will remain: who will live and thrive in this proposed new state? Many of those who built the old ones have already left; those who remain deserve more than another round of political experimentation. What the region needs is renewal — not repetition.
Dr Vitus Ozoke is a lawyer, human rights advocate, and public commentator based in the United States.
What's your reaction?
