Lagoon State, Lagos: House of Reps receives new state proposal

A proposal to carve out a new autonomous state out of the current Lagos State has been submitted to the House of Representatives' Special Committee on Constitution Review.

A representative of Lagoon State Movement asked the committee at the South West Zonal Public Hearing in Lagos on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 to expedite the creation of Lagoon State.

He said Lagos has been denied the 'privilege' of being broken up like other Nigerian states to arrive at the current number of 36.

He noted that the proposed Lagoon State has the ability and resources to be self-sustainable, better than some states that currently exist.

"It is our prayer that the National Assembly will take a special note of our agitation and grant approval," he said.

Lagos is the smallest state in Nigeria, occupying a total land area of 3,345 square kilometers, but is considered the most populated with an estimated 20 million residents.

The Lagoon State Movement has been campaigning for over 10 years for a new autonomous state to cater to the rural communities especially those along the costal line.

Ikorodu, Epe, Kosofe, Somolu, Apapa, Eti-Osa, and Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Areas of Lagos have in the past been listed as proposed communities that will break from Lagos and create Lagoon.

Creation of new states was a very common request made at all four days of zonal public hearings on constitutional amendment that took place all over the country last week and this week.

At the Lagos venue that fielded proposals from the public in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo, many submitted requests for creation of new states, including a separate Ibadan State breaking away from the current Oyo State.

The creation of new states is one of the items on the Exclusive Legislative List, which makes it the responsibility of the Federal Government.

Many other groups complained at the hearings that the item be taken off the list because the Federal Government should not be in the position to address such matters.