Bill to Create New Oyo State Passes Second Reading in House of Representatives

A bill proposing the creation of a new Oyo State, which will separate Oyo town as the capital of the new state and Ibadan as the capital of Ibadan State, has successfully passed its second reading in the House of Representatives during today’s plenary session.

Sponsored by Akeem Adeyemi, who represents the Afijio, Oyo West, Oyo East, and Atiba West federal constituencies in Oyo State, the bill seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to divide the current Oyo State into two distinct entities. Under the proposed bill, Oyo town will serve as the capital of the newly created Oyo State, while Ibadan will be the capital of Ibadan State.

Leading the debate, Akeem Adeyemi highlighted that the agitation for the creation of New Oyo State is not new. The 2014 National Conference had recommended the formation of New Oyo State with Oyo town as its capital. He further argued that the division is necessary given the state’s vast landmass, which makes it the largest in the South-West geopolitical zone, with 33 local governments and a population of over 5.5 million people (based on the 2006 census).

He also noted that New Oyo State would be economically and politically viable, owing to its rich agricultural land, water resources, and mineral deposits, including gold, kaolin, and limestone. Additionally, the area has strong tourism potential, further bolstering its prospects for sustainable development.

“Oyo metropolis is the repository and citadel of the linguistic and cultural heritage of Yoruba land, the seat of the old Oyo Kingdom, which encompassed the original provincial setup of the colonial masters from which Ibadan Province was carved out in 1936,” he futher stated.

The bill has now been referred to the Constitutional Review Committee for further action, including a public hearing before its third reading and Senate concurrence.

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