Let’s Start With The Definition Of A State
What is a state?
A state is a politically organised body of people inhabiting a geographical entity with a well legitimate government.
How Did Nigeria Move From The First 3 Regions To The Last 36 States?
Below Is The Timeline Of State Creation In Nigeria
1960 -1963 => Northern Region, Western Region and Eastern Region
1963 -1967=> Northern Region, Western Region, Mid Western Region (carved out of Western Region), Eastern Region.
General Yakubu Gowon Created The Following States
1967 -1976 => Northern Region was divided into North Eastern State, North Western State, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue-Plateau. Lagos (carved out of the Western Region), Western State. Mid Western region was renamed Bendel. Eastern Region was divided into East Central State, Cross River and Rivers.
General Murtala Mohammed Created The Following States
1976 – 23 September, 1987 => Abuja (FCT) was carved out of Niger State. North Western State was divided into Sokoto and Niger, while North Eastern State was divided into Borno, Gongola and Bauchi. Benue-Pleateau was seperated into Benue and Plateau. Western State was divided into Oyo, Ogun and Ondo. East Central State was divided into Anambra and Imo.
General Ibrahim Babangida Created The Following States
23 September, 1987 – 27 August, 1991 => Katisna was carved out of Kaduna. Akwa Ibom also came into existence.
27 August 1991 – Oct. 1996 => Abia came into existence. Gongola was divided into Adamawa and Taraba. Enugu was created. Bendel was divided into Edo and Delta. Jigawa was carved out of Kano and Yobe, out of Borno. Kebbi was created from Sokoto and Osun from Oyo. Kogi also came into existence.
General Sani Abacha Created The Following States
1996 – 1998 => Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Gombe and Ekiti were created.
That is the timeline of state creation in Nigeria.
Note:
- Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s administration created twelve (12) states in 1967
- Gen. Murtala Muhammed’s administration created seven (7) states in 1976
- Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s administration created eleven (11) states in 1987 & 1991
- Gen. Sani Abacha’s administration created six (6) states in 1996
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