Everybody knows Ibadan was famously built by warriors and ruled by strategists and has long stood as a political, economic, and cultural powerhouse in the Yoruba-speaking Southwest of Nigeria. Founded in the late 18th century by a coalition of warriors fleeing the collapse of the old Oyo Empire, Ibadan quickly rose to prominence as a military headquarters, a thriving commercial centre, and eventually the de facto political capital of Western Nigeria. In the colonial era, it served as the administrative seat of the Western Region and emerged as the cradle of many post-independence ideologies and political blueprints. From hosting nationalist movements to being the headquarters of the Action Group, Ibadan not only housed power, it projected it.
Over time, the city became home to some of Nigeria’s most iconic leaders and thinkers. Figures like Adegoke Adelabu, famously known as Penkelemesi, and even Chief Obafemi Awolowo stamped their names in national history from the city’s hills. The University of Ibadan, established in 1948 as Nigeria’s first university, transformed the city into a pan-African centre of scholarship, legal theory, medicine, and governance. The city’s identity was no longer just one of warriors and conquests, but one of strategy, education, and leadership.
Fast forward to the present, Ibadan has undergone a great transformation. No longer the city of mud houses and scattered hamlets, it has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. It has expanded well beyond its traditional seven hills, swallowing neighboring communities and evolving into a sprawling metropolitan city. The growth of infrastructure in the last two decades, particularly under the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, has brought with it modern expressways, smart transportation models, energy projects, and planned industrial hubs. Real estate is booming, tech startups are finding homegrown energy, and agribusiness is experiencing a renaissance. These shifts are not merely infrastructural; they are cultural, economic, and demographic. Ibadan has morphed into a cosmopolitan city with increasing diversity, drawing people from other parts of Nigeria and becoming a blend of ethnicities, ideologies, and aspirations.
However, today, with this swift growth comes a crucial question: should a city as vast, historic, and economically strategic as Ibadan, with its 11 local governments and deep political weight, continue to remain just a part of Oyo State, when it arguably outpaces the rest of the state in almost every metric? The agitation for the creation of an Ibadan State is not new. It predates the Fourth Republic and has resurfaced at intervals over the past three decades. At its core, the demand stems from a deep belief that Ibadan, given its population size, contribution to internally generated revenue, and historical significance, deserves recognition and administrative autonomy.
However, this demand is not simply about perceived marginalisation. It is about identity, proportional development, and the need for a governance structure that aligns with the city’s size and complexity. Ibadan constitutes nearly a third of Oyo State’s population and contributes a substantial share of its revenue, yet some residents argue that it does not receive development in proportion to its importance.
Even more compelling is the argument that Ibadan’s sheer size and complexity demand a more localized system of administration. Managing eleven local governments within one city under a larger state structure has often led to fragmentation and inefficiencies in governance. Proponents of statehood argue that an independent Ibadan State could better address the city’s urban challenges, such as waste management, housing deficits, transportation planning, and industrial development without competing for attention with rural zones that have entirely different needs and priorities. There is also the symbolic aspect: a city that once led an entire region, educated a continent, and nurtured national leaders, should not remain structurally subordinate within a state carved out only a few decades ago.
The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review recently confirmed that it had received forty-six formal requests for new states, along with over one hundred requests for local government creation. Among the proposals from the Southwest are multiple requests for new states, including Ijebu, Oke-Ogun, Remo, Lagoon, Igbomina, and Ife-Ijesha. Notably, both Ibadan State and New Oyo State emerged from within the current Oyo State, a reflection of growing internal agitation and the cracks in the state’s internal cohesion. Yet, despite the momentum and public declarations, no proposal has yet scaled legislative approval.
Constitutionally, state creation in Nigeria is an uphill task. The 1999 Constitution outlines a complex, multi-tiered process requiring local government support, legislative backing, and a national referendum. While elite support for Ibadan State is vocal and passionate, the lack of total consensus among political stakeholders, especially within Oyo State, remains a challenge. There are also quiet power struggles. Other regions within the state, such as Ogbomoso and Oke-Ogun are also seeking statehood, and there is no agreement on which proposed structure should take precedence. Without unity, every proposal risks falling flat before it reaches serious national consideration.
In terms of development capacity, Ibadan boasts substantial infrastructure, but it is not without gaps. The city still needs massive investment in water distribution, integrated transport networks, and coordinated health and education systems that reflect its urban density. There are concerns about how an Ibadan State would manage federal presence, distribute resources equitably, and handle political tensions between its urban core and semi-rural outskirts. Questions linger: Would Lagelu and Egbeda enjoy the same influence as Agodi or Bodija? Would the Olubadan institution, revered and respected, survive the new realities of democratic pressure, political party interference, and elite ambitions?
Several notable voices have sustained the call for Ibadan State. Former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, elder statesman Chief Bayo Oyero, and the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) have been consistent in pushing for its realization. Cultural associations, professional groups, and student organizations have lent support at different times. However, some younger citizens remain skeptical. Many of them argue that the agitation feels disconnected from immediate issues like job creation, electricity, education, and access to housing. They warn that unless structural governance improves, creating new states may merely duplicate old problems under new banners.
The push for Ibadan State is ultimately part of a broader national trend. From the Southeast to the North Central, communities across Nigeria are clamouring for autonomy, justice, and representation. Some of these demands are economic, others political, and some purely symbolic. However, they all reflect a national tension: the Nigerian federation, as currently designed, is seen by many as too rigid, too top-heavy, and insufficiently responsive to local identity and needs.
However, Ibadan’s case stands apart. It is one of the few state creation proposals backed by a combination of historical justification, demographic advantage, economic viability, and cultural identity. What is lacking is a strategic political roadmap, a shared vision that binds elites, youths, traditional rulers, and professionals behind a unified cause.
So, are the people of Ibadan truly ready for Ibadan State? Perhaps the answer is: almost, but not quite. The dream is valid. The ambition is not misplaced. But readiness demands more than sentiment. It demands organization, planning, political lobbying, inter-LGA unity, and a grassroots movement that transcends slogans. Until those elements fall into place, Ibadan State will remain what it has always been: a noble vision, rooted in history, rich in potential, but still waiting for its appointed time.
The question that now hangs in the air is not just whether Ibadan deserves a state, but whether its people, leaders, citizens, young and old, are willing to rise above division and distraction to make it happen. The baton is no longer with the warriors or the colonial administrators. It is now in the hands of Ibadan’s own people.
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