May 19, 2025

Editorial New state Creation; The unshakable claim for Remo State as name and Sagamu as Capital…. Kolade Folarin Kadeshprince

Editorial

New state Creation; The unshakable claim for Remo State as name and Sagamu as Capital…. Kolade Folarin Kadeshprince

The air in Sagamu,and the whole Remoland crackles with a familiar energy – a potent blend of quiet determination and unwavering pride. It’s a sentiment that has echoed through generations, a bedrock upon which the very identity of Remo is built. And now, as whispers of a new state creation gain momentum, that energy is reaching a fever pitch, focused on a single, non-negotiable demand: Remo state and Sagamu, the heart of Remo, must be the capital.

Remo has in her memorandum Presented to the Nass by His Royal Majesty Oba Dr Babatunde Adewale AJAYI CFR TORUNGBUWA II demanded for creation of a State from the existing Ogun State,to be named Remo State with its capital in Sagamu-Remo-Land. This demand as we know is predicated upon emerging realities and the distinct ethnic identity of the Remo people, who are republican in nature and never monarchical.

A State is meant to be created not out of primordial sentiment, but essentially inter alia, by economic viability, infrastructure, possibility for growth, land mass and consensus of the people living in the areas, being proposed to be created into a State.Without gainsaying it, Remo ticks all the boxes of these requirements.

Forget the delicate dance of political maneuvering and geographical compromises that often accompany such discussions. In the memorandum, the message is delivered with the clarity of a town crier’s call and the conviction of a warrior defending his land and heritage.

In retrospect, Remo people were in 1894 with Lagos protectorate and simultaneously,the Ijebus were in Abeokuta Province. All the ethnic groupings retain their identities and distinctiveness till date. This may explain how strongly people wouldn’t wish away their identity at the altar of any merger or amalgamation.

This sentiment isn’t born of mere parochialism; it’s deeply rooted in history and a profound sense of place. Sagamu, with its bustling markets, its network of roads connecting communities, and its historical significance as a center of trade and culture, sees itself as the natural nexus of any new state encompassing this region. It is, in the eyes of the Remo people, the logical epicenter, the pulsating heart from which the new entity will draw its lifeblood.

It is instructive as well as noteworthy that Remo’s root is not a matter of imagination or speculation.Remo people are of Ile-Ife origin,in Iremo Quarters and we still maintain till date, fraternal relationship with our root.

A prominent historian and a respected community leader known for his measured words, elaborates on this point. “Remo is not just a conglomeration of towns; it is the convergence point. It is where national roads meet, where our people gather, where the spirit of the present Ogun state is most vibrant. To also place the capital elsewhere would be like attempting to build a house without a foundation. It simply wouldn’t stand.” He speaks with a quiet authority that underscores the depth of this conviction.

The people of Remo are not blind to the aspirations of their neighbors,the Ijebus , They acknowledge the ties and the shared future they will likely forge in a new state. The refrain is consistent: “ The Ijebus want the state and also the Capital ,which is like eating the whole pie..Remo ‘s stand isn’t a reluctant concession; it’s a pragmatic understanding that a new state requires a broader identity. But this pragmatism is firmly anchored in the unwavering belief that it should be name Remo State with Sagamu as its administrative and symbolic head.

As a torchbearer of change, We see the potential of a new state, the opportunities it could bring. But for that potential to be fully realized, it needs a strong, central hub. Sagamu- Remo is that hub. It has the infrastructure, the energy, the people willing to drive progress.The unprecedented and exponential growth witnessed in Remo in the last forty years and still being witnessed daily,because of the bursting on all sides at the seams by its Lagos State neighbour,makes Sagamu in Remo to stand,tall head and shoulders among other contemporary towns, in Ogun East, for siting as Capital of the proposed State, in a free an unbiased evaluation of the requests for creation of State.

The message is consistent. It is whispered in conversations, declared in community gatherings, and etched into the very fabric of daily life. The people of Remo are ready for a new state, and are willing to share it with the Ijebu neighbors, but on one crucial condition: Sagamu must be the capital. It is not a request; it is a statement of fact, a truth as undeniable as the sunrise over the Ogun River. And as the discussions about state creation continue, this unwavering stand of the Remo people, centered on the undeniable claim of the name as Remo state and Sagamu capital, will undoubtedly be the cornerstone upon which any future negotiations must be built.

 

Some information extracted from the Memorandum on State creation as provided to the press by the committee on State creation led by Aare Dr. Oyefeso (GGG)

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