State creation will Address Marginalization – Mark

   ……condemns renewed attack on churches

President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, yesterday said the National Assembly would consider the creation of more States because that would bring government closer to the people.

He also condemned the renewed attack against places of worship particulaly the attack on St. Theresa Catholic Church, Kaduna on Sunday, adding that it is never too late for the perpetrators of this dastard act to repent from their sinful acts against God.

Senator Mark stated this in his address at the Ojude Oba Festival 2012 held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State yesterday.

According to him, “Creation of additional States can only make government closer to the people contrary to the view been expressed in certain quarters that we do not need additional States in the Federation.”

He expressed support for the agitation for the creation of Ijebu State out of the current Ogun State noting that new States would address the issue of marginalization been raised in many parts of the country today.

Describing this year edition of Ojude-Oba Festival as a thanksgiving for the good health of Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Senator Mark said as a nation of diverse culture, we must take advantage of our diversity by using our culture as a symbol of unity.

He urged Nigerians to come together and emphasis those things that bind us together as a nation.

Earlier, the Governor of the State, Ibikunle  Amosun commended the bound of unity among all the indigenes and residence of the State.

He assured that his administration will continue to work for the development of Ogun State and her people.

In his welcome address, Oba Adetona urged the National Assembly to remedy the injustice been melt on Ijebu people by ensuring the creation of Ijebu State been one of the original 24 provinces of Nigeria that is yet to become a State.

“We have been on this issue of creation of Ijebu State since 1975. The justification for it is abundantly clear. The most worrisome aspect of it was the total neglect of Ijebu community in the State creation exercises that have taken place.

“It is lamentable that Ijebu which in the colonial era was one of the 24 provinces that made up Nigeria cannot today boost of being counted as one of the 36 States that presently constitute the country.” Oba Adetona stressed.