"TO HAVE A STATE CREATED FOR THE OGONIS UNDER DEMOCRACY IS LIKE PASSING A COW'S HEAD THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE." - GIDEON DEEMOR, PhD
Ogoni State Creation: Deemor Says Constitutional Hurdles Make Immediate Creation Difficult, Urges Focus on Economic Opportunities.
Lawyer, and practising engineer, Dr. Gideon Deemor, has called for a realistic assessment of the demand for the creation of Bori/Ogoni State, arguing that the constitutional requirements involved make the process highly demanding.
Deemor, in a statement dated September 27, 2026, explained that the creation of a new state under Nigeria’s constitutional framework requires several stages of approval, including a referendum in the affected area, legislative approval at the federal level and concurrence by the State Houses of Assembly.
According to him, the referendum must receive the required two-thirds support of voters in the affected area. The proposal must then secure the constitutionally prescribed majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, followed by approval from at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly.
The National Assembly would subsequently enact the necessary legislation to give effect to the new state and amend the relevant constitutional provisions.
Deemor argued that these constitutional hurdles explain why state creation has remained difficult since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. Previous constitutional review exercises have also seen proposals for additional states and boundary adjustments fail to secure the required legislative approval.
He recalled the longstanding Bori/Ogoni State creation campaign, particularly the efforts associated with the late Senator Cyrus Nunieh, saying the agitation had continued through successive National Assemblies but had not progressed to the stage required to achieve state creation.
Turning to the question of oil and gas resumption in Ogoniland, Deemor urged Ogonis to carefully consider the timing of the state-creation campaign alongside the immediate economic needs of the people.
He questioned whether the constitutional process required to create a new state could realistically be completed before oil and gas exploration resumes in Ogoniland, particularly given the length and complexity of the constitutional procedure.
“To have a state created for the Ogonis before oil and gas resumption under a constitutional democracy is like passing a cow's head through the eye of a needle,” Deemor stated.
He also drew attention to unemployment and poverty among Ogoni youths and graduates, arguing that the community should be concerned about the lack of economic opportunities despite the region’s natural resources.
Deemor said Ogonis had experienced deaths, environmental degradation, neglect and marginalisation associated with oil exploration in the past. He therefore urged the people to consider what he described as a new approach as the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu signals willingness to revisit oil and gas activities in Ogoniland.
He cautioned against allowing emotional arguments to overshadow what he described as the immediate need to improve the economic wellbeing of the people.
“Ogoni needs to be better in our time and the time is now,” he said.
Deemor maintained that the demand for state creation could continue, but argued that Ogonis should simultaneously consider employment, economic development and other opportunities that may arise from the resumption of oil and gas activities.
