On May 27, 1967, Nigeria’s military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, proclaimed a revolutionary restructuring of the country’s political map, dissolving the four existing regions and creating twelve new states. This decision came at a critical moment in Nigeria’s history, just days before the Eastern Region, led by Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared the Republic of Biafra and triggered the Nigerian Civil War.
The state creation decree remains one of the most consequential acts in Nigeria’s federal evolution. It was meant not only to reorganize administrative units but also to weaken secessionist momentum, empower minority groups, and preserve the unity of a fragile multi-ethnic nation.
Nigeria’s Four-Region Structure Before 1967
Before May 1967, Nigeria was composed of four large regions: the Northern, Western, Eastern, and Mid-Western regions. These regions were powerful political entities with broad administrative authority. In the years after independence, regional tensions escalated. Several episodes of political instability, including coups in 1966 and inter-ethnic violence, weakened confidence in the regional system and fueled calls for different approaches to national governance.
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Why Gowon Created States
Reduce Regional Dominance and Secession Threats
Gowon’s central objective was to address the dangerous concentration of power in the regions, particularly in the Eastern Region. By breaking the four large regions into smaller states, Gowon sought to dilute the influence of dominant ethnic blocs and reduce the likelihood that any one region could unilaterally threaten national unity.
The Eastern Region, which was pushing toward secession, was split into East-Central, South-Eastern, and Rivers States. This fragmentation was intended to weaken the political and economic influence of the Eastern leadership and undercut the cohesive base for Biafra’s independence movement.
Empowerment of Minority Groups
Beyond regional power politics, state creation responded to longstanding grievances of ethnic minorities. In the Eastern Region, groups such as the Ijaw, Ibibio, and Efik felt marginalized by Igbo-dominated regional leadership. By creating South-Eastern and Rivers States, Gowon’s decree gave these groups territory and political identity separate from Igbo influence.
This shift provided minority communities greater autonomy, political representation, and a stake in the federal system and discouraged them from aligning fully with the Biafran secessionist cause.
A Strategy for National Unity
Gowon repeatedly stated that his loyalty was to Nigeria, not any single region, and that federal restructuring was essential to prevent disintegration. He argued that no region, large or small, should have unchecked control that could precipitate fragmentation of the state.
The creation of states was part of a broader strategy to make Nigeria less susceptible to domination by one bloc, reduce fears of exclusion across ethnic lines, and promote cohesion in diversity.
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Immediate Impact on the Civil War
Just three days after the state creation decree, Colonel Ojukwu announced the secession of the Eastern Region as the Republic of Biafra. This act triggered the full-scale civil war that lasted from July 1967 until January 1970.
State creation did not stop Biafra’s declaration, but it changed the political landscape within which the conflict unfolded. It reduced the ability of secessionist leadership to claim unified regional control and offered alternatives for loyalty among minority groups within the former Eastern Region.
Long-Term Legacy of the 1967 States Decree
Foundation for Federalism Today
The 12-state structure of 1967 laid the groundwork for Nigeria’s evolving federal system. The country later expanded to 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory, but the principle remained that smaller, more numerous states can dampen regional hegemony and foster localized representation.
Shaping Nigeria’s Political Balance
By creating states along ethnic and regional lines, Gowon’s decree influenced the politics of resource control, identity, and governance. It was a turning point that reshaped Nigeria’s federal structure and informed debates about national unity and restructuring that continue to this day.
General Yakubu Gowon’s decision to create twelve states in May 1967 was a defining moment in Nigerian history. Faced with a fracturing federation, competing regional loyalties, and rising calls for secession, the restructuring aimed to weaken dominant regional groups, empower minorities, and preserve Nigerian unity. The impact of this decision was felt immediately in the Civil War and has endured as a central feature of Nigeria’s federal evolution.
Author’s Note
In the midst of Nigeria’s greatest constitutional crisis and the brink of civil war, General Yakubu Gowon’s decision to divide the country’s four regions into twelve states reshaped the nation’s political landscape. This move was aimed at diluting regional dominance, addressing longstanding minority grievances, and preserving Nigerian unity. It did not end conflict immediately, but it altered the course of the war and set a precedent for how Nigeria manages diversity, governance, and federal balance. Today, the legacy of this decision remains at the heart of debates about national cohesion and statehood in Nigeria.
References
THISDAYLIVE, Gowon on Nigerian restructuring
The Biafra Times, Division into twelve states
Office of the Historian, State creation and minority empowerment
Awijare News, List and context of new states
Guardian Nigeria, Why Gowon divided Nigeria
Infomediang , State creation and governors
Daily Post Nigeria, Gowon on fears of domination
1967 in Nigeria , Context of state creation
