The Arogbo-Ijaw people of Ondo State have once again reiterated their longstanding demand for the creation of Toru-Ebe State, citing years of systemic marginalization, ethnic division, and the consistent denial of their right to self-determination. This renewed appeal was made during the South-West Centre B Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, held in Akure, the Ondo State capital. Speaking on behalf of the group, Chief Francis Williams stated that the push for the creation of Toru-Ebe State is driven by the "historical and ongoing injustices" faced by the Ijaw ethnic group spread across Delta, Edo, and Ondo States. Williams said, “Our request is hinged on the complete lack of fairness, justice, equity, and non-compliance with international conventions, laws, and declarations concerning the Ijaw ethnic nationality within the Nigerian nation-state.” According to him, the Ijaw people, with over 8,000 years of uninterrupted history in the Niger Delta, have been “balkanised, marginalized, and rendered politically vulnerable.” He traced the origin of their struggle to colonial-era decisions that divided the Ijaw people between the Eastern and Western Regions, resulting in their status as minorities in several states. This fragmentation, he argued, has weakened their political voice and cultural cohesion. Williams referenced various national conferences and conventions—from Patani in 1991 to Kaiama in 1993—where demands for homogenous Ijaw states were made, yet continuously ignored. Citing international frameworks such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Arogbo-Ijaw group affirmed their right to exercise control over their land, culture, governance, and resources free from external interference. “We are invoking global declarations and charters to which Nigeria is a signatory. The Ijaw people deserve a state of their own—not just as a matter of political restructuring but as a fulfillment of their right to self-determination,” Williams declared. The group also referenced iconic Nigerian figures such as Chief Rotimi Williams and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who had previously warned against the splitting of ethnic nationalities into minority enclaves. “It is immoral to split one ethnic group into two,” Chief Williams had said, while Dr. Azikiwe stressed the importance of ethnic unity within states as a prerequisite for genuine self-determination. While acknowledging the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996 as a positive step, the Arogbo-Ijaws noted that their counterparts in the western flank of the Niger Delta remain “politically stranded.” As the constitutional review process progresses, the group urged the National Assembly to correct what they termed a “historical injustice” by recommending the creation of Toru-Ebe State from parts of Delta, Edo, and Ondo States. Concluding their submission, Chief Williams stated, “Our heroes past are on the same page with us in the demand for the creation of Toru-Ebe State. We rest our case.