Plateau State, which derives its name from the Jos Plateau, is located more or less at the centre of the country. The state has an area of about 26,899 sq. km and shares common boundaries with Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Taraba, Bauchi, and Gombe States.
Plateau State is a product of half a
century of boundary adjustments arising from the ambition of the
colonial masters to create a province which would largely consist of
non-Muslims under one resident.
Other factors that caused the boundary
adjustments was the desire by the Europeans to protect the railway line
being constructed at that time and guarantee the sustenance of tin
mining activities which began in 1902.
The strong desire of the indigenous peoples in this area, for political self-determination was also a relevant factor.
In the formative years of British
colonialism in Nigeria, much of Plateau State was part of Bauchi
province. In 1926, Plateau Province, comprising Jos and Pankshin
Divisions, was carved out of Bauchi Province.
At various times between 1926 and 1976, the boundary of Plateau province oscillated, to suit the general trend of political development in the country, as the government of the day agreed with the agitation of different ethnic groups to merge with their kith and kin that are of larger concentrations in other provinces. During this period, therefore, some administrative units or divisions as they were then called, from neighboring provinces were added to or subtracted from Plateau province. In May, 1967 twelve state into which the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon divided Nigeria in place of then existing regions.
The division of the country into smaller semi-autonomous states was an attempt to introduce a sense of balance between the north and the south, and to save the Federation from total disintegration which was imminent from the polarization of the country along ethnic lines after the bloody military take over of 1966 and the subsequent crisis which led to an attempted secession by the Eastern Region. Benue-Plateau State emerged as one of those large states of the Federation where pressure was mounted on the Federal government immediately after the civil war for the creation of more states.
At various times between 1926 and 1976, the boundary of Plateau province oscillated, to suit the general trend of political development in the country, as the government of the day agreed with the agitation of different ethnic groups to merge with their kith and kin that are of larger concentrations in other provinces. During this period, therefore, some administrative units or divisions as they were then called, from neighboring provinces were added to or subtracted from Plateau province. In May, 1967 twelve state into which the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon divided Nigeria in place of then existing regions.
The division of the country into smaller semi-autonomous states was an attempt to introduce a sense of balance between the north and the south, and to save the Federation from total disintegration which was imminent from the polarization of the country along ethnic lines after the bloody military take over of 1966 and the subsequent crisis which led to an attempted secession by the Eastern Region. Benue-Plateau State emerged as one of those large states of the Federation where pressure was mounted on the Federal government immediately after the civil war for the creation of more states.
When the country was however further
divided into nineteen states in 1976, Plateau province was severed from
Benue-Plateau State to become Plateau State. In 1996, the present
Nassarawa State was carved out of the western half of Plateau State by
the Abacha military regime.
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