Nigerians reject Benin Republic’s offer to become the country’s 37th state

Nigerians on Twitter have rejected Benin Republic’s offer to become the 37th state under Nigeria’s federal republic.

A few weeks back, after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Beninoise Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Aurélien Agbenonci, said his country had offered to be a part of Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, gave these details to reporters on Saturday.

“The President of Benin said as far as they are concerned, they want (not just saying it like that) but in reality, Benin should be the 37th state of Nigeria,” he said.

“We should really be one. They charged us to come together at ministerial level, to work out a framework for a sustainable relationship.”

However, more than 60% of Nigerians who took part in an online poll answered ‘no’ to the question “Do you think Benin Republic should become Nigeria’s 37th state?”

Do you think Benin Republic should become Nigeria's 37th state?

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) February 20, 2021

One respondent answered “I have been in Benin republic several times and the majority of them hate Nigerians and things works more better for them there in terms of social amenities and other stuff why will they beg to join Nigeria? In what basis?”

Another wrote “No for two reasons . One if it’s possible for them to join, it’s should equally possible for biafra to secede. Two they should wait when Nigeria eventually break they will join their brothers in oduduwa”

Benin Republic is Nigeria’s neighbour to the west. Both countries share a border, similar cultural and economic ties.