Benin Republic ready to be Nigeria’s ‘37th state' – Minister

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon, had expressed readiness for his country to be part of Nigeria.

Onyeama, who stated this shortly after a close door meeting with Beninoise Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Aurélien Agbenonci, said the Beninoise president gave the offer when he visited President Muhammadu Buhari, a few weeks back.

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.

Onyeama said, at the visit, both presidents discussed agreements between the two countries on how to put the issue of smuggling to an end, once and for all, as a follow up to the presidents’ meeting.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has debunked the trending report that the Republic of Benin was aspiring to be the 37 State of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later made the denial in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr Ferdinand Nwonye.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the misleading report was quoted out of context following the meeting with Onyeama and his Beninese counterpart on Feb. 18 in Abuja.

The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37 State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin granted a Press Interview after a very fruitful meeting between Ministerial delegations from both countries.

And stated therein ‘… the President of Benin Republic said he would like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was the 37th State of Nigeria’.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria has no territorial ambition and has never aspired to make Benin or any country as part of Nigeria.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs was therefore quoted out of context and the general public should kindly disregard the wrong information,” the ministry urged.