First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for turning Abuja’s City Gate into a recreational and environmental landmark, and has called on state governments to involve more young people in environmental protection efforts.
Speaking on Monday during a ceremony to honour the FCT Administration for its work under the Renewed Hope Green Initiative, Mrs Tinubu described the transformation of the City Gate as “unbelievable.”
“When I saw what he did with the City Gate, my God, unbelievable, unbelievable. I want to thank him. He’s done very well,” she said.
The First Lady also expressed disappointment that no state participated in the ₦50 million Green Challenge, a competition designed to encourage states to reclaim abandoned spaces and dumpsites.
“It was a ₦50 million prize money and they didn’t enter. This was supposed to get our youth involved,” she said.
According to her, the initiative was meant to push states to convert neglected public spaces into clean and attractive environments. “This was to turn around abandoned spaces, dumpsites, and we see a lot of it around the states,” she added.
Mrs Tinubu appealed directly to state First Ladies to mobilise students.
“I’m using it to appeal to our First Ladies: Get our young children into the environmental clubs and environmental societies for our youth in tertiary institutions,” she said.
She recalled her own activism as a student, saying she was a member of the Youth Environmental Programme for West Africa while at the College of Education and travelled across the region.
“We travelled from Nigeria throughout West Africa by road. It was a memorable experience for us,” she said.
“We have to engage our young people and make sure that they can help build. Everybody has something to contribute to this country. It’s a great country and that’s why we are doing all we can,” she added.
Responding, Minister Wike said the City Gate project was inspired by the First Lady herself. He said Mrs Tinubu had repeatedly urged him to improve the aesthetics of the capital after comparing it with city gates abroad.
“She called on me to say, ‘Why do we travel out and we do not learn anything when we travel? Look at the way our city looks, look at the way city gates in other countries look. Why not do something to change it?’” Wike said.
He said the FCT Administration later engaged the original designers of the City Gate to develop a new concept.
“Today, by the grace of God, whenever you pass there, even at night, you see people gathered there. There is activity. That is what it is supposed to be,” he said.
Wike announced plans to replicate the project in other parts of Abuja, starting with Life Camp.
“I’ve also told the First Lady that I want to replicate another one when you go to the Life Camp area. We have a green space where people come to relax, but it doesn’t look tidy or attractive. I’ve directed that it should be redesigned into another recreation centre where people can come and relax,” he said.
The minister stressed that clean green spaces are key to national development.
“Nobody can talk about the development of any country or city where the environment is not clean. When you go to Europe, what attracts you is the beauty, the green environment and the clean surroundings,” he said.
Wike thanked the First Lady for her push, adding: “Leadership is about learning. She drew our attention to areas that needed improvement, and instead of complaining, we acted. That is exactly what we have done.”
