By Celine-Damilola Oyewole
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for transforming Abuja’s City Gate into a major recreational and environmental landmark.
The First Lady on Monday at the State House honoured Wike and awarded him a Certificate of Commendation for carrying out remodelling works across the territory, saying, “Posterity will judge you well for the development of FCT.
The First Lady commended the FCT Administration for its environmental efforts, which she said were in line with the just-concluded category of the ongoing Green Nigeria Challenge of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
Tinubu, however, urged State governments to emulate Wike by engaging the Youth in Environmental Protection.
She said she was impressed by the transformation of the City Gate, describing it as “unbelievable,” in spite of a N50 million cash prize to be won by the best state that would carry out the challenge.
According to the First Lady, the RHI Green Challenge was to encourage states to reclaim abandoned spaces and dumpsites and turn them into recreation centres.
”Unfortunately, no state entered for that category of the competition.
“It was a ₦50 million prize money, and they didn’t enter. This was supposed to get our youth involved,” she said.
”This was to turn abandoned spaces around, but for the Minister, when I saw what he did with the city gate, it was unbelievable.
”I want to thank him; he has done very well in transforming the city. I am using this occasion to appeal to our governors’ wives to get our young children to key into our green environment club.
The First Lady explained that the initiative was designed to encourage states to convert neglected public spaces into clean and attractive environments.
“The transformation reflects the vision behind the just concluded Community Category of the Challenge, which was designed to encourage youth groups to transform degraded public spaces, including dumpsites and abandoned areas, into green parks, gardens and other eco-friendly spaces.
”Our goal is to complement the government’s effort in beautifying our environment and promoting healthier communities towards improving the quality of life of our people.
“The remodelled Abuja City Gate is an excellent example of what abandoned public areas can become: a transformed key national landmark that warmly welcomes all Nigerians and visitors to our nation’s capital.
The First Lady also appealed to Wives of State Governors to mobilise the youth to participate in environmental clubs and sustainability initiatives in schools and tertiary institutions.
“I’m using this opportunity to appeal to our First Ladies to get our young children into the environmental clubs and environmental societies for our youth in tertiary institutions.
”When I was in the College of Education, I was a member of the Youth Environmental Programme for West Africa; we travelled from Nigeria throughout West Africa by road, and it was a memorable experience for us.
”Our young ones should be encouraged to contribute to national development through environmental stewardship; we have to engage our young people and make sure they can help build.”
”Everybody has something to contribute to this country; it is a great country, and that’s why we are doing all we can,” Tinubu said.
In his remarks, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, revealed that the First Lady personally inspired the transformation of the Abuja City Gate.
According to the minister, the idea originated from the First Lady’s observations after returning from foreign trips, adding that she also encouraged him to carry out some road projects within the FCT.
“The First Lady has to be commended for the FCT keying into the Renewed Hope Green Initiative because she has always said we have to change our environment and create opportunities where people can gather and relax.
“She called 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?
”Unfortunately, no state has been able to do that. What we did at the city gate has now become a centre of attraction, but it is the initiative of the First Lady.
”I have also told her that we are going to repeat another one. We have green areas where we can replicate the city gate, where people can relax. It is unhealthy for the environment to look untidy.
”Leadership is all about learning; when she called me, I keyed in because there is nothing wrong in learning; it is beautiful. She was praising us for our leadership in learning; for us, we feel elated,” Wike said.
The minister explained that the FCT Administration subsequently engaged the original designers of the City Gate to develop a new concept that has since transformed the location into a vibrant public attraction.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the occasion was the presentation of the RHI Certificate of Commendation to Wike by the First Lady in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and performance.
Present at the event were the Wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shetima, who is the Vice Chairman of RHI, Wives of Ministers, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) officials, and former Senators. (NAN)
Edited by Nick Nicholas