In 1976, the then military
government decided to move the capital
of Nigeria from Lagos to a new place. The
major reason for this was that Lagos was
overcrowded, located at the tail end of the country and thus will be an easy
target for
any external aggressor; hence the city was considered unbefitting
for
Well planned, structured, and designed, Nigeria commenced the construction of a model
capital for Africa . The city was designed to
have five area councils (AMAC, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kwali, and Bwari) which were
then divided into districts.
These area
councils were to be developed in stages with the Abuja Municipal Area Council
(AMAC) being the first to be developed. So in 1991, Nigeria
officially moved her capital from Lagos to Abuja . With a well
developed road network and gigantic projects like the Aso Rock Presidential
villa, National Assembly Complex, Ministers Hill, Gwarimpa estate which is the
largest estate in West Africa, Abuja
became the dream of every Nigerian. In the early 2000, Abuja was said to be the fastest growing
capital in the world due to the massive construction and city beautification
projects that were undertaken by the government to make the city a world class
capital.
However,
since 1991 till date, only AMAC has been developed in accordance with its
master plan. It’s sad to let you know
that the Abuja
we hear of and see on TV with beautiful streets, and well planned
infrastructure is just a small portion of the city which is inhabited by those
in the corridors of power. Every good thing you hear about Abuja
and every beautiful picture you see about Abuja
is just of AMAC. In fact, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) is well developed and beautiful
that it will be difficult for any foreigner who is visiting Nigeria for the first time to accept that there
is a great infrastructural deficit in Nigeria
let alone other parts of Abuja .
The Abuja they show to us is just within the
Central Business District where you will find the CBN headquarters, the NNPC Towers ,
the Church Gate
Towers , the World Trade Centre, the millennium Tower Eagle Square , Aso Rock presidential Villa
are located. Then the beautiful and outrageously expensive residential
districts like Asokoro, Maitama, Gwarimpa, Wuse, Utako, and Jabi Districts. Funny
enough, just beside this paradise are shanties and slumps that can only be
compared to those in war torn areas like Somalia
or Syria .
It is sad to know that 25 years after moving Nigeria’s
capital from Lagos to Abuja, only AMAC which has been designed for politicians
and the super wealthy people has been developed, leaving the other area
councils meant for the low income earners deliberately undeveloped and un
attended to like a penniless patient at the general hospital. Another bitter
pill is the fact that about 95 percent of those who live in Abuja
are in the satellite towns but however, 99 percent of the Abuja ’s infrastructure is concentrated in
AMAC where the rich, influential and powerful people reside. The real face of Abuja is not what they
show on TV but the towns and villages where majority of the residents live.
These places have no vestige of government presence and lack all the basic
social amenities just like every other place in Nigeria .
Walking through the streets of Abuja , you are surrounded by beautiful and
intimidating buildings that goaled you to rue the fact that you are poor. The
question most residents ask is “When will Abuja
become a city for everyone, both the rich and the poor”?
Written by: Justice
Agan
Read more of my
articles on www.justiceagan.blogspot.com
Email: justiceagan4@gmail.com
Phone: 08064645620
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