First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Monday commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for transforming Abuja City Gate into a major recreational landmark.
She lamented that no state government entered the N50m prize category of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s Green Nigeria Challenge, designed to encourage youths to convert abandoned spaces and dumpsites into green parks and gardens.
She spoke during a ceremony at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, to honour the FCT Administration for its environmental efforts, at which she presented Certificates of Commendation to Wike and the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Bunkure.
Senior Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady, Busola Kukoyi, revealed details of the engagement in a statement she signed and released on Monday titled ‘Posterity Will Judge You Well for the Development of the Federal Capital Territory.’
The First Lady described the City Gate transformation as a physical manifestation of what the community category of the Green Challenge was designed to inspire and expressed disappointment that the category attracted no submissions from any state.
The Household and State categories of the Green Nigeria Challenge remain open until December 20, 2026.
“It was a N50m prize money, and they didn’t enter. This was supposed to get our youth involved,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu said the initiative was designed to encourage states to convert neglected public spaces into clean and attractive environments and appealed to wives of state governors to mobilise young people into environmental clubs and sustainability initiatives.
She stated, “I’m using this opportunity to appeal to our First Ladies: get our young children into the environmental clubs and environmental societies for our youth in tertiary institutions.
“I remember 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. It was a memorable experience for us.”
On the City Gate itself, she said, “When I saw what he did with the City Gate, my God, unbelievable. I want to thank him. He’s done very well. 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.”
She also called for youth engagement in national environmental stewardship, saying, “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.”
Wike, for his part, credited the First Lady with personally inspiring the City Gate transformation, revealing that it originated from her observations after returning from foreign trips.
“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?’” he said.
He 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 visited even at night.
“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.
The former Rivers Governor announced plans to replicate the concept in the Lifecamp area of Abuja.
He announced, “I’ve also told the First Lady that I want to replicate another one when you go to the Lifecamp 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. That is what happens in other countries.”
Wike described environmental cleanliness as a prerequisite for genuine national development.
According to him, “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.
“When you put green areas around developments, it looks natural. That is the way we are supposed to live.”
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