Former Gambia High Commissioner Task Nigerians To Eschew Peace, Unity
…says FCT indigene marginalized, neglected.
By ZAKAA LAZARUS, Abuja.
A former High Commissioner to the Gambia and Chairperson, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Chief (Mrs) Esther John Audu, has task Nigerians to Eschew Peace and unity to enable development in Nigeria.
She gave the charge at her resident while recieving a Luminary Character Award of Excellent, presented by Character Media Incorporation, in conjunction with Jacco’s Charity International in Abuja.
Amb.Esther Audu also thank the organisers of the award lauds them for promoting peace and unity in the country.
“Continue to promote this peace and unity you are promoting, it is only when we are united and when we have peace that we can achieve growth and development as a country.
The former Nigerian ambassador to The Gambia also worried how FCT indigenes are neglected in areas of developing the local and land grabbing.
According to her, “Abuja is a mini Nigeria. People were living here before it became Federal Capital. They were to be moved out for FCT to be established. Some were moved, some left behind. Those left behind were to be gradually moved. Up to today, those moved have not been compensated. Those left were not relocated. They have been affected as Federal Government development activities meet them.
” Former FCT Minister, Ibrahim Bunu put in motion to move the people of Jabi I and II and Mabushi to Jibi along the Kubwa Expressway. Jibi was chosen and prototype structures selected. The place has been turned into a Police village. My people have been disorganized, families cannot be together. Nigeria has ended up disorganising innocent people of Abuja.
“I want to see FCT residents vote for their own governor, we need more local governments, senatorial and House of Representatives seats. There are about 3.2 million people in the FCT and still with one senator. We have rights to have up to ten local governments, so our children will have opportunities for jobs. There are many states that are not up to two million, but they have three senators and more than five members in the House of Representatives.
“We have right to expansion to take care of the population. Lagos operated as federal capital for many years as a state with a governor and everything and we didn’t have problem in the country. Same thing we are asking for Abuja. The people are trapped.
“There has not beeen fairness and justice. We need to take care of the person that have been patient and peaceful, but doesn’t mean they should be trampled upon or taken as second class citizens in their own country for allowing their own resource control to be taken over, she added.
On her part, Miss Africa United Nations, Jodie Frank who presented the award noted that luminary award is not just given to anybody but was single out of merits and her contributions towards development of Nigeria and humanity.
Jodie also laud the recipient to continue with her good work she has been doing through impacting her vast knowledge and experience to the society.
