The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday dismissed emotional appeals against the planned redevelopment of the Jabi Lake Recreation Area, insisting that public interest—not sentiments—guides his decisions.
Wike was reacting to a viral video in which the Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Sarah Omakwu, knelt during a church address to passionately urge the minister to halt any move to concession the waterfront facility to private developers.
In the video posted on Sunday, Omakwu, speaking from the pulpit, appealed to the FCT administration, saying she could not confront the minister but chose to “go on her knees as a mother” to plead that the recreation centre be preserved for public use.
However, speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja, Wike maintained that governance could not be dictated by emotional pressure.
“I am human, but you cannot expect everyone to be satisfied. If the majority of residents are happy, then I am content,” he said.
Addressing the pastor’s gesture directly, the minister added, “You talk about someone kneeling down and begging; I am not moved by such emotions. Begging for what? Who owns Jabi Lake?”
Wike argued that the facility had already been allocated to a private firm before he assumed office, with the mandate to develop it into a modern entertainment hub. According to him, the company failed to meet expectations and instead allowed the area to deteriorate into what he described as a cluster of shanties.
“When I visited, I found the place in an unacceptable state. There is even a hotel there—who would stay in such an environment surrounded by makeshift structures? You cannot rule out criminal activities in such conditions,” he said.
The minister reiterated his administration’s resolve to sanitise and properly develop public spaces across the FCT, stressing that decisions would continue to prioritise safety, orderliness and long-term urban planning.
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