First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Monday praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for converting Abuja’s City Gate into a prominent leisure hub.
She expressed regret that no state administration participated in the N50m award tier of the Renewed Hope Initiative’s Green Nigeria Challenge, created to motivate young citizens to turn neglected areas and waste dumps into eco-friendly parks and gardens.
She delivered her remarks at an event inside the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, to recognize the FCT Administration for its ecological initiatives, where she awarded 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, disclosed specifics of the gathering in an official dispatch issued on Monday titled ‘Posterity Will Judge You Well for the Development of the Federal Capital Territory.’
The First Lady portrayed the City Gate upgrade as a concrete example of what the community segment of the Green Challenge intended to stimulate, while conveying dismay that the division received zero entries from any state.
The Household and State segments of the Green Nigeria Challenge will stay 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.
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Mrs Tinubu stated the venture was tailored to prompt states to turn disregarded public zones into neat and inviting spaces, urging spouses of state governors to rally young citizens into ecological groups and sustainability movements.
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.”
Regarding 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 further advocated for youth involvement in nationwide environmental caretaking, 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, on his end, attributed the City Gate overhaul directly to the First Lady, disclosing that the concept stemmed from her feedback following international journeys.
