https://selectng.com.ng/abuja-is-a-big-lie/

ABUJA IS A BIG LIE!
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 Nigeria; at least that’s what we heard from the grapevine! So Abuja was chosen, and a new city was carved out from Kogi, Niger, and Nasarawa states to be the Federal Capital Territory.
The largest national park in Nigeria
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. Isn’t that supposed to be awesome?
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; then everyone one began to move to the new ‘corridor of power”! 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. Maitama, Asokoro, Utako, Gwarimpa, Jabi and Central Business Districts were the flagship areas to receive the excellent touch of a well planned road network that was accompanied with beautiful landscapes. In the early 2000, (under the administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo) 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 under the then minister for the FCT, Mallam Nasiru El Rufai to make the city a world class capital.
However, since 1991 till date, only AMAC has been developed at least in resemblance of the city’s original 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, the Central Mosque, and The national Encumical center and the three Arms Zone where the National Assembly complex, Eagle Square, Aso Rock presidential Villa are located. Then the beautiful but outrageously expensive residential districts like Asokoro, Maitama, Gwarimpa, Wuse, Utako, and Jabi Districts. represent a city (just like the Nigerian government) without plans for the average citizens. 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 27 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 other Area Councils meant for the low income earners deliberately undeveloped and un attended to like a penniless patient in a private 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 Abuja’s infrastructure is concentrated in AMAC where the rich, influential and powerful people who make up just one percent of the city’s population 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 will compel 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”? But wait a minute, someone just whispered to me right now that even those beautiful infrastructures that we use to know Abuja for are now in comatose and begging for help.
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Written by: Justice Agan
Email: justiceagan4@gmail.com
Phone: 08064645620

OP what did you expect?

No be lie sha, but na small small kpekus dey wide.

There was York before the New York you see and hear of today.

Sad enough, conceited efforts are not even made presently to develop the city or at least maintain its status as a beautiful city.

lol

The question most residents ask is “When will Abuja become a city for everyone, both the rich and the poor”?

I'm not sure the idea was for Abuja to be a 'city for everyone'.

If you have no business there, then you really shouldn't be there, otherwise you have another Lagos in the making: unending traffic congestion, crime, etc.

OP: NIGERIA IS A BIG LIE