Shiny hall, shattered hopes – Daily Trust

Recently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the newly renovated International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, a facility now renamed after him. It was a glittering ceremony filled with pomp, praise and political spectacle. But behind the curtains of celebration lies a disturbing reality: The edifice stands as a monument to misplaced priorities in a time of widespread suffering and neglect across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nigeria as a whole.

The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, who spearheaded the renovation project, did not shy away from defending the jaw-dropping expenditure, saying those criticising the N39 billion renovation “do not have good taste.”

He said, “The only thing in that International Conference Centre that was not changed is just the block work. Everything in that Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre was changed.

SPONSOR AD

“Nigeria, as the Giant of Africa, must not only show that it is the giant of Africa; people must see what makes you to be the giant of Africa. Nobody who loves this country would criticise the International Conference Centre.

“They said we did not name the International Conference Centre after someone who built it. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was not built by Nnamdi Azikiwe. Moshood Abiola International Stadium was not built by Moshood Abiola.”

President Tinubu, instead of using the occasion to redirect the focus to more pressing national needs, heaped praises on Wike.

“You are a transformational leader. You have the vision, foresight and determination to succeed. Don’t pay attention to busybodies and bystanders and whatever they say. Continue with your good work,” the president said.

This public display of self-congratulation, coming at a time when schools in Abuja and other parts of the country are in ruins, hospitals are crumbling and millions are struggling to access clean water, is nothing short of tone-deafness by the political elite.

The lack of empathy is glaring. Before the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023, both Tinubu and his economic team promised Nigerians that the trillions of naira saved would be invested in improving their lives, building schools, hospitals, transportation, power and infrastructure that touch the everyday citizen.

Today, the government has more funds at its disposal than at any other time in recent memory. But where is the impact?

Instead of fixing the rotting classrooms where pupils sit on bare floors under leaking roofs, instead of addressing the chronic shortage of teachers, doctors and medical supplies, the government chose to refurbish a luxury venue used predominantly for elite events. As we write this, primary school teachers in the FCT are struggling to get their salaries and allowances while the schools have remained closed for months.

According to an investigation by this newspaper, the amount spent on renovating the ICC is enough to build 312 health centres or 1, 200 classrooms. The N39 billion is more than the capital expenditure of 9 federal medical centres.

In some hospitals in the FCT, patients are told to buy gloves and syringes before receiving any form of treatment. That is the reality the poor contends with every day.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the decision to channel N39 billion to ICC, which was built at the sum of N240 million in 1991, has drawn sharp criticism from citizens and the civil society.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time Nigerian leaders have demonstrated such insensitivity. But what makes this instance particularly galling is that it comes amid unprecedented economic hardship. The very people who were told to endure the pain of subsidy removal are watching their leaders squander public funds on a ceremonial building while they beg for food, jobs and medical care.

What is more damning is that the renamed Tinubu ICC will continue to host the same elite conferences, political summits and state dinners, mostly inaccessible to the ordinary Nigerian. The only tangible link between this project and the masses is the taxes and hardship they endure to fund such extravagance.

We at Daily Trust therefore call on the government of President Tinubu to reassess its priorities and remember the promises made. Accountability is not a favour, it is a duty. Leadership is not about building monuments to self but building a future for the people.

The president’s silence on the naming of the centre in his honour also raises questions about his commitment to modesty and people-centred governance. At the very least, he could have declined the gesture and directed that the funds be channelled towards repairing lives, not bricks.

Now that the deed is done and the damage cannot be reversed, the FCT administration must walk its talk. Minister Wike promised that “from now on, every event held at the ICC must be paid for. There is no free event again.” We will hold him to that promise. The facility must not become another freebie for government ministries, departments and political cronies. Let it generate revenue and justify its outrageous cost.

More importantly, let this misstep be a lesson. Nigeria cannot afford to continue in this direction. Lavish spending on vanity projects while the majority wallow in poverty and despair is a recipe for social unrest.

Our leaders must understand that a polished conference centre will not hide the rot in the system. The applause of the elite will not drown the cries of the hungry. And history will remember not the buildings they renamed but the lives they rebuilt or destroyed.

The government must urgently redirect attention and resources to the people’s real needs, including education, health care, housing, water and food security. These are the things that matter. These are the things that save lives and give meaning to citizenship.