Leadership (Abuja)
Nuhu Yerwa
13 February 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
General Murtala Muhammad fully accepted Justice Akinola Aguda's recommendations, and 48 hours thereafter, made the historic national broadcast of February 3, 1976, promulgating Decree No. 6 which established the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). FCDA was mandated under a sole administrator to initiate plans, designs, facilities and integrate all lands with a view to serving multiple purposes for Nigerians of various grades and aspirations based on adequate land planning schemes.
Straight away, the Decree vested the overall ownership, control and adjudication of all lands (valleys, hills, plains) in the territory under the federal government, represented, ipso-facto, by the FCT administration.
In all, from the hours of 00.00 of December 12, 1991, Abuja became practically Nigeria's new federal capital after a great journey of some 15 years (1976 - 1991).
Abuja Vs A Dozen Other Contestants
From the memoranda tendered before Justice Akinola Aguda by concerned Nigerians at home and abroad, about two dozens of different locations across the Nigerian landscape were said to have been suggested. Suffice to mention Kafanchan, Minna, Makurdi, Agege, Lafiya, Auchi, Abaji, Jos, Baro, Aganebode, Ife and Oken - Aladja area etc. But Abuja won the competition, took the glory and wore the crown. And the whole African continent submitted. Hence, each pays homage almost on a daily basis to this foremost first city of Africans.
Excerpts Of The Broadcast Proclaiming Abuja As Nigeria's FCT
"Fellow Nigerians,
A joint meeting of the National Council of States has just concluded sitting. The meeting has deliberated on reports submitted by the following panels.
(a) Assets investigation of some former public officers;
(b) Abandoned properties in the three Eastern States which comprised the former Eastern Region;
(c) Relocation of the federal capital; and
(d) Creation of more states.
These panels, as you will no doubt recall, were set up by this administration at its inception. They were all given adequate terms of reference and sufficient time in which to deliberate and submit their reports and recommendations to the FMG.
I will like to seize this opportunity to thank each and every one of them for the excellent work they have done. They deserve the nation's gratitude.
In the deliberation on these reports, I will like to emphasise that the joint meeting was guided solely by national interest and consideration for justice, peace and stability.
The Panel On The Location Of Federal Capital:
The panel on the location of the federal capital has recommended that the nation's capital should move out of Lagos to a federal territory of about 8,000 square kilometers in the central part of the country.
The Supreme Military Council has accepted this recommendation. The site recommended satisfied the panel's criteria of centrality, good and tolerable climate, land availability and use, adequate water supply, low population density, physical planning convenience, security and multi-access possibility. The area is not within the control of any major ethnic groups in the country. We believe that the new capital created on such virgin land as suggested will be for all Nigerians a symbol of their oneness and unity. The federal territory will belong to all Nigerians.
The few local inhabitants in the area who need to be moved out of the territory for planning purposes will be resettled outside the area in places of their choice at government expense.
In order to avoid land speculation in the area, a decree is being promulgated immediately to vest all land in the federal territory in the federal government. A Federal Capital Development Authority is to be established to plan and administer the territory. An administrator for the federal territory will soon be appointed to provide municipal services in the area.
The chairman of the Federal Capital Development Authority of nine members will be of cabinet rank. The authority is expected to start work at once but the movement of the seat of the federal government out of Lagos is expected to take some ten to fifteen years. The present administration is firmly committed to ensuring that the necessary ground work is completed and construction work started within the next four years.
Lagos will, in the foreseeable future, remain the nation's commercial capital and one of its nerve centers. But in terms of servicing the present infrastructure alone, the committed amount of money and effort required will be such that Lagos State will not be ready to cope. It will even be unfair to expect the state to bear this heavy burden on its own. It is, therefore, necessary for the federal government to continue to sustain the substantial investment in the area. The port facilities and other economic activities in the Lagos area have to be expanded. There is need in the circumstance for the federal government to maintain a special defence and security arrangement in Lagos which will henceforth be designated a SPECIAL AREA. These arrangements will be carefully worked out and written into the constitution. Kaduna and Port-Harcourt are to be accorded similar status and designated special areas under the constitution".
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