Abuja, not just with respect to the huge cost of the entire project but also in respect of the socio-economic, political and environmental impact represents the most gigantic project ever undertaken by Nigeria’s Federal government since independence in 1960, and even before.

When the committee to examine the re-location of the Federal Capital was set up on August 9, 1975, the terms of reference were

-          To examine the dual role of Lagos as a state and federal capital and advise on the desirability of the city retaining dual role.

-          If the committee finds that the Federal Government should move out of Lagos, it should recommend suitable alternative locations having regard to the need for easy accessibility to and from all parts of the country.

To enable the august committee achieve its aims, the committee toured Nigeria and visited other countries, it received memoranda from experts as well as from the general public. It submitted its report in December 1975 with the following major recommendations.

-          That Lagos is incapable of performing a dual role as a Federal and a state capital due to the problem of inadequate space for development commensurate with its status.

-          That the city is identified with, predominantly one ethnic group, and by implication, does not provide equal access to Nigeria’s great diversity of cultural groups.

-          That a new capital is desirable that would be secure, ethnically neutral, centrally accessible, comfortable and healthful and possess adequate land and natural resources to provide a promising base for urban development, and

-          That a new capital is needed as a symbol of Nigeria’s aspirations for unity and greatness.

The then Federal Military Government wasted no time in accepting the recommendations of the committee. In a dawn broadcast on February 3, 1976, ten days before he was assassinated, the then Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed announced the removal of Federal Capital Inland, 1, 100kms from Lagos.

 Criteria for selecting the site of the Federal Capital Territory based on 100% are as follows: Centrality – 22%, Health & Climate = 12%, Land Availability -10%, Water Supply – 10% and Multi-Access Possibilities – 70%. Others are Security – 6 %, Existence of Local Building Materials – 6%, Low Population Density – 6%, Power Resources 5%, Drainage – 5%, Soil – 4%, Physical Planning Convenience – 4% and Ethnic Accord – 3%.

On February 5, 1976, decree No 6 cited as the Federal Capital Territory Decree, was published. The decree vested ownership and control of all the land in the area in the Federal Military Government. Section 1 (3) of the decree provides that, from then on, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would be governed and administered by the Federal Government. In the same decree, the Federal Capital Territory (FCDA) becomes the Government Agency responsible for the design, construction and management of the new Capital Territory The Abuja Master Plan drawn by the International Planning Associates produced a city structure which is at once elegant and simple. Running through the middle of the city, east-west is the Central Area. The Central Area is the government sector consisting of Offices of governments and government parastatals and Agencies. To the North and South of the Central Area are the residential zones.

These residential zones are organized in a hierarchy, reminiscent of the hierarchies of the Central Place Theory in the literature. First are their neighborhoods of varying sizes. Several neighborhoods constitute a District. But what is lacking is the low-cost houses for common man. The structure, scale and grandeur of the Abuja Master Plan were of course influenced by the fact that it was crafted during the oil boom era of 1970s. The mood in the country was that of optimism and the political climate was good with a renewed and reinvigorated faith in Nigerian Unity with much of the bold and patriotic policies of Murtala Mohammed / Olusegun Obasanjo administration. This Master Plan captured these optimisms especially with the elaborate provisions in the Central Area, the numerous high rise buildings and flyovers and the multi-lane roads. This was grandeur at its best.

By 1977, the total population of FCT was about 125,000 spread among 845 villages, many of which had populations less than 20. This rose slowly to only 131,525 in 1981. This slow growth may be accounted for by the fact that building of the city began in 1980 and by 1981, only the construction workers were actually in the city. In 1982, the first batch of Civil Servants moved in.

This means that the population rose more rapidly in the decade to 1991 such that in the 1991 census, the population of the FCT was 378,671 with the Federal Capital City alone having a population of 212,854.

From 1991 onwards, projections show that the Federal Capital City population has been doubling every 3-5 years with many phases of development yet to be actualized as projected while numerous squatter settlements have sprung up due to the heavy influx of the people. The 2003 estimate of the population of Abuja is about 3.5 million. The estimate for the total population of the FCT is more than 6 million.

In Abuja, the estimate of those living in the city proper is not more than 25% while the remaining 75% live in surrounding squatter settlement. It has been argued that the explanatory factor for this unusual phenomenon is that the city proper has been over-priced, especially with respect to housing. This then means that most of the workers who cannot afford to live in the city proper, find their way to the squatter settlements and uncompleted or abandoned buildings within the city which punctuated all high-brow areas of the city and are many.

One of such uncompleted buildings is the one that collapsed on August 12, 2010 at Ikole Street, Area 11, Garki, reportedly killing many out of more than 100 illegal occupants alleged to be living in the four storey building.

The Federal Government and Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have always treated housing problem in the FCT as a priority but its provision has never been fully adequate to meet the needs of the FCT teeming population.

A lot still needs to be done especially in the area of provision of affordable accommodation for the majority of the populace. Abuja should not be a city for the rich only. The current situation where the rich live in the city and the low income groups live in squatter settlements on the periphery is unacceptable and needs to be remedied quickly. The F.C.T.A should re-examine the issue of housing and take more realistic measures to achieve housing particularly for the low income earners. Greater participation with government subsidizing of houses by the private sector in collaboration with the beneficiaries should be encourage more. It is my conviction that FCTA administration can still salvage the situation through a realistic well-thought-out policy.

Bamidele can be reached at e-mail:liftmeahead@yahoo.com

or 08033237973