By Sarah NEGEDU
As the world’s attention remains fixed on the ongoing FIFA World Cup, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had expressed disappointment over the failure of Nigeria’s Super Eagles to qualify for the global tournament.
Wike, speaking at the commissioning of the first phase of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road in Abuja, asked former Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo, to relay the frustration of many Nigerians to the national team, saying it was painful to watch countries with little football pedigree feature at the Mundial while Nigeria stayed away.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico after a faltering qualifying campaign in which the Super Eagles dropped crucial points in a group containing South Africa, Benin, Rwanda, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
The campaign was badly dented by a string of poor results, including the 1-1 home draw against Zimbabwe, as Nigeria fell behind South Africa in the race for the automatic qualification ticket.
Although the Super Eagles still reached the African play-offs as one of the best runners-up, their World Cup hopes were eventually ended by DR Congo. Nigeria had beaten Gabon 4-1 in the play-off semi-final, but were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in the final before losing 4-3 on penalties.
Wike used Wednesday’s project commissioning in Kuje to openly vent his frustration over the team’s failure to feature on football’s biggest stage.
“Before I leave, yes, we have congratulated one of our stars, Joseph Yobo. Let me use the medium through you to tell the Super Eagles, we are not happy. The moment they said Super Eagles, I said I won’t clap. Because I watch the World Cup and I see countries I’ve never had before, qualifying to play World Cup.
“I’m sitting down for hours, watching countries that I’ve never known. Nigerians, in this context, not less than 13 Nigerians, playing all over the world but here, we did not qualify. Yobo, go and tell them we are not happy,” Wike said.
The minister made the remark at the tail end of his speech during the inauguration of the 7-kilometre Kuje-Gwagwalada dual carriageway, one of several projects being commissioned in Abuja to mark President Tinubu’s third anniversary.
Earlier in his address, Wike had explained that the Kuje-Gwagwalada road project emerged from consultations with communities and traditional rulers across the six area councils after the Tinubu administration came into office in August 2023.
According to him, residents and stakeholders in Kuje had complained about the poor state of roads in the area and linked the problem to insecurity, saying bad roads made it difficult for security agencies to respond when crimes occurred.
He recalled that traditional ruler of Kuje pressed the administration to intervene on the Kuje-Gwagwalada road, which he described as a nightmare for residents and farmers moving produce to market.
The minister said he personally inspected the route and found it in a terrible state, adding that the Federal Executive Council later approved the award of the project to Gilmore in early 2025.
He expressed satisfaction that the first phase of the road had now been completed and said the contractor had promised to deliver the second phase by December.
President Bola Tinubu, who was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima, described the road as a major economic and security corridor for Kuje, Gwagwalada and neighbouring communities, saying it would end years of hardship faced by commuters, farmers, traders and students who had used the old road.
“For decades, this road was a death trap. Traders from Kuje, Gwagwalada, Kwali, and beyond lost time, goods, and sometimes lives while plying this road. Criminals thrive in the darkness. Students of our institutions have wasted hours in traffic. Farmers could not get their produce to market on time. But that story ends today,” Tinubu said in a speech delivered by Shettima.
He said the 7-kilometre dual carriageway, fitted with solar-powered streetlights, pedestrian walkways and drainage, would improve security, open up the economic potential of the area and deepen development in satellite communities.
Tinubu also praised Wike for extending infrastructure to communities outside Abuja city centre, saying the FCT Minister had taken the Renewed Hope agenda to the grassroots. “You heard the cries of satellite communities and you responded. That is leadership. Well done, Honourable Minister,” he said.
On her part, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, also described the project as a demonstration of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to improving lives through strategic infrastructure investments.
She said the road would not only improve mobility but also expand economic opportunities for residents of Kuje, Gwagwalada and adjoining communities.
Mahmoud also praised the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for what she described as his relentless drive in delivering critical infrastructure across the territory, saying the pace of development under his leadership had become a reference point for effective governance and project execution in the FCT.
