The Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Sarah Omakwu, has appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, not to allocate the Jabi Lake recreation area for private development.
Omakwu made the emotional appeal in a video shared on her Instagram page on Sunday, where she was seen kneeling on the pulpit while addressing the minister.
In her message, the cleric said she could not confront the minister but chose to plead as a concerned citizen, urging him to preserve the area as a public space for residents.
“I cannot fight the minister of the FCT. I cannot. But I go on my knees as a mother in this land that Jabi Lake Recreation Centre should not be given to anybody,” she said.
She highlighted the social and recreational value of the location, noting that it serves as a hub for exercise, small businesses, social interactions, and youth engagement.
“That is where people go for exercise. That is where people sell. That is where people meet and hobnob and get married,” she added.
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Omakwu also referenced concerns about the gradual restriction of public access to national landmarks, citing the example of Aso Rock, and warned against a similar outcome for Jabi Lake.
She urged the minister to prioritise public interest and maintain the space for communal use.
“I can’t fight you. But I can beg you in the name of God Almighty that that land be left for everybody,” she said.
Despite her concerns, the pastor commended Wike for ongoing infrastructure development across the Federal Capital Territory, particularly improvements in road networks.
Her appeal comes months after the Federal Capital Territory Administration entered into agreements with private firms, including Suburban Broadband Limited and Akida Hills Limited, to transform Jabi Lake into a major recreational and tourism hub.
The minister had stated that the initiative is part of efforts to reposition Abuja as a destination for leisure and economic activities.