President Bola Tinubu has named two roads in Guzape Districts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, after Chinua Achebe and J.P. Clark.
Tinubu named the roads after the two late renowned writers following a request from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Wike made the request during the inauguration of Guzape Lot II Engineering Infrastructure by Tinubu in Abuja on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
Achebe was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and central figure of modern African literature, while Clerk was a Nigerian poet and playwright.
Speaking at the event, Wike said: “I want to appeal to you, just like what you did last time when you approved the naming of Arterial N-20 Road after Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
“There are a lot of Nigerians who also have in one way or the other made their own contributions, particularly in literary works.
Tinubu names Abuja road after Soyinka
“So many of them have made Nigeria proud. People like Chinua Achebe; people like J.P. Clark.
“Your Excellency, I want to appeal to you to name this road after Chinua Achebe and another road within the same district after J.P. Clark.”
The minister described Guzape as one of the biggest districts in Abuja and fast developing.
He stated that the contract was awarded in 2003 at N14 billion, during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and divided into two lots.
Wike said that Lot I was awarded to Dantata and Sawoe while Lot II was awarded to Gilmor Engineering, adding that the contract was revised to over N18 billion in the third week of May 2023.
Wike disclosed that Dantata and Sawoe had left the site for a long time until Tinubu’s administration came on board and mobilised them back to site with work currently ongoing.
For the completed Lot II, the minister said he had inspected the execution of the project over 15 times to ensure timely delivery of the project.
He said the project was delivered despite litigations by some residents to stop the contractor from blasting rocks to give way for road construction in the district.
Wike added that the ongoing work at Guzape Diplomatic Zone would soon be completed.
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