By Emmanuel Kwada
Human rights activist and publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, has fiercely criticized Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike for organizing a church thanksgiving service to commission a recently completed project in Abuja.
In a scathing post on X, Sowore described the event as “insane, archaic, and unserious,” accusing Wike of wasting taxpayers’ time and resources on what he called a theatrical display of governance.
The controversy stems from a thanksgiving service held on July 6, 2025, at an Abuja church, reportedly organized to celebrate the completion and successful commissioning of infrastructure projects in the FCT.
The event, attended by government officials, religious leaders, and supporters, featured road closures and what Sowore described as “praise-singers” gathered to laud the minister’s efforts. The activist’s remarks have reignited a broader debate about the culture of extravagant project unveilings in Nigeria and their impact on public resources.
In his X post, Sowore expressed frustration with the practice of staging elaborate ceremonies to commission public projects. “Oh gosh! Nigeria is a joke. When will this madness end?” he wrote. “Imagine organizing a church Thanksgiving service just to commission a project. First of all, you don’t ‘commission’ a project; once it’s completed, it should be put to use immediately, not staged like a movie premiere.”
We don’t need a ribbon-cutting. We need working systems. We need dignity, NOT madness, in governance
Sowore argued that such events are a misuse of public funds and a distraction from effective governance. “This nonsense of blocking highways, gathering praise-singers, and wasting taxpayers’ time and money to unveil a project is insane, archaic, and unserious,” he added. “We don’t need a ribbon-cutting. We need working systems. We need dignity, NOT madness, in governance.”
The activist’s comments reflect a growing sentiment among Nigerians who view elaborate commissioning ceremonies as emblematic of misplaced priorities in a country grappling with economic challenges, insecurity, and crumbling infrastructure.
