The Etsu of Kwali Traditional Council, Luka Ayedo Nizasan, has commended the extension of infrastructural development to rural communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the current administration. Speaking in an interview with our reporter at his palace on Saturday, Nizasan said the move has begun to address long-standing concerns of neglect, exclusion and marginalisation of FCT natives. He noted a growing awareness of the plight of indigenous people, alongside a commitment by the government to bridge development gaps.

“There is a deep awakening about the plight of the natives of the FCT. More importantly, there is now a commitment by the present administration to address these gaps,” he said. The monarch observed that previous administrations largely concentrated infrastructure within the city centre, while the current leadership under the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has extended projects to satellite towns and rural communities.

According to him, the earlier focus contributed to congestion in Abuja, adding that extending development to the grassroots would have eased the pressure if done earlier. “At least, if previous administrations had extended infrastructure to the grassroots, the present minister would have focused on other priorities. With this disposition, we should support the Renewed Hope agenda,” he said.

On his elevation from a third-class to a first-class monarch, Nizasan clarified that the recognition was accorded to the Kwali Chiefdom as an institution, not to him personally. “I am only holding the trust of the institution. The elevation was not about me but about the chiefdom,” he said.

He described the development as long overdue, noting that traditional institutions in the FCT had lagged behind their counterparts in other states. Nizasan also commended the minister for prioritising rural infrastructure, saying the impact is already being felt across the chiefdom and the FCT.