Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Abuja, Sarah Omakwu, has publicly appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, not to allocate the Jabi Lake recreation area for private development.
In a video shared on Sunday, the cleric was seen kneeling on the pulpit as she made a direct appeal, urging the minister to preserve the space for public use.
Emotional appeal from the pulpit
Omakwu said she chose not to confront the minister but instead appealed as a concerned citizen and mother.
“I cannot fight the minister of the FCT… 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 described the area as a vital social and economic space for residents.
“Leave it for the people”
According to the cleric, the recreation centre serves multiple purposes, from exercise and relaxation to social gatherings and small-scale business activities.
“That is where people go for exercise… where people meet, interact, and even get married,” she said, urging the minister to allow continued public access.
She also expressed concern over shrinking public spaces in Abuja, noting that several previously accessible locations have become restricted over time.
Acknowledges Wike’s projects
Despite her concerns, Omakwu commended Wike for infrastructure development across the Federal Capital Territory.
“I want to thank you for the highways… you have made movement easier,” she said, while maintaining her appeal over the Jabi Lake issue.
Development plans already underway
The appeal comes months after the Federal Capital Territory Administration signed agreements with private firms to redevelop Jabi Lake into a major recreational hub.
Authorities say the initiative is aimed at boosting tourism and repositioning Abuja as a destination for leisure and economic activities.
The situation has since drawn attention, with residents and stakeholders watching closely for the government’s next move.
Abuja Pastor kneels, begs Wike not to allocate Jabi Lake landpic.twitter.com/xelcAGdY3T
— Omotoyosi A.A Ijaya JOURNALIST (@omotoyosiwrites) May 4, 2026