As videos circulate of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, dancing and celebrating his son’s graduation in London, a painful contrast confronts Nigerians back home: public schools in the FCT are sinking deeper into neglect, underfunding, and decay.
That’s Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (NEW) today, after attending his son’s graduation in London.
There is nothing inherently wrong with a father celebrating his child’s academic milestone. Education is worth celebrating. But in public office, symbolism matters. And the optics of jubilation in London clash sharply with the daily reality of thousands of FCT pupils learning in overcrowded classrooms, sitting on broken desks, taught by demoralised teachers, and deprived of basic learning materials.
Across Abuja’s satellite towns—Kubwa, Gwagwalada, Abaji, Karu, and Bwari—public schools struggle with leaking roofs, crumbling infrastructure, and a shortage of qualified teachers. Parents who cannot afford private schools are left with no choice but to watch their children’s future dim under a system that appears abandoned. In this context, the minister’s celebratory posture abroad feels less like a private family moment and more like a reminder of how far the ruling elite are from the everyday struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
Leadership demands more than policy statements; it demands empathy and priorities that reflect the public good. When public schools are in a coma, those entrusted with their revival should be seen fighting for classrooms, not dancing far from them. Until FCT public education is restored to dignity, every display of elite privilege will continue to ring hollow—and deepen the growing sense of disconnect between power and the people it is meant to serve.
