FROM RED DUST TO MODERN ROADS: ABUJA RESIDENT APPLAUDS FCT’S ONGOING TRANSFORMATION
By: Victoria Agorom and Prudence Okonna
Once defined by red earth roads and scattered settlements, Abuja has steadily transformed into a vibrant modern city — a reflection of years of planning, investment, and leadership.
The Federal Capital Territory, once known for its quiet and dusty beginnings, now boasts sprawling road networks, gleaming bridges, and expanding residential districts that mirror the nation’s capital ambitions.
For many who have lived through these transitions, the city’s growth tells a personal story of change and adaptation. One of them is Mr Steve Onwuka, who has spent over three decades living, working, and raising a family in the FCT.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Abuja Digest on the occasion of his 60th birthday and the launch of his trilogy of books, Onwuka reflected on his life journey, career, and the enduring beauty of Nigeria’s Federal Capital.
While reflecting on the evolution of the Federal Capital Territory, the longtime resident commended the leadership of the FCTA through the Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for sustaining Abuja’s infrastructural renewal drive under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Under this new phase, we are seeing bridges, streetlights, drainage systems, and neighbourhood roads spring up in record time. For residents like me who have witnessed Abuja from the days of red dust to modern highways, this is a source of pride,” he said.
Onwuka praised the Minister for his speed and determination in completing inherited projects and expanding new development areas.
“He has changed the speed of project completion. He is opening up new areas, improving lighting, and strengthening Abuja’s image as the capital of Africa’s most populous nation.” He emphasised.
“Residents can now feel the impact of governance where it matters — in the roads they drive, the communities they live in, and the ease with which they move around,” he added.
Beyond infrastructure, he urged the FCT Administration to support intellectual recreation to promote Nigeria’s soft power and cultural diplomacy.
“We need an Abuja where the government hosts poetry readings, folklore nights, and traditional gatherings that bring intellectuals and diplomats together, that is how you showcase Nigeria’s beauty and strength to the world.” He suggested.
Recalling his early years in the nation’s capital, Onwuka said the city remains the only place he has truly called home.
“Abuja is the only city I have known. I was privileged to be employed first in the establishment that has the constitutional responsibility to develop the city. I saw Abuja evolve, and there is a feeling of pride and fulfilment that an African nation can build a city as beautiful as this.”, he said with nostalgia
Onwuka said he began his career in the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in the early 1990s, narrating that his early days were in Abuja Today newspaper, now Abuja Digest, where he worked as one of the pioneering editorial staff.
“We were sleeping in the production office then; it was all manual work, no editing software, yet we were passionate and committed to building something great for the FCTA,” he reminisced.
Speaking about his three new books, The Dialogue: The Vulnerable and the Desperate, Africa: Vengeance of the Abandoned, and Songs of Ogadi. He explained that the trilogy is the result of over 12 years of research inspired by his travels across Africa and his deep concern about the exclusion of young people from leadership and governance.
“The books are one subject in three forms: prose, drama, and poetry. They explore the crisis of youth exclusion in Africa, tracing its roots from colonial disruption of traditional leadership systems to today’s growing disconnection between leaders and the youth.” He explained.
According to him, the title Africa: Vengeance of the Abandoned captures the anger and frustration of the marginalised African youth, who, if neglected, become fertile ground for insurgency, crime, and political manipulation.
Onwuka described his work as both a warning and a call for action. The vengeance has already started, he warned.
“When we see insurgency, kidnappings, and instability, they are signs of the storm the vengeance of the abandoned,” Onwuka added
The Chief Protocol Officer at the ECOWAS Commission said he remains optimistic despite these challenges.
“I believe Africa still holds the promise for global renewal. The continent’s youth are creative and connected through technology, what I call the e-Pan-Africa. They communicate, innovate, and influence without boundaries. That is where the hope lies.” Onwuka Added.
The books he announced will be launched on November 11, 2025, the day he clocks 60 at the main hall of the ECOWAS Commission, Abuja.
As he celebrates his 60th birthday, his wife’s 50th, and their 25th wedding anniversary, Onwuka said he is filled with gratitude.
“My children are grown, my wife has been my pillar, and I am happy to still be contributing to the growth of Abuja, Africa’s pride.” He said.
Onwuka says his greatest joy as he steps into a new decade of life lies in witnessing the capital evolve into a true reflection of its founding dream, a city built for unity, opportunity, and growth.
