Another expensive ceremony for a fraction of a road while Nigerians starve, die young and live in insecurity
The Utomi-led Big Tent Coalition has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s plan to stage yet another lavish inauguration ceremony for Section One of the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has announced that the 47.47-kilometre Section One is “ready for commissioning”.
This is barely more than 6% of a project widely described as spanning about 750 kilometres across nine coastal states.
Not long ago—on May 31, 2025—the same Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government organised a grand ceremony to “commission” just 30 kilometres, less than 5% of the total length.
A statement issued by Director of Media and Communications, Big Tent, Charles Odibo, asked that: “Since when did the commissioning of unfinished, partial stretches of road become the new normal of governance in Nigeria? How low has the bar for ‘achievement’ sunk that a government now celebrates fractions of projects with fanfare, motorcades and millions of naira in public funds while the vast majority of the highway remains incomplete?”
According to the coalition, “These wasteful jamborees are an insult to a nation that continues to lag badly on the real measures of performance—human development.”
Big Tent noted that Nigeria ranks 164th out of 193 countries on the latest Human Development Index with a score of just 0.560. Life expectancy stands at approximately 54.5–54.9 years—among the lowest in the world.
On poverty, World Bank estimates place the rate at around 63% in 2025/2026, meaning roughly 139–140 million Nigerians live below the poverty line. Education remains in crisis, with learning poverty estimated at about 70% for children under 10 (many unable to read a simple sentence) and millions still out of school. Security continues to deteriorate: Nigeria ranks near the bottom of the Global Peace Index (around 142nd–148th out of 163 countries in recent editions) and features among the countries most affected by terrorism.
Underemployment, youth joblessness and the absence of decent work remain widespread realities for millions of families.
Odibo further stated that while ordinary Nigerians struggle with hunger, insecurity, collapsing public services and a future that looks increasingly bleak, “this government finds the resources and the appetite for repeated expensive ceremonies over incomplete roads. It is a clear demonstration that the Tinubu administration lacks the competence, capacity, compassion and character required to govern a serious nation.”
Big Tent reminded well-meaning citizens that “this election season presents Nigerians with a clear choice”.
The Big Tent Coalition therefore called on citizens to “see through the optics, the photo-ops and the unfinished projects dressed up as legacy achievements. We urge Nigerians to reject this pattern of governance and vote for leaders who are truly committed to a New Nigeria that works for all—leaders such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—who prioritise results over rituals, people over pageantry, and genuine development over wasteful jamborees.
“Enough of the ceremonies. Deliver the full road. Fix the indices that actually matter. Nigeria deserves better”.