Residents of Gwalada Jiwa in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried years of government neglect, citing the absence of primary and secondary schools in their community. Their frustration was brought to the fore during a Children’s Day celebration organised by ActionAid Nigeria.
The community’s traditional leader, Chief Dr. Yakubu Tanko, said that despite having over 200 school-aged children, Gwalada Jiwa has no government-owned school. As a result, children are forced to travel long distances—often through unsafe bush paths and across dangerous highways—to access education in neighbouring communities.
“Our children have been victims of accidents while crossing major roads. Some are exposed to attacks, bullying, and even sexual violence on their way to school,” Dr. Tanko lamented. He appealed to President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to extend their development efforts to underserved communities like his.
“We’ve seen the minister’s achievements in other parts of Abuja. We’re calling on him to remember Gwalada Jiwa. We need just one school—so that every child and every community can have a chance at a better future,” the chief added.
Representing ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director at the event, Programme Specialist for the Local Rights Programme (LRP), Mr. Kehinde Arowosegbe, said the community’s plight reflects the deep educational inequalities within the FCT. While the theme for this year’s Children’s Day was “Stop Bullying,” he said the more urgent concern in Gwalada Jiwa is simply gaining access to education.
“This is not just about infrastructure—it’s about justice,” Arowosegbe said. “These children have a constitutional right to education, but they are forced to risk their lives just to reach the classroom. What kind of future are we promising them?”
He described the situation as a “crisis of lost potential,” arguing that education is not a privilege but a necessity. “A school in this community would be more than a building—it would be a place of safety, growth, and hope,” he said.
Calling for urgent government action, Arowosegbe stressed that Gwalada Jiwa is not asking for charity, but for basic rights. “We’re not pleading—we’re demanding what the law already guarantees. Education is a pathway to innovation, peace, and national progress. If we truly want to develop, we must invest in every child, in every community.”
