By Stella Okoh-Esene
According to Nigeria’s national anthem:
“Our flag shall be a symbol that truth and justice reign in peace or battle honoured, and this we count as gain”
_The national anthem further stated that_
“Help us to build a nation where no man is oppressed and so with peace and plenty Nigeria may be blessed”
On this day, August 21,2025,I took a ride once again to the Panorama Recreational Park where I witnessed man inhumanity to man, a demolition targeted at a garden operated by a retired General’s only source by the FCDA claiming that the structure was a shanty and a haven for miscreants and dregs of the society.
I will say boldly that I patronize Jazz and Blues regularly as a guest and can arrest to the fact that the facility is a well laid out place that attend to so many senior citizens and indeed more of military veterans ( Under the auspices of Green Heroes Foundation) as I have met a host of them there and freely interacted with them.((Green Heroes Foundation is an NGO that’s takes care of war veterans in and out of Abuja)
While I was at the park and watching the Jazz and Blues being demolished, I also saw other business owners within the Park hurriedly removing their valuables from their establishments saying that the Development Control had also marked their structures including the 2 football fields within the Park for immediate demolition.
However, as I arrived at the Park on my fact finding mission today,I observed that all the structures that were marked for immediate demolition on 7 August are still standing and fully operational and I became more inquisitive. ( Other surrounding gardens are back in full operation)
My further findings subsequently revealed that the earlier notices from the FCDA was actually served on the Park management as a whole in January and not specifically on Jazz and Blues which commenced operations within the Park in March 25.
The big question therefore is why was Jazz and Blues single handedly punished for an allegation against the Park which was raised in January 25 a time where Jazz and Blues was not in existence within the Park?
In addition,why was Jazz and Blues demolished on the same day that it was marked for demolition?
A copy of the notice which i sighted was dated Jan 24 and addressed to Panorama Recreational Park from the FCDA Development Control which was signed by Mr Galadima who led the demolition team to demolish Jazz and Blues garden on 7 August 25. (However, it will be on notice that several efforts to hear from Director Development control had not been successful as he was always said to be on outside job)
My worry as a citizen therefore is, don’t Nigerians deserve fair hearing before they are unjustifiably punished?( Jazz and Blues garden was demolished without a glass allowed to be removed)
Why must our law enforcement agent see themselves as the all knowing and untouchables who discharge their duties with impunity with no compassion and total disregards for the emotions of other citizens
I must also add that beside being a guest of Jazz and Blues owned by retired Air Commodore Abayomi Balogun, I have also been following the Air Force General’s activities since he retired.
I was there when he founded the Green Heroes Foundation an NGO and started caring for ex-soldiers, military widows, orphans and the less privileged members of the society.
I was also part of his initiative to honour some of Nigeria’s War Veterans in 2022. Ironically, all the activities of the NGO has always been funded from the meagre resources that the retired general generates from his restaurant business.
Should Nigeria reward a retired general with proven records of integrity, dedication and someone who served the nation gallantry and diligently and who continue to give back to the society even after retirement this way?
Infact, what is Bad is not good.
I pray that the Military Veterans ( and indeed the authority concern should take a look at the maltreatment of a retired General) come to the aid of one of their prominent members and implore the FCDA to conduct further investigation on the issue with a view to compensating the retired general for his losses incured
Nigeria can be great again when we all start doing the right things always.
Chief Sunny Ayami
Copy
Mojk Danisa
Ogbeni Wale Dawodu
Nyesom Wike
Minister of Defence
Gen CG Musa (CDS)
Air Marshall HB Abubakar (CAS)
Sen MAO Ohabunwa
Hon Niyi Ojuawo