The Abuja Master Plan report defines the Central Area as the hub of both the City as well as the Nation itself. From 29th November to 2nd December 1999, there was an International Workshop for the review of Abuja Master Plan. Arc. Mansur Kurfi Ahmadu made a presentation titled Central Area Urban Design: Expectations Versus Realities. He stated that the Central Area is expected to symbolize Nigeria to the world, thus reaching beyond national concerns alone.
The Central Area Design Team was formed under the leadership of Kenzo Tange and URTEC of Japan. Three other Nigerian firms, namely, Benna and Associates, Oluwole Olamuyiwa and Associates and E.A.D Nsiegbe and Associates were included. The final report including drawings and a model were submitted in 1981. Since that time the Central Area has become a significant element in the Capital City and significant levels were attained in plan implementation.
The main design objective of the Abuja Master Plan was to create a functioning and organically whole central area, early in the life of the new capital, concentrating facilities along the axis to convey a sense of completeness and urbanity, even though large part of the central area would remain unbuilt for some time.
This presupposes a systematic development of relevant infrastructure such that at each stage, development can be carried further with minimal disturbance to the existing parts. It could be observed, that the direction of traffic flows are constantly changing as the Expressways of B-6 and B-12 keep expanding, other proposed arterial roads were implemented and development progresses.
This explains why, the developments of the various Arterial Roads and Expressways in the Central area are implemented in phases depending on the
requirements at the time, and most importantly financial availability. Many areas in the Central Area District may appear vacant. But, they are not. Most of them were earmarked for Arterials and Transit ways that are yet to be implemented. They are constantly being encroached by illegal developers, while Development Control constantly removes.
The Central Area urban design provided an implementation strategy, whereby each area was discussed in terms of the body responsible for its development. Areas for public and private developments were identified. The Central Area is divided into zones. It starts with the Three-Arms Zone constituting the Presidential Complex, the National Assembly and the Supreme Court. It is sequentially followed by the Ministries zone, the Cultural zone and the Central Business District. These are separated by major arterial roads.
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The major features to be developed in the Central Area District as proposed by the parent document by International Planning Associates (IPA) and emphasized by the Kenzo Tange plan may not necessarily the ones presently located on the same spot. Alterations were dictated by the different administrations as the City development progresses. Many of the reasons advanced for the alterations were tenable and many were not, due to personal interests of the people in power.
The first most important alteration was that of the Presidential Complex which was removed from its location in the Three-arm zone to its present location outside the circle, for security reasons, during the military era. The original Presidential Complex now accommodates the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government. Meanwhile, the locations of the National Assembly and the Supreme Court were not altered.
Many other features proposed for development at the Central Area were actualized and many others were not. Many were not jettisoned, but they are still being expected to be implemented. The delay may not be unconnected to financial constraints. These include, but not limited to the Vice President Complex, which location was not changed, but very long delayed, until very recently.
The Ministry of Defense location was close to the Millennium Park, and not far from the Vice Presidents Complex, according to the Kenzo Tange proposal. But it was drafted to the zone earmarked for the Central Business District (CBD). The location was earmarked for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). In which the NPA in agreement with its retirees association used its superannuation fund to build its complex, with a shape akin to a big ship. Hence, originally called the ship house.
But, because the Obasanjo regime was not in favour of transferring the NPA Headquarters out of Lagos, it drafted the Ministry of Defense to take-over the building. That controversial seizure generated serious conflict between the NPA retirees and the NPA management for a very long time, because the NPA could not access the alternative provided in Lagos.
The land earmarked for the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) in the Central Area District along the Ahmadu Bello Way, also suffers from such alterations. For reasons best known to the particular administration at the time, the FHA was propelled to the Asokoro District and the land was subdivided and used by private organizations. Subsequently, there was a story of a former FCT Minister who could not resist a former First Lady who had interest on the land.
To be continued.
