Foremost Nigerian Permanent Secretary and the first Director-General, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Chief Gordian Chukwuemeka Oranika (Ochendo Abatete), died recently at the age of 89 and will be buried on December 6, 2024.
He was the Director-General of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, between 1991 and 1994 and served under two Ministers, General Gado Muhammadu Nasko and General Jeremiah Timbut Useni. He was the Director-General when Nigeria’s capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja in December 1991. He served as the Director-General for over three years. He significantly shaped the city’s development curve during that time, marking its beautiful horizon with enduring legacies.