The Kaduna Millennium City Specialist Hospital, a 300-bed facility that President Bola Tinubu commissioned with much fanfare in June 2025, is now being described by residents as nothing but an empty shell. Barely two months after its grand opening, the hospital has remained deserted, raising fresh concerns about governance, accountability, and sincerity in leadership.
At the time of its launch, the hospital was hailed as a milestone in Kaduna’s healthcare journey. But today, locals in Millennium City say the place is locked up and lifeless. One of them, Umar Baba-Ali, a former APC state delegate, couldn’t hide his frustration when he visited the facility on Saturday, August 23. According to him, “I came here myself, but the hospital is empty. Every time we pass by, it’s always the same thing — no doctors, no patients, no activity.”
Baba-Ali went further to question why such a project would be declared commissioned when in truth it was not functional. He recalled that during Tinubu’s visit in June, temporary setups and vehicles were brought in to create the impression of a working hospital. But soon after the president’s convoy left, everything vanished. “What exactly was commissioned?” he asked, stressing that this is not about politics but about honesty to the people.
His concern reflects the sentiments of many residents who feel deceived. To them, this hospital symbolizes another case where citizens are shortchanged in the name of political showmanship. Some are also unhappy that instead of naming the hospital after former Vice President Namadi Sambo, who initiated the project, it was renamed after Tinubu. For them, that decision feels like rewriting history and denying credit to those who labored for its foundation.
In his emotional outburst, Baba-Ali prayed openly: “May God bless us with leaders who truly love their people and serve faithfully. For the kind of leaders we have been given, O God, forgive us and grant us better ones.” His words echo a growing frustration among Nigerians who are tired of empty promises dressed up as achievements.
Now, the Millennium City Specialist Hospital stands as a metaphor — a big, beautiful structure without life inside. To the people of Kaduna, it’s more than just a hospital; it’s a reminder of the gap between political performance and reality. And unless the government activates it for real medical use, residents say the commissioning will remain nothing but another ceremony without substance.
