Wike Faces Backlash After Slamming Nigerians Studying Abroad, Praises Son For UK Master’s Degree
Nigerians on social media have resurfaced an old video of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, criticising Nigerians who study law abroad. This has sparked an outrage following reports that Wike’s son recently graduated with a Master’s degree from King’s College London, United Kingdom. Wike has come under intense public scrutiny after he celebrated his son’s graduation on social media, a development critics say contradicts his long-held public stance against foreign legal education.
In the resurfaced video, aired on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily in 2015 shortly after he assumed office as Governor of Rivers State, Wike argued that certain courses—particularly law—should be studied in Nigeria, insisting that public funds should not be spent sending students abroad to study programmes available locally.
The video has now reignited debate after Wike’s son completed a postgraduate degree at King’s College London, prompting accusations of hypocrisy from critics, especially from Rivers State. Following his celebratory post on X (formerly Twitter), critics recalled that Wike, as governor, discontinued the foreign scholarship scheme run by the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), which had been introduced by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi.
The suspension of the programme reportedly left many Rivers State students stranded overseas or forced to return home, plunging families into financial and emotional distress. Several Rivers indigenes had accused Wike of denying young people international educational opportunities while privately funding his own son’s education abroad. Reacting to the controversy, Port Harcourt-based youth activist, Charles Jaja, described Wike’s actions as “hypocritical in all ramifications.” “Years back, former Governor Wike pulled out all Rivers children sent abroad to study at various foreign universities by Rotimi Amaechi’s administration, claiming that Amaechi wasted Rivers money in sending those children abroad to study courses that could be offered here in Nigeria,” Jaja said. “Today, he is celebrating the graduation of his own son in the UK, where he studied law. Is this not hypocrisy?” Jaja further questioned why Wike did not allow his son to study law at Rivers State University or any other Nigerian university, accusing the former governor of inflicting “a complete injustice” on students whose dreams were cut short by the cancellation of the scholarship scheme.
Meanwhile, Wike has also faced criticism for travelling to the United Kingdom to attend his son’s graduation while workers in the FCT embarked on an indefinite strike that shut down government offices across Abuja. On Monday, offices under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) were deserted following a strike declared by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), which accused the administration of failing to address long-standing issues such as unpaid wage awards, promotion arrears, delayed promotions, non-remittance of pension contributions and National Housing Fund deductions, as well as poor working conditions and alleged staff intimidation.
Despite the industrial action paralysing public services in the nation’s capital, Wike announced on his official Facebook page on Thursday that he had attended his son’s graduation in London. “Grateful to God for giving me, my wife and children the opportunity to be available to share with my son, Joaquin, his moment of joy as he earned MSc Degree in Management and Technology Change at King’s College London, today,” Wike wrote. He also thanked political associates who travelled with him for the ceremony, including Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; and PDP National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih. Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, confirmed that Joaquin Wike completed an MSc in Management and Technology Change at King’s College London.
Those in attendance at the ceremony included Wike’s wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Wike; their children; Governor Fintiri; Senator Ohuabunwa; and Chief Orbih. The minister’s overseas trip came amid escalating tension in the FCT, as workers vowed to sustain the strike until their demands are met. Naija News House had earlier reported that Wike and the FCTA dragged the Joint Union Action Committee to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Abuja, seeking orders to restrain the unions from picketing, shutting down offices and disrupting activities in the FCT. In a ruling delivered on January 21, 2026, Justice E.D. Subilim granted leave for substituted service on the union leaders and adjourned the matter to January 26, 2026, for hearing.
