As Nigeria celebrates her 61st Independence anniversary, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has charged Nigerians to summon the courage, energy and political will to face problems confronting the country head-on and address them squarely.
In a statement issued by the Governor’s Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, the governor said Nigerians must learn from the past of others to guide the present and create a future that is even better than what was envisaged.
According to the governor, religious and ethnic conflicts should be completely removed from the country’s lexical items.
He said, “In a few days, Nigeria will celebrate her 61st anniversary as an independent country. It will be another opportunity to reflect on our past, our present and our future. A complex and complicated past, like many other countries; a challenging present, again like many others and a future that we all look forward to with hope and optimism.”
“Most countries of the world face deep-seated questions about ethnic, racial and religious diversity, and that Nigeria’s seemingly intractable past and present challenges are not unique to us. What is important is that we must constantly summon the energy and political will to face our problems head-on and address them squarely. We cannot continue to throw our hands up in despair or retreat into the tempting ghettoes of sectionalism and ethnic and religious bigotry.”
“We must learn from the past of others to guide our present and create a future that is even better than what we envisaged. That is yet another important link between past, present and future; the ability to assess deeply, learn, and adapt in light of that learning,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu however assured that his administration is committed to continuity of good governance, saying it will build on the past and adhere to a robust vision passed down over the years that will serve the people of Lagos and change their lives for the better.