The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, stated yesterday that Nigerians could build a tomorrow they would be proud of if they chose the right candidates in the general election scheduled for next year.
The topic of Sanwo-speech Olu’s was “Harvest of Restoration and Divine Satisfaction” during the 2022 Children and Youth Harvest Thanksgiving of Our Saviour’s Church, Diocese of Lagos (Anglican Communion), in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.
The governor claimed that while Nigerians appeared to be divided, they could also be brought together. He referred to the young people of Nigeria as the world’s future and advised them to take control of it.
Sanwo-Olu advised the youth to actively engage in initiatives aimed at strengthening the country and asserted that they could take on leadership responsibilities wherever they were. He asserted that service in the temple of God was a solid basis for a successful career.
The governor stated, “Let us hold ourselves together. Whatever is dividing us as a country are the little things that can also unite us as a country. Let us make the right choices. Let us create a tomorrow that all of them can be proud of.
“We have that responsibility to continue to make this place (Lagos) safe. We have that responsibility to continue to make sure that we will not divide ourselves. We will continue to create opportunities for every one of our citizens. And we will continue to make it home to all for as long as they want to be peaceful and law-abiding.”
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The Harvest Programme’s “Parents of the Day,” Sanwo-Olu and his wife Ibijoke, made an appeal for Nigerians to come together and avoid splintering. He added that his administration will ensure development in every area of Lagos State in accordance with the Greater Lagos Development agenda. He pledged that his government would continue to be accountable to and responsive to the residents of Lagos State.
According to him, “What the church stands for is to give you (youths) the foundation and space for you to be able to do those things you want to do and fly to whatever height, because, indeed, you are not just the future of the nation, you are indeed the future of the world and the future is now. And so you need to be partaker of it and take full charge of it.”
Earlier, Sanwo-Olu was invited to become involved in the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities by The Ven. Ife Okupevi, the vicar of Our Saviour’s Church, TBS (ASUU).
Okupevi requested Sanwo-Olu to contact President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Education, and other interested parties in order to promote a speedy resolution between the federal government and ASUU and terminate the union’s strike, which has prevented tertiary education from operating for several months.
Okupevi applauded Sanwo-Olu for taking the required steps to combat COVID-19, the security that is now present in Lagos State, as well as the establishment of infrastructure throughout the state.
Reverend Emmanuel Mordi asked Christians in his sermon to use their riches for God and challenged those in positions of authority to be just and merciful to the populace.
In the meantime, Oba Josiah Ilemobade Aina, the Oloto of the Oto-Awori Kingdom, gave a 250-seat lecture hall to the recently renovated Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) in Ijanikin, Badagry Division, which was opened by Sanwo-Olu yesterday.
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The governor opened the hall to commemorate the event while he was in Oto-Awori Kingdom to celebrate with the king on the occasion of his 15th coronation anniversary.
He noted that the facility will complement others being created on the campus by the state government as part of the initiatives started after the school was upgraded from a college of education to a university by the National Universities Commission, saying that the king’s gift was admirable (NUC).
Sanwo-Olu gave an explanation of the school’s promotion to institutions that grant degrees, along with Lagos State Polytechnic.
In a statement, Sanwo-Olu claimed that Lagos, a large metropolis with a sizable young population, was underserved by just one university.
Technology and education have been the main components of our deliverables, he said. Only when we have traditional tertiary institutions providing aggressive chances to develop human capital can we hope to accomplish this goal.
“The late Alhaji Lateef Jakande gave us Lagos State University over 40 years ago. Why should we not build more on this solid foundation? As big as Lagos is, with a huge population, having one state university does not befit us.
“Lagos cabinet, with the approval of the House of Assembly and NUC, set up two more universities to complement LASU and we got the approvals to establish the schools at the same time.
“This dream has come true and Oto-Awori Kingdom is a beneficiary. The gesture of Oto-Awori king to support our efforts to improve access to education with the donation of a lecture hall is an act that is worthy of emulation.”
Sanwo-Olu said he had authorized the construction of a 750-seat lecture hall on the LASUED campus and had also ordered the purchase of two high-capacity buses to help students get to and from class.
In addition, the governor provided free high-speed Internet access for academic purposes across the whole campus.
Sanwo-Olu took use of the opportunity to make a plea for peace to the nearby communities that were embroiled in a communal strife. The governor warned all parties against damaging property or public facilities and emphasized that only an atmosphere of peace would allow for progress.
The monarch claimed that in order to help impoverished people overcome obstacles that hinder them from attending school, he made the gift to support government intervention in education.
Oba Aina remembered how an N6,000 charge prevented him from completing his academic program at a university in Ondo State. He committed to launching additional education-related ventures to aid the government’s initiatives.
