Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on Nigerians to set aside ethnic, religious and other differences and unite towards building a peaceful, stronger and more prosperous nation.
Sanwo-Olu made the call on Friday at the Lagos Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja, during a special Jumat service organised to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day.
Represented by his deputy, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the governor said Nigeria had the human resources, expertise and natural wealth needed to achieve sustainable development and greater prosperity, but stressed that national unity remained critical to harnessing the country’s potential.
According to him, divisions among Nigerians have continued to hinder the pursuit of common national goals, urging citizens to work together towards a shared objective. Sanwo-Olu also called on religious and traditional leaders, the private sector and citizens to play active roles in nation-building, stressing that the responsibility of developing Nigeria should not be left to government alone.
He cited the collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of what could be achieved when government agencies, private organisations, religious institutions and citizens worked together.
Earlier, the Chief Imam of the mosque, Yunuss Al-Imam, urged Nigerians to take greater responsibility for developing their communities while calling for an end to tribalism, religious intolerance and traditional conflicts.
He urged Nigerians to embrace peace, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.
