Sanwo-Olu assures Nigerians of unity and security, urging citizens to adopt local solutions and support Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda

Sanwo-Olu assures Nigerians of unity and security, expressing optimism that the country will overcome its current challenges through collective effort and faith in national progress.

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, gave this assurance on Tuesday at a public lecture marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, held at the Arewa House Auditorium in Kaduna.

Themed “65th Year of Nigeria Independence: The Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View,” the event gathered political leaders, traditional rulers, and other dignitaries.

Sanwo-Olu declared that Nigeria would surmount its major challenges, including insecurity, poverty, and hunger, saying, “We shall defeat every challenge: poverty, hunger, and, as His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reminded us earlier this week, terrorism.”

Addressing recent claims by the United States about religious persecution in Nigeria, the governor underscored the importance of unity and tolerance among citizens of diverse faiths.

“Nigeria is a proudly multiethnic, multi-religious and multicultural country, where the things that bind us together are far weightier than whatever seeks to divide us,” he said.

The governor also advocated for homegrown and bottom-up approaches to governance, particularly in addressing insecurity.

He stressed that robust state policing and true local government autonomy are vital to improving safety and development.

“We must adopt local solutions to local problems, implement state policing effectively, and empower our local governments so that security, development, and prosperity reach every corner of our country,” he added.

Sanwo-Olu highlighted the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a framework for rebuilding the nation through economic growth, infrastructure expansion, and human capital development.

He cited Lagos State’s THEMES+ programme as a practical example of aligning state initiatives with the national agenda to strengthen governance and promote social inclusion.

“In Lagos State, our THEMES+ agenda is fully aligned, emphasising infrastructure, human capital development, diversification through entertainment and tourism, security, governance reform, and social inclusion,” he explained.

The governor further praised President Tinubu’s reform-driven policies, including the removal of petrol subsidies, the unification of exchange rates, and the enactment of new tax laws.

He said these bold decisions would reinforce Nigeria’s ability to tackle economic and social challenges sustainably.

Concluding with a hopeful message, Sanwo-Olu said, “God has put us together for a purpose, and we shall achieve that purpose without distraction or division.”

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The lecture was chaired by former Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, and attended by former governors, state officials, religious leaders, and industry captains.