Sanwo-Olu Urges Unity, Local Solutions to Insecurity at Lecture to Commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed optimism that Nigeria will overcome its security and socio-economic challenges if citizens remain united and committed to national progress.
Speaking on Tuesday at a public lecture commemorating Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary held at the Arewa House Auditorium, Kaduna, the governor emphasized the importance of unity, local governance empowerment, and collective responsibility.
The event was themed “65 Years of Nigeria’s Independence: The Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View.”
Sanwo-Olu reassured Nigerians that the nation would triumph over pressing issues such as poverty, hunger, and insecurity.
“We shall defeat every challenge—poverty, hunger, and, as His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reminded us earlier this week, terrorism,” he said.
Reacting to recent reports by the United States on alleged religious persecution in Nigeria, the governor reaffirmed the country’s strength in diversity. He stressed that Nigeria remains a proud, multiethnic, and multi-religious nation bound by shared values and destiny.
“We will continue to affirm that Nigeria is a proudly multiethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural country, where the things that bind us together are far greater than those that seek to divide us,” he stated.
Sanwo-Olu called for a homegrown approach to governance and security management, highlighting the need for state policing and local government autonomy.
According to him, empowering grassroots institutions would enhance safety and development across communities.
“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.
The governor also commended the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, spearheaded by President Tinubu, describing it as a framework designed to drive national security, economic growth, and governance reforms.
He noted that Lagos State’s THEMES+ agenda complements the national vision by focusing on infrastructure development, human capital growth, tourism, security, and social inclusion.
“At the state level, APC governors are encouraged to align with these pillars in our respective governance blueprints. In Lagos, our THEMES+ agenda is fully in sync with the Renewed Hope framework,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Lagos governor further lauded recent economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration, including the removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate unification, and new tax legislations, which he said would strengthen the nation’s fiscal foundation.
Concluding his address, Sanwo-Olu appealed to Nigerians to remain steadfast and united, declaring, “God has put us together for a purpose, and we shall fulfill that purpose without distraction or division.”
The lecture was chaired by former Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim. It drew the attendance of former governors of Osun, Ogun, Kaduna, and Jigawa states, senior officials of the Kaduna State Government, traditional and religious leaders, industry experts, and serving as well as former public officeholders.
