- Nigeria as a proudly diverse nation whose strength lies in its cultural and religious pluralism
- the war against insecurity, poverty, and hunger must begin with effective local policing
- promoting grassroots autonomy would strengthen national stability and unity.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed strong confidence that Nigeria will triumph over its security challenges through collective action, good governance, and inclusive reforms that empower states and local governments to play active roles in nation-building.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Sanwo-Olu made the declaration on Tuesday at a special lecture held in Kaduna to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
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The event, organised by the Arewa Think Tank, drew a distinguished audience of former governors, ministers, traditional rulers, academics, and development experts.
The Lagos governor, who spoke on the theme of “National Security, Unity and Development,” emphasised that the war against insecurity, poverty, and hunger must begin with effective local policing, economic reforms, and infrastructural development that connects rural and urban areas.
He added that decentralising power and promoting grassroots autonomy would strengthen national stability and unity.
According to him, the time has come for Nigeria to embrace state-driven innovation and accountability. “We must look inward, strengthen local governance and ensure that every Nigerian feels the impact of democracy,” he said. “We will defeat every challenge poverty, hunger, and, as President Bola Tinubu himself has assured us, terrorism.”
Sanwo-Olu described Nigeria as a proudly diverse nation whose strength lies in its cultural and religious pluralism. He called on leaders to draw inspiration from the legacy of the nation’s founding fathers, noting that unity and reform remain the bedrock of progress.
He further praised President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for its efforts to boost financial allocations to states and local governments, introduce fairer tax laws, and promote financial autonomy for local authorities.
He noted that these measures align with Lagos’ THEMES+ agenda, which prioritises infrastructure, human capital, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians to see unity as the nation’s greatest weapon, stressing that “our diversity is not our weakness but our strength and with collective will, Nigeria will prevail over insecurity and every challenge ahead.”
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